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Welcome!

Interested in joining one of the Data Transparency Working Group Projects? The projects below are currently calling for volunteers.

Clinical Visual Analytics for Review and Submission (CVARS

AI/ML in Digital Health Technologies (DHTs)– Started

Q1 2022

Current Status:

  • Updated CVARS version with E2E implementation and shinylive deployment.

  • Final manuscript for CVARS E2E implementation.

Q

Project Scope:

Development of an open-source tool and package to enable generation of identified interactive plots for clinical review and direct inclusion in submissions to regulatory agencies. The initial scope is to develop a package to generate interactive forest and volcano plots for adverse events and FDA Medical Queries (FMQs) analysis outputs for inclusion in submissions to the FDA. This work is a collaboration among the American Statistical Association (ASA), PHUSE and the FDA.

The use cases of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) in digital health technologies to improve healthcare through software.

Understand the challenges, and identify the gaps. Connect different stakeholders, share knowledge, and advance in developing AI/ML in DHTs.  

Current Status:

  • Q1 2025 Forum with proposed date and speaker

Regular Project Meeting Day/Time:

  • ?

Key Skills:

  • Experience

in Open Source
  • Experience in forest and volcano plots for adverse events and FDA Medical Queries (FMQs)

  • Experience with R Shiny

  • Communication of Version Metadata for Open-Source Languages – Started Q

    Project Scope:

    This project aims to develop a new template or enhance an existing one such as the Study Data Standardisation Plan (SDSP) or Analysis Data Reviewer’s Guide (ADRG), to ensure that metadata pertaining to the versions of statistical packages and procedures is consistently documented in alignment with health authority expectations. This standardised template will streamline the submission of clinical study metadata to health authorities as part of the regulatory review process.

    Current Status:

    • Continue FDA Engagement

    • Finalise Metadata Approach

    • Onboard New Team Members

    • Develop Project Plan

    Regular Project Meeting Day/Time:

    • Bi-weekly: Wednesdays 7-8pm GMT

    Key Skills:

    • Experience in statistical programming language

    • Experience in processing metadata

    Comparing Analysis Method Implementations in Software (CAMIS) – Started Q

    Project Scope:

    Comparing Analysis Method Implementations in Software (CAMIS) has evolved from the Clinical Statistical Reporting in a Multilingual World project.

    Several discrepancies have been discovered in statistical analysis results between different programming languages, even in fully qualified statistical computing environments. Subtle differences exist between the fundamental approaches implemented by each language, yielding differences in results which are each correct in their own right. The fact that these differences exist causes unease on the behalf of sponsor companies when submitting to a regulatory agency, as it is uncertain if the agency will view these differences as problematic. Understanding the agency’s expectations will contribute significantly to enabling the broader adoption of multiple programming languages in the production of data submission packages for regulatory review

    The CAMIS project seeks to clearly define this problem and provide a framework for assessing the fundamental differences for a particular statistical analysis across languages. In this context, the risk of interpreting numerical differences in analysis results due solely to differences in programming language can be mitigated, instilling confidence in both the sponsor company and the agency during the review period. This will be accomplished by:

    1. Identifying common statistical analyses performed during submissions to narrow the scope of where discrepancies must be identified (e.g., continuous summaries, frequency counts, hazard models, bioequivalence testing, steady-state assessments, bioavailability testing, ANOVA)

    2. Providing necessary documentation to produce equivalence in results between separate statistical analysis software packages/languages (where possible)

    3. Evaluating and documenting differences in results between popular statistical analysis implementations as use cases

    4. Provision of sample code for use cases through a publicly accessible code repository for both review and consumption

    5. Promoting the notion that the ‘right’ implementation of a particular statistical analysis should be based sound statistical reasoning and not limited by the capabilities of a specific programming language or statistical analysis software package, nor its default settings

    The CAMIS repository to document known differences is now live and open for community contributions. 

    Current Status:

    Review repo environment and assess costs to improve.
    • with the use of DHTs

    • Experience with AI/ML

    Cloud Adoption in the Life Sciences Industry – Started Q1 2019

    Project Scope:

    Cloud technology and its use of multi-tennant app solutions are increasing the capabilities of Life Sciences solutions and reducing IT infrastructure costs through the sharing of infrastructure and investment cross-industry.

    In some areas multi-tenant cloud solutions have become ubiquitous. For example, Salesforce.com claim >150K customers utilise their platform for Customer Relationship Management. Furthermore, many routinely rely on Cloud services associated with their computer backups and data services associated with cell phones.

    Nonetheless, the perceptions and interpretations of the regulations by which the Life Sciences industry must conduct its business still leave many uncertain about whether or not they can (or should) pursue the use of Cloud solutions for GxP applications.

    The goal of this project has been to provide a practical, usable framework to overcome those barriers. Through the use of this framework, it is envisaged that the barriers to adoption by Pharma of Cloud-based technology will be addressed.

    Current Status:

    • Draft for exit strategy document

    Regular Project Meeting Day/Time:

    • Bi-weekly:

    Mondays
    • Thursdays 4

    :30
    • -

    5:30pm
    • 5pm GMT

    Key Skills:

    • Experience in

    statistical programming languages (SAS, R, Python)
    • cloud-based technology

    • Experience with

    statistical methodology in different software and languages
  • Familiar with using Github

  • Teal Enhancements for Cross-Industry Adoption
    • GxP applications

    • Experience ???

    Current Status:

    Project Kick-Off Meeting happened this quarter

    Investigating the Use of FHIR in Clinical Research – Started Q

    Project Scope:

    Research: Conduct a detailed analysis of the current teal framework and identify areas where flexibility can be introduced. A Proof-of-Concept will be provided after research.

    Development: Create new functionalities that allow for the re-formatting, post-processing, and decoration of outputs generated by existing teal modules.

    Testing: Develop test cases to ensure the new functionalities are compatible with existing modules and meet the customisation needs of different companies.

    Documentation: Update the framework's documentation to include instructions on how to use the new features.

    Training & Support: Provide training and ongoing support to users within the pharma industry to facilitate the adoption of the enhanced teal framework.

    Increasing interest in eSource keeps the issue of data integration between Research Systems (EDC, CTMS, CDMS, etc) and healthcare systems (EHR, etc) as a consistent want for Sponsors of Clinical Investigators and Regulators. Previous efforts to make this a repeatable, scalable solution have not met with wide-scale adoption, for a variety of reasons.

    Some common historical points of view have included:

    • That the quality of the data that can be retrieved from the Healthcare sites is insufficient to meet research needs.

    • That uptake of electronic systems at investigative sites has been slow, expensive, and not delivering real value to healthcare practises.

    • Types of data captured in healthcare have been more operational rather than clinical.

    • Enabling the Necessary interfaces is an expensive and process-heavy undertaking.

    • There is not a suitable, generally supported electronic exchange format, with a number of standard representations being supported in recent memory.

    Many of these issues are on the path to being resolved; government programs have pushed the adoption and accessibility of electronic health records. In addition, there are a number of stakeholders in the Research Industry that are making the use of healthcare resources a priority for the future; examples include Transcelerate eSource initiative and HL7 Vulcan Accelerator.

    Current Status:

    • Jan 25 Connectathon PoC with SDC.

    Regular Project Meeting Day/Time:

    Bi-weekly: Wednesdays 3-4pm GMT
    • ?

    Key Skills:

    • Experience with

    the Teal Framework
  • Experience in developing test cases

  • Ability to generate customised tables, listings, and graphs (TLGs).
    • HL7 Vulcan

    • Experience with FHIR

    • Experience in writing Use Cases