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What is TechBio?
The life sciences sector is evolving. Biotech companies are using cutting-edge techniques from data-driven tech to transform drug discovery and patient care. We call this interface of biology and technology “techbio".
These companies combine insights from both sectors to draw from a wealth of data, including clinical, genomic and molecular. Their innovations will allow the healthcare system to deliver personalised healthcare to more patients, more quickly, at a lower cost.
TechBio policy priorities
Given its central importance to TechBio companies, data access is a key policy priority for the BIA. We’re focusing on the governance and contracting associated with data access, as well as the technical side of data standards and environments.
Improving industry access to health data through:
- Streamlining governance
- Technical standards
- Commercial agreements
These policy priorities are informed by our members.
Health impacts of data access
The aim of analysing health data is to improve our health and wellbeing. Data collected for a variety of reasons, including during routine care, can be used again for research and innovation. Industry plays a key part in medical research; discovering new treatments and ways to diagnose disease. Innovators in the industry must adhere to high standards of ethical and legal governance as well as data protection in order to access health data. We are showcasing the impact of health data access through our industry case studies. These examples outline health benefits made possible through industry accessing health data.
- TechBio innovator spotlight: Faster, more accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer
- TechBio innovator spotlight: Developing new treatments for fragile X syndrome
Be part of the TechBio community
Our TechBio members come from a range of companies sitting across drug discovery and patient care. To provide this broad community with a forum to network and discuss best practices, we are running a series of events and working groups focused on specific issues, like TechBio skills.
Join us at TechBio events in 2023
Resources
Health Research Authority released guidance which gives a step-by-step overview of the process for accessing health and social care data for research of data-driven technologies. This includes essential considerations for those looking to do health and care data research, at what stage to complete documentation so that it is most effective, and what conversations to have with data providers. The guidance also includes a directory of key players and definitions of terms and concepts.
Spending time in the planning stages to identify the data you need, understand what data is available, and to have conversations with the right people, may shorten timelines by preventing avoidable delays.