Data Resource Profile: IQVIA Medical Research Data (IMRD)

Abstract: IQVIA Medical Research Data (IMRD) was established to be used for population-based research to provide insights into primary care managed diseases and treatments to help inform healthcare decisions and improve patient outcomes. Uses include determining the burden of illness, treatment patterns and adherence, drug safety, morbidity and mortality patterns, outcomes research, health economics research, risk management, quantifying unmet needs and resource utilisation. IMRD contains longitudinal, non-identified data on more than 6 million people ever registered with a participating primary care practice in England – of these, 2.2 million remain actively registered and contributing data as of January 2024 with a median of 8 years of follow-up data. Both historic and current records are available for research. IMRD contains information on primary care consultations including patient characteristics (eg year of birth and socioeconomic information), clinical events (eg symptoms, diagnoses and referrals), prescribed medications, tests and other health information (eg height and weight) and immunisations. IMRD has NHS Research Authority approval for medical research and treatment analysis. Data can be supplied to external researchers for scientifically approved studies under Data Sharing Agreements. Access is granted by the Scientific Review Committee based on study protocols. All studies are required to show scientific merit, fulfil the research purpose outlined, and demonstrate potential benefit to health and social care. Keywords: data resource profile, electronic health records, primary care, epidemiology