The Swedish Research Council establishes national support and advice on health data

In March last year, the Swedish Research Council received a mandate from the Government to set up an advisory function for better utilisation of health data. We have now investigated and concretised the user needs and opportunities for national advice, and reported on the results to the Government.

The national advisory function will include support for increasing knowledge and coordination, as well as mapping unclear areas and obstacles. The support for increasing knowledge shall contribute to clarifying the health data area for users, by informing about what data exist, where they are, and what advice and support are available. Coordinating support shall promote collaboration and cooperation that can contribute to developing joint methods and process for health data management, and in this way make the area more predictable for users.

Mappings of unclear areas and obstacles shall also be carried out regularly and be submitted to the Government, but also be disseminated to other relevant public agencies and actors within the life science sector.

“Following a thorough investigation, we are now beginning the work of establishing national support and advice on health data in the Swedish Research Council’ operation. We are looking forward to improving the utilisation of health data for research and innovation in Sweden,” says Sven Stafström, Director General of the Swedish Research Council.

The support is established in conjunction with closely related mandates

The national support and advice will be developed in conjunction with the Swedish Research Council’s closely related mandates and activities. These consist primarily of our work on improving access to registers and facilitate the use of register data for research purposes, and our work on developing the preconditions for clinical studies.

Read the report of the mandate (in Swedish)