Prime Highlights:
- Dr Melanie Ivarsson has been named CEO of the Health Data Research Service (HDRS), aiming to speed up medical research and life-saving treatments in the UK.
- HDRS will make it easier for researchers to access health data securely, helping develop new therapies for diseases like cancer, dementia, and arthritis faster.
Key Facts:
- The HDRS is backed by up to £600 million in government and Wellcome funding and will provide a single, secure access point to national health datasets.
- The service is part of the UK government’s Plan for Change and Life Sciences Sector Plan and involves collaboration across all four nations of the UK.
Background:
Dr Melanie Ivarsson has been named Chief Executive Officer of the newly launched Health Data Research Service (HDRS), a move set to improve medical research in the UK and speed up the development of life-saving treatments. Backed by up to £600 million in government and Wellcome funding, HDRS will make it easier for approved researchers to access health data while keeping patient information secure and confidential.
Dr Ivarsson has a strong background in healthcare, having led trials for one of the first COVID-19 vaccines at Moderna. She has also worked in senior roles at Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and Takeda, and completed research at New York University and Lund University in Sweden.
HDRS will make it easier for researchers to access health data in one secure place. This will help create new treatments for diseases like cancer, dementia, and arthritis faster, giving patients quicker access to new therapies.
Government officials have welcomed the appointment. Dr Zubir Ahmed, Minister for Health Innovation, highlighted the potential of NHS data to transform patient care in the UK. “By combining the care of the NHS with the ingenuity of our world-leading scientists, the HDRS can make the UK a global leader in medical research once again,” he said.
Dr Ivarsson expressed her enthusiasm for the role, stating, “I am thrilled to lead HDRS as it brings health and care data together in a secure, easy-to-access platform. This will empower researchers across the UK to make discoveries that improve health outcomes for everyone.”
The HDRS will be based at the Wellcome Genome Campus in Cambridgeshire, expanding the campus’s capacity for innovative genomics and biodata research. The HDRS is part of the UK government’s Plan for Change and Life Sciences Sector Plan, which aims to modernize the NHS, speed up clinical trial approvals, and keep the UK at the leading edge of medical research.
Baroness Nicola Blackwood will serve as Chair of HDRS, and all four nations of the UK are working together to ensure the service benefits patients across the country. The initiative is expected to boost the life sciences sector, create high-value jobs, and improve prevention, treatment, and cures for patients nationwide.
