Novartis Lends Support to Data Transparency Initiative

Novartis has renewed its commitment to clinical trial data transparency by revealing that from the end of 2014, it will produce enhanced clinical study reports for all new pivotal studies that will reportedly include easy-to-understand consumer-language summaries and additional interpretation of data.

According to a statement issued on February 26, “Novartis has long supported data transparency and was the first company to publish positive and negative study results of its innovative medicines within one year of the study completion further enabling clinical research while protecting patient privacy.”

To date, Novartis says it has registered 2,720 trials on ClinicalTrials.gov and published 559 trial results on the same site, as well as 1,777 clinical study summaries (so-called redacted clinical study reports). Researchers can also now request access to patient level data on newly approved innovative medicines in 2014 through the same Idea Point portal as other pharmaceutical
companies, it states.

Novartis has taken action to extend its leadership in data transparency and access to data by researchers, and this is designed to advance science and innovation that can benefit patients, noted Tim Wright, Global Head of Development at Novartis Pharmaceuticals.