BSRBR 10th Anniversary brochure - The British Society for ...

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Dr Joshua Vecht, medical advisor at UCB Pharma, manufacturer of certolizumab pegol, considers the breadth of information provided by BSRBR-RA to be one of its greatest strengths. When UCB launched certolizumab pegol for the treatment of RA in the UK in October 2009, we didn’t hesitate over making the decision to join BSRBR-RA. It represented a genuine opportunity for enhanced pharmacovigilance based on data generated through real-life experience. We relished the prospect of the inclusion of Certolizumab pegol in the study of a wide range of outcomes over large sections of the population. Such registry data generates important additions to the knowledge we can gain from strictly controlled clinical trials. The transparency and credibility of data produced by BSRBR-RA make participation an attractive proposition. The number of data-driven questions it contains and the breadth of data it collects has surprised many of my global colleagues at UCB. Such data is essential in this age of evidence-based medicine. The Register’s breadth and size make it a pillar of stability, because no one can argue with it as a statistical platform. All of its classifications on safety and the way safety outcomes are constantly updated, for example, command respect. BSRBR-RA has been the source of an impressive volume of posters and manuscripts. Important data seems to come out of the Register at every conference and scientific meeting. It provides a constant supply of snapshots of real clinical scenarios and risk-benefit profiles that drive innovation in biotechnology. Companies such as UCB will use that information to supply future needs. It is early days in terms of the planned cohort recruitment for certolizumab pegol, which began in January 2011. So far, the register is collecting data on about 290 patients on the drug and we are waiting for the first report on it to come through in early 2012. A final point that deserves to be emphasised is that we are really enjoying our involvement with the team that run the Register. For UCB, it is a very valuable and important relationship. BSRBR-RA staff are very accessible and we communicate often and meet regularly. It is a healthy, interactive environment that we value enormously. Since giving this interview Dr Vecht has changed positions and no longer works for UCB Pharma. 14 | BSRBR 2001-2011
www.rheumatology.org.uk/BSRBR | 15
Page 1 and 2: The British Society for Rheumatolog
Page 3 and 4: Professor Alex MacGregor, current c
Page 5 and 6: Professor Alan Silman, director of
Page 7 and 8: Professor Deborah Symmons, director
Page 9 and 10: Exceeding our Goals The BSRBR has e
Page 11 and 12: Monitoring the use of biologics has
Page 13: Dr Jon Ryland, UK medical director

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