Herbert Loong, Advisor at Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute, and Steering Committee Member at Lung Cancer Policy Network, shared on LinkedIn:
“Delighted to share our new paper in JCO Global Oncology: the Asia-Pacific Oncology Drug Development Consortium (APODDC) Working Group’s recommendations on leveraging real-world evidence (RWE) in oncology.
Why it matters
Asia-Pacific carries a large share of the global cancer burden, yet pivotal trials enrol few patients who look like ours. Tumour biology, comorbidities, access and treatment practices vary widely across the region, so trial evidence doesn’t automatically transfer.
RWE helps close that gap
It can support label extensions, provide context in rare and biomarker-defined cancers, strengthen postmarketing safety, and inform HTA and reimbursement.
In many APAC systems, reimbursement comes years after approval. That window is a chance to generate local evidence on whether trial benefits hold up for our patients.
RWE complements RCTs; it doesn’t replace them.
The challenge: only China, Japan and Taiwan have formal RWE guidance, and data and infrastructure remain uneven.
Our key recommendations:
- Harmonised data standards and quality assurance
- Risk-proportionate governance, with federated analyses where data can’t cross borders
- Sustainable registry funding, covering people as well as software
- A tiered infrastructure model so resource-limited centres can start small
- Transparent public–private partnerships
- Education and capacity building
Thanks to the entire APODDC Page team including co-authors Daniel SW Tan, Pankaj Kumar Panda, Ben Tran,Toshio Shimizu, Pei Joe Voon, Frederic Ivan Ting, Takafumi KOyama, Daphne Day, K. Arnold Chan and Grace Wong for a truly international effort.”
Title: Leveraging Real-World Evidence to Drive Advances in Oncology Care in the Asia-Pacific Region: Recommendations From the Asia-Pacific Oncology Drug Development Consortium Working Group
Authors: Herbert H. Loong, Pankaj Kumar Panda, Ben Tran, Toshio Shimizu, Pei Jye Voon, Frederic Ivan LeongTing, Takafumi Koyama, Daphne Day, K. Arnold Chan, Grace L. Wong, Daniel S.W. Tan
Check out the article here.
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