📌 German Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database (GePaRD) – Germany 🇩🇪

🔍 What is it?

The German Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database (GePaRD) is a claims-based database that contains anonymized healthcare data from statutory health insurance (SHI) providers in Germany. It is widely used for pharmacoepidemiological and public health research, offering valuable real-world data (RWD) on drug utilization, disease epidemiology, and healthcare services.

📊 Key Features & Scope

📍 Geographical coverage: Germany 🇩🇪
🏥 Data type: Health insurance claims data (inpatient, outpatient, drug dispensations)
🕒 Time coverage: Since 2004, with continuous updates
👥 Population covered: ~25 million individuals (~30% of the German population) from four large SHI providers
🔄 Longitudinal data: Long-term follow-up for insured individuals
📈 Pathologies: Covers a broad range of conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, mental health disorders, and cancer

✅ Strengths & Best Use Cases

🌍 Large, representative sample – Covers a significant portion of the German population
💊 Drug utilization & safety – Includes prescription and dispensation data for medication adherence and risk-benefit analyses
📈 Longitudinal follow-up – Enables long-term tracking of patient health outcomes
🚀 Disease epidemiology & healthcare utilization – Supports incidence/prevalence studies, health service evaluations, and risk factor analyses

⚠️ Limitations & Considerations

🏥 No direct clinical data – Lacks laboratory results and physician notes
📉 Restricted to SHI-insured individuals – Does not include privately insured patients (~11% of the population)

📚 How to Access & Learn More

🔗 Access: Requires approval from the BIPS (Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology)
🎓 Publications: link to relevant articles
📄 More info: BIPS