OpenPrescribing: normalised data and software tool to research trends in English NHS primary care prescribing 1998-2016

BMJ Open
Helen J Curtis, Ben Goldacre

Abstract

We aimed to compile and normalise England's national prescribing data for 1998-2016 to facilitate research on long-term time trends and create an open-data exploration tool for wider use. We compiled data from each individual year's national statistical publications and normalised them by mapping each drug to its current classification within the national formulary where possible. We created a freely accessible, interactive web tool to allow anyone to interact with the processed data. We downloaded all available annual prescription cost analysis datasets, which include cost and quantity for all prescription items dispensed in the community in England. Medical devices and appliances were excluded. We measured the extent of normalisation of data and aimed to produce a functioning accessible analysis tool. All data were imported successfully. 87.5% of drugs were matched exactly on name to the current formulary and a further 6.5% to similar drug names. All drugs in core clinical chapters were reconciled to their current location in the data schema, with only 1.26% of drugs not assigned a current chemical code. We created an openly accessible interactive tool to facilitate wider use of these data. Publicly available data can be made...Continue Reading

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Citations

May 8, 2018·Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism·Helen J CurtisBen Goldacre
Nov 21, 2018·The British Journal of General Practice : the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners·Emma WallaceTom Fahey
Jul 1, 2020·The British Journal of General Practice : the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners·Helen J CurtisBen Goldacre
Sep 22, 2018·The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy·Helen J CurtisBen Goldacre
Feb 20, 2020·Scientific Data·Luca Maria AielloLucia Del Prete
Jun 10, 2020·Journal of General Internal Medicine·Michael ColacciMichael Fralick
Jan 29, 2019·The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy·Alex J WalkerBen Goldacre
Sep 11, 2020·Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine·Michael LiuBen Goldacre
Mar 6, 2019·Frontiers in Pharmacology·Sam M SalekChander Sehgal
Nov 17, 2020·Briefings in Bioinformatics·Haiying WangHuiru Zheng
Jan 9, 2021·Implementation Science Communications·Sarah L AldersonRobbie Foy
Mar 15, 2021·Daru : Journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences·Shahad A RabeeaSyed Shahzad Hasan
Sep 22, 2021·Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety·Samantha A HollingworthBen Goldacre

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
PCA

Software Mentioned

OpenPrescribing
Excel
FigShare
Tableau Public
d3
SQL
Shiny

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