Real world data for rare diseases research: The beginner’s guide to registries

ABSTRACT Introduction Rare disease research has specific challenges that can be addressed using registries. Areas covered There are at least three different types of registries: patient registries, disease registries, and product registries. Patient registries recruit rare disease patients, potentially including several rare diseases within a registry, while disease registries can be considered a subset of patient registries which focus on specific diseases. Product registries focus on specific drugs. These registries may be used to conduct research that is specifically requested by a regulatory authority, they may be developed by a drug company to monitor the use of a particular drug or may be developed for public health monitoring purposes. Expert Opinion Compared to other sources of real-world data (RWD), such as electronic medical records (EMRs) and claims data, registries are more likely to have a correct diagnosis and more specific information about RDs. However, registries also have their challenges. Competition between registries may lead to missing or incomplete data. Registries could also have limited information on drug and medical history, which are better captured in EMRs or claims. Nevertheless, registries remain an important source of RWD in the rare disease space and are increasingly being leveraged to comply with regulatory requirements.