Why GPRD? - History
The GPRD was established in June 1987 as the VAMP Research Databank. At this time, participating GPs received practice computers and the VAMP Medical, text-based practice management system in return for undertaking data quality training and submitting anonymised patient data for research purposes. The number of practices participating in this arrangement grew rapidly, and the first research studies using GPRD were published during the early 1990s.
In November 1993, Reuters Health Information acquired VAMP Ltd. In 1994, Reuters decided to donate the database to the Department of Health, whilst it continued its interest in the provision of practice management software. The database was renamed GPRD at this time. In 1995, Reuters launched Vision, a major new Windows-based practice management software application, which has become the only practice software used by GPs in the GPRD scheme. In 1999, Reuters' practice management software business was acquired by Cegedim, a European healthcare software and research company, and renamed In Practice Systems.
Since 1994 the Secretary of State for Health has owned the database, and between 1994 and 1999 the database was managed by the Department's Statistics Division and operated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In 1999, the Medicines Control Agency - MCA (which became part of the newly created MHRA in April 2003) took over management of the GPRD, relocated GPRD's operations from ONS to the MCA and initiated a major redevelopment programme to enable broader research usage of the data both within the UK and overseas.
Information collected from GPs
- Demographics, including age and sex
- Medical symptoms, signs and diagnoses, including comments
- Therapy (medicines, vaccines, devices)
- Treatment outcomes
- Events leading to withdrawal of a drug or treatment
- Referrals to hospitals or specialists
- Laboratory tests, pathology results
- Lifestyle factors (height, weight, BMI, smoking and alcohol consumption)
- Patient registration, practice and consultation details