Real World Evidence (RWE) and Real World Data (RWD) initiatives in Poland are still in the early stages of development, but there is a growing interest and recognition of their potential benefits. Key stakeholders in Poland have not yet fully embraced RWE as an evidence source, but there is a growing need for more evidence to allocate scarce resources. There is significant interest among physicians in practical evidence and a broad spectrum of possible actions that can be undertaken to improve the formal use of RWE in Poland. However, creating databases (registers) requires considerable financial and organisational effort, which creates a significant impediment to the effective development of RWE in Poland.

In terms of the implementation of the European Health Data Space (EHDS), Poland has shown support for the proposal, emphasizing that EHDS will contribute to the digitization of the healthcare sector in Poland. The patients will gain more rights when it comes to the control of their health data. Poland’s experience after engaging in the cross-border exchange of e-prescriptions and creating the COVID-19 certificate is very positive, giving prospects for the development of EHDS.

Poland has also adopted SNOMED CT as part of its digital health transformation. The country’s e-Health Centre, which implements key IT projects for the healthcare system, will represent Poland at SNOMED International. The renewed adoption of SNOMED CT in Poland will support the realization of another key element of the country’s strategy – ensuring that medical professionals are able to electronically document and easily share patient data.

However, there are challenges to overcome in obtaining RWD. These include the multitude of data sources, the need for a different process for RWD compared to clinical trials, ensuring the study is representative of real-life, managing research-naïve sites, and using the right tools.

In summary, while there are challenges to overcome, Poland is making strides in implementing RWE and RWD initiatives to support the implementation of the EHDS. The country is taking steps to digitize its healthcare sector, improve patient rights to health data, and facilitate the sharing of patient data among medical professionals. These initiatives are expected to contribute to the improvement of healthcare outcomes and the efficient allocation of resources in the country.