VIDEO: From data to decisions: an interview on fit-for-purpose RWD with Dana Stafkey and Tasneem Lokhandwala, Cencora

Real-world data (RWD) is playing an increasingly important role in evidence generation, supporting healthcare decision-making and integrated evidence planning. Its impact, however, depends on ensuring that datasets are truly fit-for-purpose: relevant, reliable, and representative of the research question at hand. Sources such as claims data, electronic health records (EHRs), registries, patient-reported outcomes, and newer streams including wearables and genomics each offer distinct advantages and limitations. Developing strategies to overcome challenges around access, quality, and regional differences is essential for turning diverse datasets into actionable real-world evidence (RWE).

In this interview, Dana Stafkey, Vice President, Real-World Evidence and Tasneem Lokhandwala, Senior Director, Real-World Evidence at Cencora share their perspectives on how organizations can make best use of RWD, strengthen evidence planning, and prepare for the future of evidence-driven healthcare.

Questions

• 00:00: Introduction
• 01:40: From your perspective, what makes RWD “fit for purpose,” and why is this distinction so critical for generating reliable and credible evidence? 
• 03:55: Integrated evidence planning is gaining attention across the industry. How do you see RWD supporting the needs of different stakeholders, from regulators and payers to clinicians and patients? 
• 06:50: With so many potential data sources including claims, EHRs, registries and PROs, what factors should guide the choice of dataset for a particular research question? 
• 09:22: Could you share practical examples of how specific RWD sources have been used successfully to address objectives such as treatment adherence, healthcare utilization or disease burden? 
• 14:16: For stakeholders looking to improve the quality and compliance of their RWD studies, what practical advice would you give, whether in designing studies, working with vendors, or ensuring regulatory standards are met? 
• 18:05: Looking ahead, what trends or emerging opportunities such as patient generated data, wearables or genomics do you think will shape the future of evidence generation, and how can organizations stay agile in this evolving landscape? 

Published as part of the Evidence Insights, "Turning data into evidence: fit-for-purpose RWD in practice."

Dana Stafkey, PharmD, PhD
Vice-President, Real-World Evidence, Cencora

In this role, Dana leads a team of researchers conducing both retrospective and prospective studies to generate real-world evidence to support various stakeholders including payers, regulators, physicians, and patients. Dr Stafkey has over 20 years of experience leading and conducting real-world evidence studies for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies. She has extensive experience in the design and analysis of studies using retrospective health care claims data, electronic medical records, customized medical chart abstraction data, cross-sectional and longitudinal survey data and inpatient care data, as well as prospective data collection. Her research has encompassed a wide variety of therapeutic areas, including oncology, hematology, mental health disorders, neurological disorder, infectious disease, cardiovascular diseases, endocrine disorders, and musculoskeletal disorders. Dr. Stafkey has co-authored research published in a variety of peer-reviewed journals, including Annals of Pharmacotherapy, Value in Health, Psychiatric Services, and Journal of Oncology Practice and regularly presents her work at national and international meetings. Dr Stafkey has a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of South Carolina, completed a Health Outcomes and Pharmacoeconomics fellowship at the University of Michigan and Pfizer, Inc., and received her PhD in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy from the University of Southern California.

Tasneem Lokhandwala, BPharm, MS, PhD
Senior Director, Real-World Evidence, cencora

In this role, Tasneem serves as the strategic oversight and subject matter expert on research that utilizes primary or secondary real-world data to generate evidence supporting discussions with payer, provider, patient group, and regulatory stakeholders. She has 12+ years of experience in study design, procuring/curating real-world data, analyses, and the dissemination of such research. Her work has led to 15+ manuscript publications in leading peer-reviewed journals such as Clinical Lung Cancer and Clinical Therapeutics, 50+ poster presentations at national and international meetings, and media engagements. Her experience spans over a variety of therapeutic areas including rare and orphan diseases, and she has worked with numerous EMR/EHR, patient charts, clinical trial, and claims data sources. Dr Lokhandwala received her PhD and MS in Pharmacy Administration from the University of Mississippi and is originally from Mumbai, India, where she completed her Bachelors in Pharmaceutical Sciences (BPharm) from Mumbai University. 

The opinions expressed in this feature are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Evidence Base® or Becaris Publishing Ltd.

Published as part of the Evidence Insights, "Turning data into evidence: fit-for-purpose RWD in practice", sponsored by Cencora.