Development of Food Allergy Data Dictionary: Toward a Food Allergy Data Commons

Common data elements for food allergy clinical trials: an overview

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Food allergy represents a major public health issue, affecting about 8% of children and 11% of adults in the United States. Research in the field has rapidly expanded but is limited by a lack of standardized data fields or common data elements (CDEs) to record food allergy data. The present review focuses on the need for developing CDEs for food allergy, and their anticipated impact, as well as describes the central tenets of CDEs.

RECENT FINDINGS

Standardization of data definitions and consistency in data collection within a study and across multiple studies is a fundamental principle of clinical research. Several NIH centers have been collaborating to support the development of CDEs, thereby promoting the FAIR principles for clinical research.

SUMMARY

The population health burden of food allergies continues to rise in the absence of a standardized language for documenting food allergy clinical research data. Development and implementation of food allergy CDEs is needed both nationally and globally, to better understand and reduce the burden of this immune-mediated disease. When adopted, these CDEs will not only improve data consistency and interoperability but also speed up and improve the quality of future food allergy clinical trials.

Accelerating Food Allergy Research: Need for a Data Commons

Food allergy is a significant health problem affecting approximately 8% of children and 11% of adults in the United States. It exhibits all the characteristics of a "complex" genetic trait; therefore, it is necessary to look at very large numbers of patients, far more than exist at any single organization, to eliminate gaps in the current understanding of this complex chronic disorder. Advances may be achieved by bringing together food allergy data from large numbers of patients into a Data Commons, a secure and efficient platform for researchers, comprising standardized data, available in a common interface for download and/or analysis, in accordance with the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles. Prior data commons initiatives indicate that research community consensus and support, formal food allergy ontology, data standards, an accepted platform and data management tools, an agreed upon infrastructure, and trusted governance are the foundation of any successful data commons. In this article, we will present the justification for the creation of a food allergy data commons and describe the core principles that can make it successful and sustainable.