A number of public databases are mined for existing TA concepts, including:

  • NCIm - A wide-ranging biomedical terminology database that covers most terminologies used by NCI for clinical care, translational and basic research, and public information and administrative activities. This resource maps 3,600,000 terms from 76 sources into 1,400,000 biomedical concepts, which store source definitions, synonyms, and relationships. This vocabulary dataset can provide disease definitions across multiple sources, mappings across commonly used biomedical terminologies, and a variety of relationships between NCIm concepts.
  • NCI caDSR - This repository allows for the creation and storage of metadata in use by the research community through the creation, harmonization and standardization of common data elements (CDEs). An individual CDE within caDSR will include preferred question text, context (source) information, valid value sets and registration status, among other things. A representative from caDSR is available to help the project team identify appropriate CDEs for each therapeutic area. Re-use of existing CDEs by the project team is highly recommended.
  • MeSH - An NLM-controlled vocabulary thesaurus used for indexing articles for PubMed. This vocabulary database can provide disease definitions and disease hierarchies, which identify related diseases of interest.
  • NIH CDE browser - The National Library of Medicine's Common Data Element resource portal provides a list of links to a variety of individual CDE repositories across the NIH. A liaison from BMIC (the Trans-NIH BioMedical Informatics Coordinating Committee) is available to facilitate the interaction between the project team and the individual 'owners' of each CDE repository. Re-use of existing CDEs by the project team is highly recommended.
  • PhenX toolkit - The PhenX (consensus measures for Phenotypes and exposures) toolkit is an online catalog of standard measures related to complex diseases, phenotypic traits and environmental exposures. This tool can assist investigators who wish to include measures, which are outside their area of expertise.
  • Comet-Initiative -  Core Outcome Sets (COS).

Searches in NCIm, MeSH, and PhenX toolkit can be performed with simple keyword searches of the therapeutic area of interest. Searches in caDSR and NIH CDE browsers may require more sophisticated searches lead by subject matter experts familiar with the contents within the individual CDE browsers. Project teams should take reasonable steps to ensure relevant international information resources are consulted where appropriate.

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