Next step of Pistoia Alliance Blockchain Project commenced

The Pistoia Alliance has commenced the next step of its blockchain project, focused on the development of practical life science R&D use cases. This step will also assess which applications of blockchain will not be of much benefit to the industry. The Alliance will work with members to examine areas blockchain has potential to improve – data identity, data integrity, and data sharing. It will also run webinars and workshops, including a dedicated workshop in London on 12th March 2019 called ‘Blockchain – R&D Use Case Analysis Workshop’ which will evaluate the applicability of blockchain technology in a variety of R&D-focused use cases.
President of The Pistoia Alliance, Dr Steve Arlington, said: “The Pistoia Alliance has always been led by its members on which industry issues to focus on, and blockchain is becoming increasingly relevant to our community, from start-ups, to big pharma, to technology service providers. We believe blockchain has an important role to play in the life science sector and want to solidify use cases now so the whole industry can realise the value sooner. By working together on this aim, we can ensure that our efforts are not duplicated and that even more stakeholders can benefit. Much of the industry is still at the discussion stage of blockchain, we want to move beyond this and take action that actively supports members and leads to tangible outcomes that will benefit R&D, accelerate innovation and support the discovery of new treatments.”
Blockchain Project Manager and Consultant for The Pistoia Alliance, Jake Dreier, said: “There are still many misconceptions about blockchain in the life science industry that we need to work hard to overcome. Unfortunately, people’s perceptions have led to some organisations completely avoiding blockchain technology, and many others unsure of how it can benefit them. This is why The Pistoia Alliance is supporting a collaborative effort to help the industry get the most out of the technology. We want companies to come together to workshop their issues and ideas to decide where blockchain can provide a viable solution. We’re not trying to shoehorn a blockchain solution into every industry problem, but rather working to support its development where the technology truly adds value to the industry and ultimately, to patients’ care.”