Going beyond bibliometrics: A system to track the progress and impact of biomedical research funded by Susan G. Komen

Traditional metrics used to assess the outcomes and impact of biomedical research, such as publications, citations, and follow‐up grant funding, do not measure the impact on changes in health practice (standard of care), policy, guidelines, or other societal outcomes and may not be meaningful to stakeholders, such as patients, donors, or the public. Susan G. Komen has developed a research product tracking system to monitor the progress of Komen‐funded research products along the research pipeline and to measure the potential impact on patients more directly. In the Komen Product Tracking System, each funded grant is classified by product potential (e.g., treatment, biomarker, etc.) and by stage in the research pipeline (e.g., basic research, preclinical research, clinical trials, and regulatory approval/commercialization). Progress through the research pipeline is updated each year while the grant is active. The Komen Product Tracking System can be used to assess outcomes and the impact of Komen‐funded research in several ways: by viewing snapshots at a given time to understand what research products are in the pipeline at that time and what stages they are in, viewing new products added during a defined funding period and, most importantly, assessing how many products have progressed in the research pipeline and have contributed to, or have potential to contribute to, practice changes that result in direct impacts on patients. The tracking system enables us to communicate the impact of our research to our donors, patients, the public, and other stakeholders in a more meaningful way.

Study Highlights

• WHAT IS THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC?

Metrics, such as publications, citations, and follow‐up grant funding, are typically used to assess the outcomes and impact of biomedical research. However, they do not translate to how research progress leads to changes in health outcomes, or changes in paradigms (knowledge), practice (standard of care), and policy. Tracking grant support and publications does not directly indicate how research may have led to real‐world benefits. In addition, these metrics may not be meaningful to stakeholders, such as donors, board members, patients, or the public.

• WHAT QUESTION DID THIS STUDY ADDRESS?

How can we move beyond traditional metrics, such as publications, citations, and follow‐up grant funding, to measure the potential impact of research outcomes?

• WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD TO OUR KNOWLEDGE?

The Komen Product Tracking System was developed to assess outcomes and impact of Komen‐funded research. It demonstrated the progress of Komen‐funded research and the products resulting from this research entering the research pipeline. It determined if Komen‐funded products are in clinical use and could be contributing to clinical practice changes.

• HOW MIGHT THIS CHANGE CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY OR TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE?

The Komen Product Tracking System could be adapted for other health research organizations to assess how their research is contributing to progress at various stages in the research pipeline, and whether it has led to practice or policy changes and is contributing to real‐world benefits for patients. We believe tracking research products reflects more meaningful metrics of biomedical research impact than traditional bibliometrics.