Data4Life releases Data2Evidence as open source: a new chapter for global health research

POTSDAM, Germany, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Data4Life, the nonprofit digital health organization, today announced the open-source release of its research platform Data2Evidence (D2E). With this move, Data4Life is equipping researchers and developers worldwide with powerful tools to integrate, manage, and analyze heterogeneous health data. By adopting an open-source strategy, the organization aims to foster scientific collaboration, accelerate innovation, and strengthen the interoperability of health data.

Open source for better research and greater transparency

Data2Evidence is a digital platform built around the OMOP Common Data Model (CDM), designed to streamline the standardization of health data. It enables seamless collaboration between research institutions and public health organizations by supporting interactive data integration, cohort-based exploration, and privacy-preserving data management.

The platform is flexible enough to meet the demands of a wide range of scientific use cases—from longitudinal studies to real-world evidence generation.

Open source, open science: driving innovation in health research

The open-source release of Data2Evidence marks a milestone for the global research community. Key features include:

• Efficient data processing
   Built-in data pipelines allow for seamless ingestion, enriched by integrated quality control tools.
  
  
• Flexible analysis tools
   Researchers can identify relevant data, build interactive cohorts, and conduct in-platform analysis or connect with machine learning systems.
  
  
• Advanced visualization
   A customizable dashboard provides anonymized, aggregated insights and cohort comparisons to support exploratory analysis.
  
  
• Interoperability and scalability
   Based on OMOP CDM, the platform supports open standards, making health data easier to compare, reuse, and build upon.
  
  

Why open source matters

• Trust through transparency
   Open access to source code allows for independent review of security and privacy standards.
  
  
• Cost efficiency
   Free from licensing fees, the platform offers institutions increased flexibility and long-term sustainability.
  
  
• Accelerated innovation
   Global collaboration and community-driven development speed up the creation of new features and applications.
  
  

Supporting a global research community

Data2Evidence is designed for multidisciplinary research—from epidemiology, pharmacovigilance, and public health to medical informatics, data science, and health software development. Research institutions, public health agencies, and the open-source community can use the platform to unlock insights from health data and drive scientific breakthroughs.

With over 4,200 researchers in the OHDSI community already working with OMOP CDM, Data2Evidence has the potential to support thousands of scientists in making use of standardized, interoperable health data.

An open invitation to collaborate

Data4Life invites developers to join the open-source community around Data2Evidence and actively contribute to its ongoing development. The source code is available on our solution page at www.data2evidence.org, along with detailed documentation and onboarding support.

Researchers who are interested in using Data2Evidence for their own studies or have specific use cases in mind are encouraged to reach out to our team directly – we're happy to explore how D2E can support your research needs.

"The open-source release of Data2Evidence is a significant step toward making health data research more transparent, efficient, and collaborative. We look forward to advancing evidence-based digital health together with a global community." — Christian Weiss, CEO of Data4Life

About Data4Life
D4L data4life gGmbH is a nonprofit digital health organization funded by the Hasso Plattner Foundation. Our international team works toward a future where health data is available for research to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment worldwide. Since its founding in 2017, Data4Life has partnered with renowned research institutions including the Charité in Berlin and Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

Data4Life is headquartered in Potsdam, Germany, with offices in Berlin and Singapore. Learn more at www.data4life.care.

Media Contact
Daniela Wilberg
media@data4life.care
Mobile: +49 162 2729163