Researchers who are based at UK institutions which hold a multi-study license for the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) are invited to submit applications to this jointly funded call.  

The primary aim is to provide data on the epidemiology of coeliac disease, gluten ataxia*, migraines**, dermatitis herpetiformis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Microscopic Colitis, and IBD Indeterminate.

Using the CPRD Gold and Aurum, and both inpatient and outpatient hospital episode statistics (HES) we require the incidence and prevalence of these conditions in the UK using the latest data set available (anticipated to be the March 2026 release) categorised for age, sex, ethnicity, geographical region and socioeconomic status within geographical regions across England.  

Additionally, we would like to know how many people diagnosed with coeliac disease, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Microscopic Colitis, and IBD Indeterminate, and were previously diagnosed with or treated for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).  

Finally, we would like to know if the SNOMED codes for ‘member of Coeliac UK and ‘signposting to Crohns & Colitis UK’ are relevant and could be looked at. 

**It’s expected that the awarded team will look at how many people with coeliac disease have previously been diagnosed with or treated for migraines.

A secondary additional aim to the work for Coeliac UK is to determine the incidence and prevalence of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and autoimmune thyroid disease as comorbidities of coeliac disease and if coeliac disease was diagnosed before or after the other condition, across the previously defined demographics. This work can be completed outside of the 12 months but must be completed as shortly thereafter and no later than 18 months from the start date.  

Through this call, we will be relying on the awarded team to specify relevant codes. In your application you must explain and justify your approach for determining codes. You should also state any sensitivity analyses you will use for justification.  

Please also include and estimation of the time spent on each report; the Coeliac UK report both with and without the secondary aim and the Crohn’s & Colitis UK report. 

Both charities run awareness campaigns each year in May and therefore preliminary data would need to be made available to each organisation by December 2026/January 2027 to guide awareness campaign messaging. Each organisation should then be able to use the primary aim findings publicly during May 2027 (they do not need to be formally published by this time). Ideally the researchers should already be in post so that recruitment does not delay start. If an immediate start is not possible, please provide an explanation for this and any reassurance on meeting the timings specified. Start dates must be no later than September 2026.  

It is expected that at least three manuscripts will be submitted for potential publication, one for coeliac disease, gluten ataxia and dermatitis herpetiformis, another for Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and IBD Indeterminate and another for Microscopic Colitis. 

It is expected that CPRD approval to access the database via the Research Data Governance group will be gained within the project timeline. 

The maximum budget for this project is £125k. A maximum of £90k is available for the primary aim of the project covering both the Coeliac UK and Crohn’s & Colitis UK Report.   

Within the budget breakdown, applicants should include a breakdown of the data access fees and the time of the researcher/s working on the project.  

As mentioned above, applicants should try to provide a total budget for the primary aim for each organisation and an additional cost for adding on the secondary aim, if possible.  

Completed application forms and supporting documentation should be sent to [email protected] before the deadline. Late applications will not be accepted. Applications will undergo a peer and lay review process.