SFK collects and analyses data on the use of outpatient medication in the Netherlands and maintains the most comprehensive and detailed data source in this field. This information is highly valuable for pharmacists, policymakers, and healthcare institutions to support informed decision-making regarding the provision of pharmaceutical care. More information about SFK is available at: Stichting Farmaceutische Kengetallen.

Using SFK data, SHM can more extensively investigate key topics in HIV care, such as the use of HIV medication, use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) prior to HIV diagnosis, trends in HIV medication costs, and the use of co-medication in people with multimorbidity. In the research SHM will also aim to look especially at prescribing practices and trends for the ageing population of people living with HIV.

To access SFK data, SHM first translates the research themes into clearly defined research proposals. These proposals are reviewed by an internal SFK committee and need to then be approved by the SFK Supervisory Board.

Each year, SHM provides a data-link table, to which SFK adds the requested data. Using ZorgTTP, an encrypted file—based on date of birth, sex, and 4-digit postal code—is pseudonymised under a unique SHM code. SFK then links the relevant data to these pseudonyms and makes the dataset available to SHM via a secure download page. The dataset is stored within the secured environment of Amsterdam UMC and is deleted within one year after the research period ends.