The European Commission published today an open public consultation on the European Health Data Space (EHDS). The EHDS goal is to take full advantage of digital health to provide high-quality healthcare to people while also lowering inequalities. It will boost access to health data for prevention, diagnosis and treatment, research and innovation, as well as for policy-making and legislation. Moreover, individuals' rights to control their own personal health data will be at the centre of the EHDS.

This public consultation focuses on two main elements:

• the access to and use of health data for healthcare provision, research and innovation, policy-making and regulatory decision;
• promoting a veritable single market for digital health services and products, including innovative ones.

Innovative solutions and digital technologies can transform healthcare systems by making them more sustainable and improve people's health. The development of these technologies requires secure access by researchers and innovators to substantial amounts of health data.

In the Communication on the European Strategy for Data, the Commission announced its objective to provide tangible results in the area of health data and to understand the potential generated by developments in digital technologies. The collection, access, storage, use and re-use of data in healthcare present problems that need to be addressed. This requires a regulatory framework that best serves individuals' interests and rights, especially as regards the processing of sensitive personal health data. In this context, the Commission adopted its Data Governance Act proposal (2020) with conditions regarding access to data, and provisions to foster trust in voluntary data sharing. Facilitating better access to, and exchange of, health data is essential to ensure increased accessibility, availability and affordability of healthcare. It will stimulate innovation in health and care for better treatment and outcomes, and encourage innovative solutions that make use of digital technologies, including AI.

Image © European Parliament, 2021