TY - JOUR

T1 - The European health data space

T2 - Too big to succeed?

AU - Marelli, Luca

AU - Stevens, Marthe

AU - Sharon, Tamar

AU - Van Hoyweghen, Ine

AU - Boeckhout, Martin

AU - Colussi, Ilaria

AU - Degelsegger-márquez, Alexander

AU - El-sayed, Seliem

AU - Hoeyer, Klaus

AU - Van Kessel, Robin

AU - Zając, Dorota Krekora

AU - Matei, Mihaela

AU - Roda, Sara

AU - Prainsack, Barbara

AU - Schlünder, Irene

AU - Shabani, Mahsa

AU - Southerington, Tom

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - In May 2022, the European Commission issued the Proposal for a Regulation on the European Health Data Space (EHDS), with the aims of granting citizens increased access to and control of their (electronic) health data across the EU, and facilitating health data re-use for research, innovation, and policymaking. As the first in a series of European domain-specific “data spaces”, the EHDS is a high-stakes development that will transform health data governance in the EU region.As an international consortium of experts from health policy, law, ethics and the social sciences, we are concerned that the EHDS Proposal will detract from, rather than lead to the achievement of, its stated aims. We are in no doubt on the benefits of using health data for secondary purposes, and we appreciate attempts to facilitate such uses across borders in a carefully curated manner. Based on the current draft Regulation, however, the EHDS risks undermining rather than enhancing patient control over data; hindering rather than facilitating the work of health professionals and researchers; and eroding rather than increasing the public value generated through health data sharing. Therefore, significant adjustments are needed if the EHDS is to realize its promised benefits.Besides analyzing the implications for key groups and European societies at large who will be affected by the implementation of the EHDS, this contribution advances targeted policy recommendations to address the identified shortcomings of the EHDS Proposal.

AB - In May 2022, the European Commission issued the Proposal for a Regulation on the European Health Data Space (EHDS), with the aims of granting citizens increased access to and control of their (electronic) health data across the EU, and facilitating health data re-use for research, innovation, and policymaking. As the first in a series of European domain-specific “data spaces”, the EHDS is a high-stakes development that will transform health data governance in the EU region.As an international consortium of experts from health policy, law, ethics and the social sciences, we are concerned that the EHDS Proposal will detract from, rather than lead to the achievement of, its stated aims. We are in no doubt on the benefits of using health data for secondary purposes, and we appreciate attempts to facilitate such uses across borders in a carefully curated manner. Based on the current draft Regulation, however, the EHDS risks undermining rather than enhancing patient control over data; hindering rather than facilitating the work of health professionals and researchers; and eroding rather than increasing the public value generated through health data sharing. Therefore, significant adjustments are needed if the EHDS is to realize its promised benefits.Besides analyzing the implications for key groups and European societies at large who will be affected by the implementation of the EHDS, this contribution advances targeted policy recommendations to address the identified shortcomings of the EHDS Proposal.

U2 - 10.1016/j.healthpol.2023.104861

DO - 10.1016/j.healthpol.2023.104861

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37399677

VL - 135

JO - Health Policy

JF - Health Policy

SN - 0168-8510

M1 - 104861

ER -