The Council of the European Union has approved a new regulation aimed at improving cross-border access to health data, a key measure in modernizing and optimizing the European healthcare system.
This regulation lays the groundwork for the operation of the European Health Data Space (EHDS), a fundamental pillar of the European Data Strategy. With this new regulation, the EU takes a decisive step toward creating a common digital environment for exchanging health information between member states, promising to transform how health data is managed across Europe.
The European Health Data Space (EHDS) is the first common data space within the EU in a specific field, and is an essential component of the European Data Strategy, which seeks to facilitate cross-border access, management, and exchange of data. It aims to ensure that health data is available securely and efficiently to healthcare professionals, researchers, and patients, regardless of national borders. This common data space will allow patients traveling across Europe to receive smoother medical care, since their health information can be accessed by healthcare professionals in any EU member state. In addition, the EHDS will also allow researchers and public health authorities to access a broader, higher-quality dataset, which will improve health policies and foster medical research.
