Publications

by | October 9, 2015 | Uncategorized

European Parliament debate focuses on pros and cons of data driven healthcare

eHealth, mobile apps and digital medical services are sparking many hopes and concerns at the same time. The #Datacare debate held on 15 September 2015 at the European Parliament specifically explored the question, “What can data driven healthcare do for Europe?”

In our globalised, digital world, things are changing rapidly and technology is an inevitable, driving feature of innovation. In the future, health systems are likely to be permeated more and more by technology. Now is therefore a good time to think about how people envision healthcare innovation, and the European Parliament debate, organised with the support of EU40 and Cambre Associates, represented a step in this direction.

Hosted and moderated by MEP Claudiu Ciprian Tanasescu (S&D, RO), the session included speakers from the European Commission, EMEA, CPME, Wellcome Trust and the Big Data Committee of the European Health Parliament.

There is little doubt that innovative eHealth solutions hold enormous potential to cope with major issues like access to medicines or the integration of marginalised or disadvantaged groups. Moreover, there is huge potential in using personal health data for research and scientific purposes (see EPHA’s progress report on the ongoing General Data Protection Reform, which is calling for an exemption from overly strict consent provisions for health research and scientific purposes) and the use of new technology which can also vastly increase the capacity and efficiency of scientific research, e.g. centralised databases containing integrated records.

But, there are also questions about eHealth’s limitations and drawbacks. Firstly, eHealth is not “plug and play” as users and healthcare professionals require adequate levels of health literacy, as well as direct access. When it comes to marginalised groups, the solution to providing access is not always evident.

Moreover, many patients, especially in rural communities, build relationships with health professionals on the basis of face-to-face contact and trust: to what extent does the impersonality of technology offer a substitute? While studies have shown that bonds created via electronic communication can be as intimate as those formed offline, there is a risk that eHealth could create artificial distrust. However, it might also be the opposite, for example when technology empowers people who are excluded from the traditional health system.

One recurrent theme voiced by the participants was that protection of privacy and data ownership cannot be ignored in data driven healthcare, even if the objective is to create more efficient healthcare systems. Not knowing who is able to access, manipulate, analyse, store or even sell sensitive personal health data appears to be a growing concern for many. Examples might include insurance companies charging higher fees to individuals whose medicinal needs are known to them, or acts of illegal data violation such as cloud-leaks. What kind of mechanisms are in place to secure data, prevent theft, or outlaw bad selling practices? To what extent are people willing to loosen control over sensitive health data in the future?

Finally, the economic angle was discussed. Data driven healthcare might open up new development paths (and employment) for analytic research programmes, medical apps, lifestyle devices and software. This could represent a great boost for the tech industry.

In conclusion, the event confirmed that there are still many question marks about data driven healthcare, and the brief public discussion generated a number of additional points:

– What are the costs and benefits of eHealth from an overall perspective?
– Is giving up personal privacy the price for economic development?
– How exaggerated / manufactured is the issue of privacy?
– Are there safe avenues for developing data-driven healthcare?
– Can the regulatory framework be proportionate in balancing both data security and health system efficiency?

Get the EPHA Newsletter

Get involved !

Get involved !

Sign up here to receive our updates on European health policy and invitations to our events.

Subscribe now

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Share This