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Lygature Contributes to the Future of European Health Data and AI
Through its contribution to the IDERHA project, Lygature is helping shape the future of responsible health data use and AI-enabled healthcare innovation in Europe. In a newly published article in Open Research Europe, Lygature colleagues Erwin Boutsma and Tieneke Schaaij-Visser, together with project partners, explore how the future European Health Data Space (EHDS) can accelerate innovation while safeguarding privacy, trust and societal value.
Building a European Health Data Infrastructure
As health systems increasingly rely on data and AI to improve diagnosis, personalise care and accelerate medical innovation, an important question emerges: how can researchers, healthcare professionals and policymakers make use of diverse health data across countries while safeguarding privacy, security and public trust?
This is one of the key challenges addressed by IDERHA (Integration of Heterogeneous Data and Evidence towards Regulatory and HTA Acceptance), an Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) project that brings together more than 30 partners from across Europe. The consortium is working to develop a sustainable infrastructure for secure access to health data, with the goal of strengthening research, innovation and decision-making in healthcare.IDERHA’s infrastructure is one of the first pan-European, disease-agnostic health data spaces. Using a federated approach, data remain securely at their source while researchers and innovators can perform analyses across datasets. This protects patient privacy, maintains local control over data and enables new opportunities for research and innovation.
The project also explores how AI can support better health outcomes, including applications in early lung cancer detection and personalised care.
Erwin BoutsmaTo unlock the full potential of health data, technology, governance, regulation and societal interests must work hand in hand. Through IDERHA, we are helping build those connections and creating the foundations for more effective and responsible use of health data across Europe.
Turning Data into Impact
IDERHA’s ambition extends beyond technology alone. The project is also developing recommendations for the responsible use of Real-World Data (RWD) and Real-World Evidence (RWE) in research, regulatory decision-making and Health Technology Assessment (HTA).
By bringing together researchers, healthcare professionals, patients, policymakers, regulators and industry partners, IDERHA contributes to a future in which health data can be used safely and responsibly to accelerate innovation and improve health outcomes.
Lygature’s Contribution
Lygature plays a crucial role in connecting scientific expertise, stakeholder perspectives and strategic collaboration within IDERHA. As an expertise centre, Lygature combines deep knowledge of data infrastructure, regulatory innovation, patient and public involvement, global health, and health law, privacy & ethics with extensive experience in partnership management and stakeholder engagement. This unique combination enables us to help build the collaborations, governance structures and innovation ecosystems needed to turn scientific advances into real-world impact.
Robin Verjans, Senior Partnership LeaderProjects like IDERHA show that solving complex healthcare challenges requires more than technology alone. It requires expertise, trusted collaboration and a shared vision across sectors. By combining these elements, we can help translate data and knowledge into innovations that ultimately benefit patients and society.
Read the full publication here.