Research Professor Iñigo De Miguel Beriain, member of the YOUTHreach External Expert Advisory Board, recently delivered an engaging and highly informative webinar on the new EU Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulation, a major piece of legislation set to transform how health data are shared and used across Europe. During the session, he outlined the key regulatory changes and explored what they mean for current and future data-sharing activities within the EU.

The EHDS, approved in 2024 and expected to apply from 2029, aims to facilitate the secondary use of electronic health data for research, innovation, public health, policy-making and AI development, while maintaining strong data protection safeguards. The webinar covered new rules on data access, patient rights (including the right to opt out), cross-border data use, and the role of newly established national data access bodies.

Importantly for projects like YOUTHreach, the discussion highlighted that existing federated data approaches already align well with EHDS principles, although governance structures may need to adapt as the regulation is implemented.

We would like to warmly thank Iñigo De Miguel Beriain for sharing his expertise and for providing such a clear and thought-provoking overview of this important upcoming regulation.