On May 3, 2021, the European Commission (the “Commission”) opened a further public consultation (“Consultation”) on the European Health Data Space (“EHDS”).
This follows a consultation earlier in the year, on the Commission’s “Inception Impact Assessment” in relation to the EHDS. (For further information on the earlier consultation and an overview of the EHDS, please see our blog post available here).
On February 9, 2021, the UK Government’s Department for Health and Social Care (“DHSC”) announced a review into the efficient and safe use of health data for research and analysis for the benefit of patients in the health sector (“Review”). The DHSC encourages stakeholder feedback in the context of the Review, and will be of particular interest to organisations that have, or seek to have, access to NHS patient data for research purposes.
Continue Reading UK Government Announces Review Into Use Of Health Data For Research And Analysis
On December 23, 2020, the European Commission (the “Commission”) published its inception impact assessment (“Inception Impact Assessment”) of policy options for establishing a European Health Data Space (“EHDS”). The Inception Impact Assessment is open for consultation until February 3, 2021, encouraging “citizens and stakeholders” to “provide views on the Commission’s understanding of the current situation, problem and possible solutions”.
Continue Reading European Commission Conducts Open Consultation on the European Health Data Space Initiative
On 18 January 2021, the UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (“POST”)* published its AI and Healthcare Research Briefing about the use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) in the UK healthcare system (the “Briefing”). The Briefing considers the potential impacts of AI on the cost and quality of healthcare, and the challenges posed by the wider adoption of AI, including safety, privacy and health inequalities.
The Briefing summarises the different possible applications of AI in healthcare settings, which raises unique considerations for healthcare providers. It notes that AI, developed through machine learning algorithms, is not yet widely used within the NHS, but some AI products are at various stages of trial and evaluation. The areas of healthcare identified by the Briefing as having the potential for AI to be incorporated include (among others): interpretation of medical imaging, planning patients’ treatment, and patient-facing applications such as voice assistants, smartphone apps and wearable devices.
Continue Reading AI Update: UK Parliament Research Briefing on AI in the UK Healthcare System
On January 6, 2021 the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care (“DHSC”) published “A Guide to Good Practice for Digital and Data-Driven Health Technologies” (the “Guidance”). The Guidance updates the DHSC’s “Code of Conduct for Data-Driven Health and Care Technologies” (the “Code”) (for further information on the Code see our earlier blog, here).
As with the Code, the Guidance is a valuable resource to help parties understand what the National Health Service (“NHS”) looks for when acquiring digital and data-driven technologies for use in health and care.
To assist companies that are developing technology solutions to help predict, mitigate or contain the spread of COVID-19, our cross-practice digital health team has put together a checklist of considerations to keep in mind (available here).
For additional guidance, please visit our COVID-19 Legal and Business Toolkit (available here).
In this final instalment of our series of blogs on the European Commission’s plans for AI and data, announced on 19 February 2020, we discuss some potential effects on companies in the digital health sector. As discussed in our previous blog posts (here, here and here), the papers published by the European Commission cover broad concepts and apply generally — but, in places, they specifically mention healthcare and medical devices.
The Commission recognizes the important role that AI and big data analysis can play in improving healthcare, but also notes the specific risks that could arise given the effects that such new technologies may have on individuals’ health, safety, and fundamental rights. The Commission also notes that existing EU legislation already affords a high level of protection for individuals, including through medical devices laws and data protection laws. The Commission’s proposals therefore focus on addressing the gap between these existing rules and the residual risks that remain in respect of new technologies. Note that the Commission’s proposals in the White Paper on AI are open for public consultation until 19 May 2020.
Continue Reading European Commission’s Plans for AI and Data: Focus on Digital Health (Part 4 of 4)
On February 27, 2020 NHSX, the technology and digital unit of the NHS, published its draft Digital Health Technology Standard (the “Standard”) for consultation to stakeholders in the digital health space (the “Consultation”). The Consultation is open until 22 April, 2020 (and is available here).
The Standard, which is based on existing industry and health standards, is intended to streamline how digital health technologies are reviewed and commissioned by the NHS and social care.
Continue Reading NHSX Consults on Draft Digital Health Technology Standard
The Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London has published a report called “NHS data: Maximising its impact on the health and wealth of the United Kingdom” (the “Report”).[1] The Report begins from the premise that the knowledge gleaned from the combination of patient health data and “big data” technologies has incredible potential for “transformative …impact” on patient health, scientific advancement and the UK’s economy. However, the Report argues that the current efforts of scientists, medical professionals and the UK government to develop the UK’s capacities are not sufficiently coordinated to maximise that potential. To address this, the Report presents a single, high-level, strategic framework for the collection, governance and use of patient health data in the NHS.
Continue Reading New Report Recommends Putting Public Engagement at the Heart of NHS Health Data Strategy
Following on from the Evidence Standards Framework for DHTs published in December 2018 (the Original Standards, as reported in our previous blog post, here), the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recently published a newly updated version of the standards (the Updated Standards, available here).
The