How Can the European Health Data Space (EHDS) Be Put Into Practice?
© Frank van Groen
The EHDS has been adopted. Now the focus is on implementation. What structures does Germany need for the primary and secondary use of health data? How can national infrastructures be effectively integrated into the European framework? And what can we learn from the experience gained with research data infrastructures over the past few years?
Our Executive Director, Sebastian Claudius Semler, addressed these issues at the EU Forum of the Association of German Private Health Insurers (PKV) on 21 September 2026. In his presentation on the European Health Data Space (EHDS), he focused in particular on the secondary use of health data and how existing structures in Germany can be used and further developed to support the EHDS.
Germany is not starting from scratch. Over the past few years, the Medical Informatics Initiative (MII) and other research data infrastructures have laid important foundations for standardised data use across multiple sites. TMF has been supporting the development of such research data infrastructures for many years.
From left to right: Bastian Biermann, Sebastian C. Semler (TMF e.V.) and Lea Recker (Bundesdruckerei Group). © Frank van Groen
The subsequent panel discussion, featuring Ira Miessler (Federal Ministry of Health), Charly Bunar (gematik) and Lea Recker (Bundesdruckerei Group), focused on the next steps towards the EHDS. Topics ranged from national implementation and integration with the telematics infrastructure to MyHealth@EU, the EUDI Wallet and European digital identities.
One key message emerged: European requirements alone are not enough to create a functioning health data space. The priority now is to bring existing structures together, ensure interoperability and establish clear procedures for secure access to health data. The EHDS provides a common European framework – it is up to all of us to shape its practical implementation.
Many thanks to the Association of German Private Health Insurers (PKV) for the invitation and the open exchange, and to all participants for an engaging discussion.
About TMF e.V.
TMF – Technology, Methods, and Infrastructure for Networked Medical Research (TMF e.V.) promotes research, collaboration and digitalisation in medicine. As the umbrella organisation for collaborative medical research in Germany, it brings together leading researchers to exchange knowledge, develop ideas and concepts collaboratively, and help shape the future of medical research in the digital age.
