TMF Health Registry Summit 2026 Discusses the Role of Medical Registries in Evidence-Based Healthcare
From left to right: PD Dr. Anne Regierer (DRFZ), Philipp Müller (Federal Ministry of Health, BMG), and Prof. Dr. Uta Behrends (TUM University Hospital) at the TMF Health Registry Summit 2026. © TMF e.V.
With the Medical Registry Act, developments surrounding the European Health Data Space (EHDS), and growing requirements for data quality and interoperability, the framework governing medical registries is currently undergoing significant change. The opportunities this creates and how registries can better realise their potential in the future were at the heart of the TMF Health Registry Summit 2026 in Berlin.
TMF Executive Director Sebastian C. Semler. © TMF e.V.
At the conference, held under the motto “Medical Registries: From a Cost Factor to a Success Factor for Evidence-Based Care,” around 180 representatives from politics, research, healthcare delivery, self-governance bodies and industry gathered on 17–18 June 2026 to discuss the future of medical registries in Germany.
“Medical registries are far more than mere data collections. They provide insights into real-world healthcare, enable the evaluation of therapies in routine clinical practice, and generate valuable findings that help advance medical care. To fulfil this role, registries need a practical framework that is compatible with international standards,” emphasised Sebastian C. Semler, Executive Director of the TMF, at the TMF Health Registry Summit 2026.
Medical Registry Act Opens Up New Perspectives
One of the main topics at the TMF Health Registry Summit 2026 was the Medical Registry Act, which is currently undergoing the parliamentary legislative process. Presentations and discussions highlighted that the Act offers an important opportunity to further strengthen the role of medical registries in the healthcare system and, for the first time, establish a uniform national framework for quality-assured registry structures.
In his opening address, Philipp Müller, Head of the Digitalisation and Innovation Department at the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG), emphasised the importance of high-quality health data for modern healthcare. “Our shared goal is to make everyday healthcare more efficient and, ultimately, better. The planned Medical Registry Act will also contribute to this by enabling health data to be used more effectively and linked more easily. In close dialogue with experts in the field, we want to further strengthen medical registries so that they can realise even more of their potential.” He added: “Data is not a ‘nice-to-have’ but a ‘must-have’. We want to break down data silos and build an interconnected health data ecosystem.”
Philipp Müller, Head of the Digitalisation and Innovation Department at the German Federal Ministry of Health (BMG), emphasised the importance of high-quality health data for modern healthcare in his opening remarks at the TMF Health Registry Summit 2026. © TMF e.V.
Data is not a ‘nice-to-have’ but a ‘must-have’.
In the subsequent discussion, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), medical registries and professional medical societies discussed the specific implications of the law for the registry landscape.
“Germany is currently strengthening its data and registry infrastructures, but the focus now must be on the specific design of the regulatory framework,” said Sebastian C. Semler.
MinR'in Jana Holland, Head of Division 514, “Medical Databases and Registries,” at the Federal Ministry of Health, sees the law as a major opportunity for the registry landscape. She emphasised that the law would establish a foundation for strengthening registries over the long term and ensuring their interoperability with the EHDS.
MinR'in Jana Holland, Head of Division 514 “Medical Databases and Registries” at the German Federal Ministry of Health (BMG). © TMF e.V.
Dr. Thomas Kaiser, Director of the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), expressly welcomed the law’s political significance. He particularly welcomed the planned easing of data protection requirements, the establishment of an advisory service for registers, and the prospect of unambiguous identification for data linkage. At the same time, he advocated for aligning the qualification procedure more closely with the requirements of good research.
Dr. Thomas Kaiser, Director of the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). © TMF e.V.
PD Dr. Anne Regierer of the German Rheumatism Research Centre (DRFZ) in Berlin and spokesperson for the TMF Working Group on Registries emphasized that, while the law enhances the visibility of medical registries and establishes important foundations for data linkage and further development, “clear incentives for registries, sustainable funding models, and solutions that enable cross-sectoral data linkage are needed, rather than creating new data silos.”
PD Dr. Anne Regierer, German Rheumatism Research Centre (DRFZ), Berlin, and spokesperson for the TMF Working Group on Registries, voiced criticism of the current cabinet draft of the Medical Registries Act. © TMF e.V.
“Legislation alone does not lead to better evidence. High-quality registry data do not emerge on their own; they require quality, documentation, and intelligent digital processes,” emphasized Prof. Dr. Thomas Schmitz-Rixen, Secretary General of the German Society of Surgery (DGCH).
Prof. Dr. Thomas Schmitz-Rixen, Secretary General of the German Society of Surgery (DGCH). © TMF e.V.
High-quality registry data do not emerge on their own; they require quality, documentation, and intelligent digital processes.
Registries Generate Evidence for Better Healthcare
Medical registries provide insights that often cannot be obtained by other means. They document routine healthcare over many years and enable assessments of the effectiveness, safety, and quality of medical treatments under real-world conditions.
Whether new therapies remain effective in the long term, which patient groups benefit most, or how the quality of care evolves, registry data play a crucial role in ensuring that medical decisions are based on robust evidence.
Participants agreed that registries will play an increasingly important role in the further development of a learning healthcare system.
Future-Ready Registries Need Sustainable Framework Conditions
Regulatory issues were not the only focus of the event; long-term funding, data quality, harmonization, and interoperability were also key topics. Participants agreed that high-quality registry data are essential for research, innovation, and quality assurance.
At the same time, it became clear that registries must be continuously developed to meet the demands of an increasingly data-driven healthcare system. This requires reliable structures, common standards, and frameworks that foster scientific innovation while strengthening patients’ trust.
Prof. Dr Rainer Röhrig, Chair of the TMF Executive Board and Director of the Institute of Medical Informatics at RWTH Aachen University Hospital. © TMF e.V.
Shaping the Future of the Registry Landscape Together
The TMF Health Registry Summit 2026 made it clear that the German registry landscape is undergoing significant change. The Medical Registries Act, the EHDS, and ongoing digitalisation initiatives are currently setting important directions for the future.
“The registry community is the registry landscape’s greatest strength. Researchers, healthcare providers, policymakers, and self-governing bodies share the common goal of making health data responsibly available to improve healthcare and research. The TMF Health Registry Summit demonstrated the strong willingness to continue pursuing this path together,” concluded Prof. Dr. Rainer Röhrig, Chair of the TMF Executive Board.
© TMF e.V.
© TMF e.V.
© TMF e.V.
Press Contact
Wiebke Lesch
Tel.: +49 30 2200 24731
Mobile: +49 177 2663257
Email: presse@tmf-ev.de
About the TMF Health Registry Summit
The TMF Health Registry Summit is the leading German-language platform for exchange and discussion on medical registries. Each year, it brings together registry operators, researchers, medical societies, policymakers, self-governing bodies, and industry representatives to discuss current developments in registry research and practice.
Further Information
Downloads [in German]
Session: "What Do Registries Contribute to the Healthcare System? What Value Do They Have for Care and Research?"
Post-Conference Workshop: "Registries in the EHDS: What Needs to Be Done from the Registry Side, and Where Is Support Available?"
About TMF e.V.
TMF – Technology, Methods, and Infrastructure for Networked Medical Research (TMF e.V.) stands for research, collaboration and digitalisation in medicine. As the umbrella organisation for collaborative medical research in Germany, it brings together leading researchers to exchange knowledge, jointly develop ideas and concepts, and shape the future of medical research in the digital age.
