Second joint action Towards the European Health Data Space – TEHDAS2

The TEHDAS2 joint action, funded by the European Union and member states, is creating concrete guidelines and technical specifications for using health data across country borders. The project involves 29 countries.

What is it about?

The European Union aims to promote the secure use of health data across borders. Data is needed to prevent and treat diseases more effectively in the future.

The European Health Data Space (EHDS) aims to enhance the secondary use of health data Secondary use of health and social data The secondary use of health and social data means that the customer and register data created during health and social service sector activities will be used for purposes other than the primary reason for which they were originally saved. The secondary uses referred to in the Act in Finland include: scientific research, statistics, development and innovation activities, steering and supervision of authorities, planning and reporting duties by authorities, teaching, knowledge management. Open term page Secondary use of health and social data to strengthen research, innovation and policymaking across Europe.

European researchers, businesses and policy makers face many barriers to the cross-border use of health data. The new legislation should clarify and harmonise member states’ practices.

Clear legislation and data protection requirements will ensure the secure use of health data. New technologies and common standards will help to change healthcare in Europe for the better, to the benefit of all.

What do we do?

The TEHDAS2 project will develop concrete guidelines and technical definitions to make it easier to use health data in different countries. It will support the harmonised implementation of the EHDS legislation.

The results of the project will guide health data authorities, data holders and users in fulfilling their future obligations under the regulation. The project will establish policies and outline harmonised means of describing data in patient registers. These will support the availability of health data and streamline access to it. The project will also create technical specifications for secure data processing environments and develop co-operation models and guidelines for data access and licensing fees.

The TEHDAS2 joint action is funded by the European Union’s EU4Health Health Programme. Sitra participates in the project as the designated partner of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and acts as coordinator of the joint action project at the request of the participating countries and the European Commission.

As coordinator, we will lead the overall work and be responsible for the successful and efficient implementation of the project. We are also responsible for the European-wide communication of the project, including the website tehdas.eu. We will also contribute to the preparation of the project reports in collboartion with the project partners.

The TEHDAS2 project will be implemented as part of Sitra’s international activities. The project is a follow-up to the 25-country TEHDAS project led by Sitra in 2021–2023, whose recommendations were used by the European Commission in its proposal for a regulation on the European Health Data Space, adopted in May 2022.

What has been achieved?

The TEHDAS2 Joint Action project started on 1 May 2024 and will end on 31 December 2026.

Sitra was selected by the EU Member States and the Commission to coordinate the follow-up to the successful TEHDAS project.

More information on the progress of the project can be found on its website.

Who is involved?

The EHDS is being prepared by 29 countries. In Finland, Sitra, the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), the Centre for Technology Research (VTT), the Centre for Science and Technology (CSC), the Social and Health Information Licensing Authority (Findata) and HUS are involved as associated organisations.

The national expert group (in Finnish) already assembled by Sitra during the TEHDAS project will also be consulted in the TEHDAS2 project.

Sign up for the TEHDAS2 Newsletter

Want to stay on board with updates on the Joint Action for the European Health Data Space? Sign up to our TEHDAS2 Newsletter by filling in the form below.

Contact us

people
Markus Kalliola
Programme Director, Sitra International Programmes
people
Elina Drakvik
Senior Lead, Sitra International Programmes
people
Sofia Marin
Specialist, Sitra International Programmes
people
Marja Pirttivaara
Senior Lead, Sitra International Programmes
people
Kirsi Suomalainen
Specialist, Communications and Public Affairs

What's this about?