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Annual Meeting: Together for FAIR Health Data
We have just concluded two intensive days with the members of NFDI4Health on 7th and 8th October 2024 at the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Potsdam-Rehbrücke. Once a year, our consortium gathers: ranging from executives to software developers, as well as experts in standardisation, cybersecurity, and record linkage. We reviewed: Where do we stand? What have we achieved? And what challenges shall we tackle next?
Setting the Course: Expanding Infrastructures, Services, and Collaborations
Key topics of the annual meeting included the integration of NFDI4Health into related health data infrastructures and the transition into the second project phase in autumn 2025. Under the leadership of our spokesperson Juliane Fluck and co-spokesperson Iris Pigeot, new partnerships in the health data sector were discussed. Particularly exciting was the presentation of regional data competence centres such as DataNord and DIM.Ruhr, which aim to provide insights for data management and utilisation in Germany. Another focus was on enhancing public interaction through the Health Research Data Portal (FDPG) in collaboration with the Medical Informatics Initiative. Intensive discussions took place in breakout sessions on how to make research data more efficiently available. Additionally, identity and access management (IAM) and new features of the Health Study Hub were highlighted.
A glimpse into the future: NFDI4Health in the European context
A central point of the gathering was the outlook on NFDI4Health's future role in the European Health Data Space (EHDS). NFDI4Health positions itself as an important platform for integrating German health data into the European context according to FAIR principles. The aim is to facilitate access to high-quality and interoperable health data across Europe, thereby accelerating research. Participants emphasised the necessity of further developing existing infrastructures, strengthening international collaborations, and integrating the structures and services of NFDI4Health into the EHDS.
Thank you to all participants for their dedicated contributions and valuable input!
