DOES E-HEALTH CARE ALSO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PRIVACY?

ONDERZOEK IN DE KIJKER

“Trust in technology is failing”, recently warned Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for ‘A Europe Fit for the Digital Age’. She was referring to the risks associated with the growing impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in everyday life. The health sector is also in the danger zone. The Reinitialise project investigates how fundamental human rights may be safeguarded in e-health services. Prof. Bart Vanrumste and researcher Hannelore Strauven (Group T Leuven Campus) are members of the project consortium.

Digital technologies based on AI have a crosscutting impact in all areas of our life and especially in the domain of health. On the one hand, these technologies are the basis for innovation and growth, but on the other hand, they pose a threat to essential human rights such as privacy, data ownership, etc. “This problem does not only concern AI specialists”, says prof. Vanrumste. “Only an interdisciplinary approach may provide a solution where technology is designed in compliance with ethics and the preservation of human rights”.

“Reinitialise stands for ‘preserving fundamental rights in the use of digital technologies for e-health services”, Hannelore explains. “The project is part of the European Horizon 2020 Training Programme. It aims to increase the capacity for the design and use of digital technologies in the sector of health, in order to integrate the potential of technology with the awareness of its ethical, legal and socio-economic dimensions. Within the extensive domain of e-health services, we focus on two sub-areas: technologies for active ageing and digital tools for prevention care in nutrition and dietetics”.

Prof. Bart Vanrumste en Hannelore Strauven

©Julie Feyaerts

Partnership

“The initiative comes from the Marie Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin, Poland”, prof. Vanrumste continues. “The university has mobilised specialists from seven of its research institutes and departments for the design and use of digital technologies in the sector of health in a way that adheres to ethical principles. In order to strengthen its own expertise, it called on three leading institutes in Europe: KU Leuven, the University of Macerata (Italy) and Eurocentro S.r.l., an Italian institute that specialises in setting up interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral EU projects”.

In addition to prof. Vanrumste and Hannelore Strauven, the multidisciplinary KU Leuven team consists of prof. Helder De Schutter (Social and Political Philosophy), prof. Jannique van Uffelen (Physical Activity, Sports and Health Research Group), prof. Elske Vrieze (University Psychiatric Centre), Marc Van Aken (lecturer Communication and Entrepreneurship at Group T Leuven Campus) and Greet Bilsen (valorisation coordinator of the LICT research centre on ICT).

The project should result in a Knowledge Platform that brings together researchers and experts in experimental learning and co-creation of innovative e-health services and products. Its members may interact in joint activities and discussions and share knowledge, experiences and resources.

Knowledge transfer

“The first phase of the project consists of giving a boost to the scientific expertise of the Marie Curie-Sklodowska University”, Hannelore says. “The knowledge transfer will take place through symposia and transnational staff exchange. Polish researchers will work together with their colleagues in Leuven and Macerata. Subsequently, Belgian and Italian experts will travel to Lublin to assist in the consolidation of knowledge and experience.”

“In the second phase, attention will be paid to the transfer of research to the market and society. This will be done through showcases of best practices, a winter school on innovation in Lublin and a Venture Lab involving all relevant actors in jointly designing and implementing their experiences of collaboration in the field of e-health”.

Mutual interests

“At the end of the project, all partners should benefit”, concludes prof. Vanrumste. “Interesting business ideas and start-up proposals are just as useful elsewhere. This also applies to the Joint Research Roadmap. In time, it should serve as a model for cooperation in future international research projects”.

www.reinitialise.eu

Yves Persoons