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“Data enables doctors to learn from previous patients how to improve care for future patients”
On 6 October, Health-RI’s annual conference takes place, this year with the central theme of Setting data in motion. Egge van der Poel is moderator of the session International data and sample sharing - in the Netherlands, Europe, and beyond. We sit down with him to discuss the importance of sharing knowledge and data, both at a national and international level. “While the clinical practice and the scientific community are often still separate worlds, data can actually build a bridge between those two worlds.”
Egge van der Poel holds a doctorate in experimental particle physics as a physicist, as well as a bachelor's degree in philosopher. He has been working for several years as a data scientist, and as a speaker and writer on the theme of big data.
Sharing data, knowledge and algorithms
Van der Poel will moderate the afternoon session focusing on international data and sample sharing, in the Netherlands, Europe and beyond. Speakers include Pieter Jelle Visser (Amsterdam UMC), Miranda Schram (Maastricht University) and Morris Swertz (UMC Groningen), who will talk about sharing health data and samples across borders, as well as Nigel Hughes (Johnson & Johnson) who will reflect on international public/private data sharing from an industry perspective. Furthermore Vincent Sprengers (RIVM), will talk about what can we expect from the European Health Data Space, the new European legislation on data and data sharing and Miranda Schram (Maastricht University).
As a physicist, Van der Poel started his career in a world in which “scientists of all nationalities worked together and shared data, knowledge and algorithms”, he recalls. “In order to achieve scientific breakthroughs, collaboration and data sharing was and still is the backbone of the scientific community.”
“I sometimes refer to this as big dating, working together and sharing data with a common goal. That principle is not self-evident in healthcare. Data enables doctors to learn from previous patients how to improve treatment for future patients. It is precisely by sharing data that a healthcare provider, patient or policy maker can contribute to new scientific insights and innovation. That principle has become self-evident in physics, and I hope this will become the norm in healthcare as well.”
Scalable and functional solutions
Health-RI has identified numerous obstacles hindering the sharing of health data and biological samples in a national context when it comes to research and innovation. A joint task force of Health-RI partners together with the Dutch Ministries of Health, Economic Affairs, and Science, aims to systematically address those obstacles.
Still, many international research consortia are already sharing data and samples. This session will focus on those projects, the obstacles met in practice, and highlight some best practices to successfully overcome data and sample sharing hurdles. “I look forward to an inspiring and action-oriented session during the Health-RI conference, in which we will also discuss the opportunities and challenges of the European Health Data Space”, says Van der Poel.
Interested in hearing more on the topic of international data sharing? You can register for the session International data and sample sharing – in the Netherlands, Europe, and beyond via the event website. The official language of the Health-RI congress is English.