Despite progress in the global digital transformation of health and health care, there remains disparities in skills and resources when accessing online health systems. Overcoming these disparities requires efforts to ensure access for all to the equipment needed and the acquisition of skills to use online sites and services. Digital health communication and health care services should be easy to use and adapted to individual needs. 

Back European Ethical Principles For Digital Health – European Union

In January 2022, the European Union set out a framework for digital health. Approved by the eHealth Network, composed of EU Member State representatives responsible for digital health, and proposed by the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, 16 European principles for ethics in digital health were established to improve mutual understanding and to facilitate discussions on the future European regulation on the European health data space. They directly address the EU citizen and incorporate four ethical dimensions: “placing digital health within a framework of humanist values”, “enabling people to manage their own health data digitally”, “developing inclusive digital health”, and “implementing eco-friendly digital health”. 


 Base Digital Health on humanistic values

  • 1.    Digital Health complements and optimises face-to-face healthcare
  • 2.    Individuals are informed about the benefits and limits of Digital Health
  • 3.    Individuals are informed about the functioning of Digital Health services and can easily customise interactions with them
  • 4.    When artificial intelligence is used, all reasonable efforts are made to make it explainable and without discriminatory bias

 Enable individuals to manage their Digital Health and data

  • 5.    Individuals are actively involved in shaping the European and national frameworks of Digital Health and data
  • 6.    Individuals can easily and reliably retrieve their health data in a commonly used format
  • 7.    Individuals can easily get information on how their health data have been or may be accessed and for which purpose 
  • 8.    Individuals can easily and reliably grant access to their health data and exercise their rights, including objection when applicable

 Make Digital Health inclusive

  • 9.    Digital Health services are accessible by all, including by people with disabilities or low levels of literacy
  • 10.    Digital Health services are intuitive and easy to use
  • 11.    Individuals have access to Digital Health training
  • 12.    Digital Health services include support through human communication when needed

 Implement eco-responsible Digital Health

  • 13.    Environmental impacts of Digital Health are identified and measured
  • 14.    Digital Health services are developed in compliance with eco-design best practices
  • 15.    Re-use and recycling of Digital Health equipment is ensured
  • 16.    Digital Health stakeholders are committed to reducing their ecological footprint

 European Ethical Principles For Digital Health – European Union

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