The German industry is calling for easier access to electronic patient record data, claiming that current regulations are endangering “cutting-edge health data research” in the country. The Bundesverband der deutschen Industrie (BDI) and several other industry associations have issued a joint statement demanding access to electronic patient record (ePR) data for research purposes. Currently, patients must grant data access for each research project individually. The industry associations are proposing a “research-compatible” use of the ePR, which includes a “central digital consent to the use of data for research purposes.” If the current data protection and data sharing plans are maintained, the ePR would be a danger to “cutting-edge health data research” in Germany, according to the associations. They propose a central consent authority where patients can generally agree to the sharing of their data for research purposes.
The industry argues that this would increase the autonomy of patients while providing full transparency about ongoing research projects and their results. This, in turn, would strengthen industrial research in Germany. The government has yet to respond to the proposal. Currently, only doctors with access to the telematics infrastructure can access ePR data for research purposes if patients have given their consent. The law requires a patient receipt for each document released for research purposes, which the industry claims is too complex and a hindrance to research due to the high number of documents and administrative burden.
In conclusion, the German industry is pushing for easier access to electronic patient record data to facilitate research. They propose a central consent authority where patients can generally agree to the sharing of their data for research purposes. The government has yet to respond to the proposal, and the current law requires a patient receipt for each document released for research purposes, which the industry claims is too complex and a hindrance to research.
