A Health-Oriented Approach to the Declaration on European Digital Rights and Principles

Europe is in the midst of a digital revolution transforming many aspects of daily life. In the healthcare sector, digitalisation may change today’s values and rights. Health tech developments range from relatively simple digital solutions—such as online appointment systems and digital health records—to artificial intelligence (AI) applications—such as AI-powered automated breast cancer diagnosis systems and AI-assisted automatic seizure detection. Recognising both the potential and risks of extensive digitalisation, the European Union (EU) is pushing for a stronger and safer EU digital single market. To this end, the European Commission has proposed a Declaration on European Digital Rights and Principles. As health lawyers, we advocate for a greater focus on health protection in the EU’s digital single market strategy, especially regarding medical AI applications and automated decision-making.