Tag: healthcare

How artificial intelligence can help transform Europe’s health sector

Agency News, Health & Social Care, Industry News
A high-standard health system, rich health data and a strong research and innovation ecosystem are Europe’s key assets that can help transform its health sector and make the EU a global leader in health-related artificial intelligence applications.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in healthcare is increasing rapidly.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, challenges linked to our ageing populations and shortages of healthcare professionals were already driving up the adoption of AI technologies in healthcare.
The pandemic has all but accelerated this trend. Real-time contact tracing apps are just one example of the many AI applications used to monitor the spread of the virus and to reinforce the public health response to it.
AI and robotics are also key for the development and manufacturing of new vaccines against COVID-19.
A fresh JRC analysis shows that European biotech companies relying on AI have been strong partners in the global race to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine.
Based on this experience, the analysis highlights the EU’s strengths in the “AI in health” domain and identifies the challenges it still has to overcome to become a global leader.
High standard health system safeguards reliability of AI health applications
Europe’s high standard health system provides a strong foundation for the roll out of AI technologies.
Its high quality standards will ensure that AI-enabled health innovations maximise benefits and minimise risks.
The JRC study suggests that, similarly to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is now considered a global reference, the EU is in a position to set the benchmark for global standards of AI in health in terms of safety, trustworthiness, transparency and liability.
The European Commission is currently preparing a comprehensive package of measures to address issues posed by the introduction of AI, including a European legal framework for AI to address fundamental rights and safety risks specific to the AI systems, as well as rules on liability related to new technologies.
Strong European research ecosystem supported by EU funding
At the moment, the EU is already well positioned in the application of AI in the healthcare domain - slightly behind China but on par with the US.
But judging from the EU’s research capacities, there is more potential.
The JRC analysis notes the strong investment of European biotech companies in research: in the EU, almost two thirds of all medical AI players are involved in research, against approximately one-third in China.
Consequently, Europe has a strong and diversified research and innovation ecosystem in the area of AI in health.
European companies are particularly strong in health diagnostics, health technology assessment, medical devices and pharmaceuticals.
The EU’s research framework programmes play an important role in the European research and innovation landscape in this domain.
A JRC report published in 2020 indicates that 146 projects linked to AI in health have been launched under the Horizon 2020 framework programme.
The funding of AI in health related projects has been increasing over time, reaching over €100 million in 2020.
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Securing Cloud Services for Health: New report by EU Agency for Cybersecurity helps healthcare organisations securely adopt cloud services and prepare for cybersecurity challenges

Agency News, Cyber Security CII sector, Industry News
The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) published the Cloud Security for Healthcare Services report, which provides cybersecurity guidelines for healthcare organisations to help further digitalise with cloud services. Building on ENISA’s procurement guidelines for cybersecurity in hospitals, published early last year, this new report assesses the cybersecurity risks of cloud services and offers good practices for their secure integration into the European healthcare sector. The ENISA report comes as the European Commission is moving forward this year with the European Health Data Space initiative to promote the safe exchange of patients’ data and access to health data.
The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined an increased need for efficient – and secure – digital healthcare services. Cloud solutions allow for the flexible and rapid deployment of the electronic storage of data and electronic communications such as telemedicine. However, the complexity of legal systems and new technologies, as well as concerns over the security of sensitive patient data have slowed the healthcare sector in adopting cloud services.
EU Agency for Cybersecurity Executive Director Juhan Lepassaar said: “A resilient health sector relies on secure digital solutions. The EU Agency for Cybersecurity provides healthcare organisations with guidance to address cybersecurity concerns related to cloud services and is preparing an EU Cloud Cybersecurity Certification scheme, both of which aim to do just that.”
The report addresses these concerns by providing security guidelines for three main areas in which cloud services are used by the healthcare sector, namely for:
Electronic Health Record (EHR), i.e. systems focusing on the collection, storage, management and transmission of health data, such as patient information and medical exam results;
Remote Care, i.e. the subset of telemedicine supporting remote patient-doctor consultation;
Medical Devices, i.e. cloud services supporting the operation of medical devices such as making medical device data available to different stakeholders or for device monitoring.
For each of these use cases, the report highlights the main factors to be considered when healthcare organisations conduct the relevant risk assessment – for example, in terms of risk to sensitive patient data or availability of a medical service. These guidelines, however, are only a first step for healthcare providers to adapt securely to the cloud. More support is needed, such as established industry standards on cloud security, specific direction from national and EU authorities, and further guidelines from Data Protection Authorities on transferring healthcare data to the cloud.
The report also proposes a set of security measures for healthcare organisations to implement when planning their move to cloud services, such as establishing processes for incident management, defining data encryption requirements, and ensuring data portability and interoperability. The measures are proposed taking into consideration the draft candidate EU Cybersecurity Certification Scheme on Cloud Services (EUCS) to ensure compatibility and requirements mapping. The Agency’s draft scheme is part of the larger cybersecurity certification framework aimed at enhancing trust in ICT products, services and processes across Europe. The draft scheme is open for public consultation until 7 February 2021.
The EU Agency for Cybersecurity will continue its work to strengthen the cybersecurity of Europe’s healthcare sector by publishing guidelines, promoting information sharing, collaborating with policy-makers and organising events such as the annual eHealth Conference, addressing the healthcare sector’s major cybersecurity challenges.
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INTERPOL warns of organized crime threat to COVID-19 vaccines

Agency News, Health & Social Care, Industry News
INTERPOL has issued a global alert to law enforcement across its 194 member countries warning them to prepare for organized crime networks targeting COVID-19 vaccines, both physically and online.
The INTERPOL Orange Notice outlines potential criminal activity in relation to the falsification, theft and illegal advertising of COVID-19 and flu vaccines, with the pandemic having already triggered unprecedented opportunistic and predatory criminal behaviour.
It also includes examples of crimes where individuals have been advertising, selling and administering fake vaccines.
As a number of COVID-19 vaccines come closer to approval and global distribution, ensuring the safety of the supply chain and identifying illicit websites selling fake products will be essential.
The need for coordination between law enforcement and health regulatory bodies will also play a vital role to ensure the safety of individuals and wellbeing of communities are protected.
Vaccines prime target of organized crime
“Criminal networks will also be targeting unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures, which could pose a significant risk to their health, even their lives.
“It is essential that law enforcement is as prepared as possible for what will be an onslaught of all types of criminal activity linked to the COVID-19 vaccine, which is why INTERPOL has issued this global warning,” concluded Secretary General Stock.
As well as targeting COVID-19 vaccines, as international travel gradually resumes it is likely that testing for the virus will become of greater importance, resulting in a parallel production and distribution of unauthorized and falsified testing kits.
Online dangers
With an increasing amount of COVID-related frauds, INTERPOL is also advising members of the public to take special care when going online to search for medical equipment or medicines.
In addition to the dangers of ordering potentially life-threatening products, an analysis by the INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Unit revealed that of 3,000 websites associated with online pharmacies suspected of selling illicit medicines and medical devices, around 1,700 contained cyber threats, especially phishing and spamming malware.
To avoid falling victim to online scams, it is important to be vigilant, be skeptical and be safe, as offers which appear too good to be true usually are. Always check with your national health authorities or the World Health Organization for the latest health advice in relation to COVID-19.
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