This was the question that guided the discussion on the benefits and risks of various health technologies on the evening of 13 November. Four speakers from research and development in the field of digital healthcare and IT security were guests at the COSMO Science Forum. In short keynote speeches, they presented their perspectives on the benefits of health apps and their impact on data protection. The participants exchanged views on the presentations in small groups and came up with questions, which were then answered by the speakers and discussed with everyone.

When asked about the most helpful and safest health apps, the speakers emphasized how diverse and heterogeneous the range is. They explained that digital health applications (DiGAs) are being developed for specific medical conditions and that their positive impact on healthcare are being reviewed by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM). Therapy-relevant data could then be passed on to doctors or stored in the electronic patient file (ePA) with the patient's consent.

During the discussion, it became clear how important it is for the participants to learn more about the data protection of DiGAs and ePA. The speakers therefore explained the existing security standards and the risks that need to be considered when it comes to data protection.

Everyone agreed that the protection of health data must be the basis of digital healthcare. At the same time, the use of data from DiGAs and the ePA offers advantages for patients, for example by allowing therapies to be adapted more specifically or decisions to be made more quickly in emergencies.

In conclusion, the speakers summarized that a critical examination of the topic is crucial so thatusers can make informed decisions about the use of health apps.

Speakers:

• Kornell Adolph, Managing Director Innovation and Development, AOK Plus
• Stefanie Brückner, Research Associate, Else Kröner Fresenius Centre for Digital Health, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden
• Sabrina Fesl, Research Associate, Digital Health Research Unit, Centre for Evidence-based Healthcare, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Dresden University of Technology
• Dr. Stefan Köpsell, Research Group Leader Trustworthy Data Processing, Barkhausen Institut

Moderation:

• Tiphaine Cattiau, Project Manager Public Outreach, Barkhausen Institut