Sylvia Thun appointed to international OECD expert group on health data sharing
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has appointed Prof. Dr. Sylvia Thun from the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) to the newly established "Expert Group on Cross-Border Health Data Sharing." This group is part of the broader "Data Free Flow with Trust" (DFFT) initiative, developed within the G7 and G20 processes to promote international and trustworthy data flows.
The DFFT initiative aims to facilitate the global exchange of health data while ensuring principles such as data protection, individual control, transparency, and regulatory sovereignty. The OECD has been mandated by the G7 to scientifically support this process and drive it forward through connecting international experts.
The newly established expert group is dedicated exclusively to the governance of cross-border health data. It brings together decision-makers from policy, science, international organizations, civil society, and the health industry. Together, they develop principles, identify challenges, and design solutions for handling health data across countries.
In detail, the group focuses on building interoperable and secure data infrastructures that enable international health data exchange while meeting the highest standards of trust. It also addresses the privacy-compliant and ethically responsible use of personal health data, ensuring that such data can be used across borders for the benefit of patients while maintaining privacy. Another key objective is developing common standards for research, medical care, and public health to strengthen cross-border collaboration and foster innovation in healthcare.
The appointment of Prof. Dr. Sylvia Thun, head of the Digital Medicine and Interoperability Research Group at the BIH's Center of Health Data Sciences, to this international body is a recognition of her expertise in digital health strategies. It underscores the growing importance of international cooperation for a sustainable, equitable, and future-oriented data policy in healthcare.