Our work

Digital and Data Governance

Advancing value-driven governance of the digital transformations of health

For most countries, the full potential of digitalization is not being realized. Uncoordinated approaches to digital transformation and weak governance exacerbate health inequities, fail to protect people from digital harms, and undermine public trust in digital solutions and data.

Countries with the largest populations of young people are facing a double disadvantage of weak health systems and low levels of affordable and reliable digital access. These same countries also tend to have fewer instruments in place to protect young people’s digital rights and keep them and their data safe. As levels of connectivity increase, concerted efforts are required to improve the health and well-being of young people growing up in a digital world.

Trusted and inclusive governance architectures based on data solidarity, human rights and other Health for All values are critical to ensure that digital transformations deliver safe and sustainable health futures for young people. The DTH-Lab works with young people to co-create and test a new ‘framework for governing health futures’ comprising a set of proposals for policies, instruments and legislation that build trust in health ecosystems and maximize the public value and health benefits of data and AI. The University of Vienna is a key partner of the DTH-Lab and will deliver core outputs of this work under the supervision of Barbara Prainsack, Professor in the Department of Political Science and Director of the interdisciplinary research platform Governance of Digital Practices.

How can GHFutures2030’s proposed policy instruments for data solidarity be implemented and evaluated in different contexts?

What national and regional governance instruments exist to support (or impede) data solidarity and public trust?

Main research questions

How are Health for All values currently reflected in global, regional and national approaches to digital transformations of health?

What additional legal, regulatory or enforcement mechanisms are needed to build trustworthy health information, AI and digital health services?

How can GHFutures2030’s proposed policy instruments for data solidarity be implemented and evaluated in different contexts?

What national and regional governance instruments exist to support (or impede) data solidarity and public trust?

Main research questions

How are Health for All values currently reflected in global, regional and national approaches to digital transformations of health?

What additional legal, regulatory or enforcement mechanisms are needed to build trustworthy health information, AI and digital health services?

Data solidarity

The Governing Health Futures 2030 Commission recommended that all actors should enact an approach to the collection and use of data based on the concept of data solidarity. The DTH-Lab is working with partners to champion the principles of data solidarity in real-world applications, with a particular focus on health, as well as developing tools for assessing and maximizing the public value of data uses.

Introducing Data Solidarity

Solidarity-based data governance—or data solidarity for short—helps to ensure that the benefits and costs of digital practices are borne collectively and fairly. Read this article in the Lancet to learn how data solidarity provides a blueprint for governing health futures.

Learn More
Introducing Data Solidarity

Data Solidarity White Paper

Our White Paper outlines what a governance framework based on data solidarity should entail and why data solidarity is different to other related concepts. It also elaborates on how a solidarity-based approach to data governance can be realised through policy instruments and other actions.

Learn More
Data Solidarity White Paper

Why Do We Need Data Solidarity?

In this short video, Professor Barbara Prainsack from the University of Vienna explains how a solidarity-based approach to data governance can ensure the risks and benefits of digital societies are borne collectively and fairly. 

Learn More
Why Do We Need Data Solidarity?

Public Value Assessment Tool (PLUTO)

PLUTO is a tool for assessing the benefits and risks of specific instances of data use. The weighing of risks and benefits results in a score that indicates the public value of data use.

Learn More
Public Value Assessment Tool (PLUTO)

Data solidarity

The Governing Health Futures 2030 Commission recommended that all actors should enact an approach to the collection and use of data based on the concept of data solidarity. The DTH-Lab is working with partners to champion the principles of data solidarity in real-world applications, with a particular focus on health, as well as developing tools for assessing and maximizing the public value of data uses.

Introducing Data Solidarity

Solidarity-based data governance—or data solidarity for short—helps to ensure that the benefits and costs of digital practices are borne collectively and fairly. Read this article in the Lancet to learn how data solidarity provides a blueprint for governing health futures.

Data Solidarity White Paper

Our White Paper outlines what a governance framework based on data solidarity should entail and why data solidarity is different to other related concepts. It also elaborates on how a solidarity-based approach to data governance can be realised through policy instruments and other actions.

Why Do We Need Data Solidarity?

In this short video, Professor Barbara Prainsack from the University of Vienna explains how a solidarity-based approach to data governance can ensure the risks and benefits of digital societies are borne collectively and fairly.

Public Value Assessment Tool (PLUTO)

PLUTO is a tool for assessing the benefits and risks of specific instances of data use. The weighing of risks and benefits results in a score that indicates the public value of data use.

Data Solidarity Glossary

Explore our glossary of 30 terms related to data solidarity and other governance approaches.

Other work

Digital First Health Systems

Digital Determinants of Health