IDERHA at the IHI Forum 2026

How can European health research deliver lasting benefits for patients and healthcare systems? This question was at the centre of the IHI Forum 2026, held on 20–21 October in Brussels. IDERHA joined more than 400 participants to exchange insights on translating research outcomes into long-term impact.

The forum brought together representatives from research, industry, healthcare and patient organisations to discuss how innovations can be implemented, scaled and sustained beyond individual research projects.

For IDERHA, the discussions closely aligned with the project's ambition to develop a sustainable pan-European health data space, enabling the secure use of health data to improve research and patient care.

Showcasing IDERHA's contributions

Six IDERHA members presented posters highlighting different aspects of the project's work, from patient engagement and algorithms to health data infrastructures and real-world evidence (RWE).

Putting patients at the centre of research

Anna Keuchenius (Lung Cancer Europe) and Bianca Pop (European Patients' Forum) presented IDERHA's approach to patient engagement, highlighting how the project's Patient Advisory Board (PAB) provides input across all work packages.

Their poster also showcased how IDERHA actively reaches patients through existing events and communities, including the European Respiratory Society Congress and Lung Cancer Europe's conference. Annual two-way satisfaction surveys help continuously improve collaboration between PAB members and project partners.

A recurring message throughout the forum was the importance of moving beyond patient involvement towards genuine co-creation, where patients have an active role in shaping research activities and decisions.

Advancing trustworthy real-world evidence

Omnia Bilal (NICE) presented IDERHA's RWE process map, highlighting the importance of transparent, trustworthy and fit-for-purpose RWE research. Rasmus Mølgaard Hansen (DEFACTUM) presented the IHI RWE Alliance for Impact, a cross-project initiative aimed at strengthening collaboration, exchanging best practices and advancing the adoption of high-quality RWE across Europe. Both contributions demonstrated the importance of generating reliable evidence that can support healthcare research and decision-making.

Building sustainable health data infrastructures

Hanna Ćwiek-Kupczyńska (University of Luxembourg) presented IDERHA's work on infrastructure, while Erik Ostrowski (Fraunhofer SCAI) highlighted the role of algorithms in supporting data-driven healthcare research. These contributions demonstrated how IDERHA is developing technical foundations for the secure access, integration and analysis of health data across institutions, supporting sustainable healthcare innovation.

From research projects to lasting impact

A key takeaway from the IHI Forum 2026 was that scientific excellence alone is not enough. Research outcomes must also be adopted, implemented and sustained to deliver meaningful benefits for patients and healthcare systems. For IDERHA, the forum reinforced the importance of combining meaningful patient engagement, trusted health data infrastructures and collaborative RWE generation to translate research into lasting impact.