Spain Launches National Health Data Space to Boost Medical Innovation and Secure Data Use
Spain launches the National Health Data Space (ENDS), investing 70 million euros to enhance medical innovation and secure, interoperable health data sharing across the country.
- • The ENDS project launches with a 70 million euro budget to improve health research and care through secure data sharing.
- • It connects regional health systems via interoperable platforms, supported by 28 million euros for technological upgrades.
- • The initiative ensures ethical data usage, protecting citizens' rights and privacy, and supports AI development in healthcare.
- • ENDS aims to position Spain as a leader in the upcoming European Health Data Space, fostering innovation and equitable healthcare.
Key details
The Spanish government has officially launched the Espacio Nacional de Datos de Salud (ENDS) with a 70 million euro investment aimed at revolutionizing healthcare through secure, ethical, and interoperable health data sharing. This infrastructure initiative seeks to enhance medical research, healthcare delivery, prevention, and public health planning by facilitating responsible reuse of clinical data while ensuring privacy and citizens' rights.
ENDS is designed as a network of independent platforms connected with common protocols enabling health systems across Spain’s autonomous communities to share data effectively. Regional governments received 28 million euros to upgrade their health data systems to integrate with the national platform. The project is coordinated jointly by the Ministries of Health and Digital Transformation, emphasizing strict ethical standards and data sovereignty.
Minister of Health Mónica García highlighted that data use serves broader goals: "a stronger, more accessible, equitable, and humane healthcare system." She stressed that ENDS will support personalized medicine and intelligent public health strategies while promoting safe artificial intelligence development in healthcare. Minister Óscar López underscored the transformational impact, stating "data saves lives" and will empower innovation and diagnosis.
The commissioner for the Vanguard Health PERTE, Raquel Yotti, described the ENDS as a "revolution" that will enable predictive models to anticipate disease development, optimize treatments, and help identify vulnerable populations.
ENDS aligns with the future European Health Data Space, positioning Spain as a leader in the continent’s health data transformation. The broader Data Spaces Sectoral Impulse Plan integrates over 400 million euros across economic sectors, with health receiving the largest allocation, underlining its priority status.
This ambitious initiative promises to sustain the healthcare system over the next decade and beyond by advancing research, improving patient care, and fostering inclusive innovation while safeguarding ethical and legal frameworks for health data use.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
Source articles (3)
Source comparison
Total investment in ENDS
Sources report different total investment amounts for the ENDS initiative.
isanidad.com
"with an investment of 70 million euros"
planderecuperacion.gob.es
"the largest share of 78 million euros for 48 projects."
Why this matters: One source states the investment is 70 million euros, while another mentions a broader strategy involving 78 million euros specifically for health projects. This discrepancy affects understanding of the financial scope of the initiative.