From Infrastructure to Influence: Examining Platform Integration in European Health Research

Key Objectives

1. Analyse the EHDS as a platform that shapes knowledge production - Examine how the European Health Data Space determines what data is collected, how it's used, and what research questions become feasible within its framework of creating a unified European market for health data.
2. Investigate regulatory alignment across European healthcare systems - Study how diverse regulatory environments are being harmonised to facilitate the EHDS and assess the social consequences of these governance changes.
3. Evaluate the balance between public good and commercial interests - Critically examine how the EHDS navigates tensions between serving health research needs of the public and accommodating commercial interests in health data.
4. Extend theoretical understanding of platforms in public sectors - Build on my previous work on NHS platformisation to develop broader insights about how platforms reshape knowledge production in highly regulated public health contexts.

Expected Outcomes

1. Article manuscript - The primary tangible outcome will be a scholarly article advancing knowledge about the EHDS and theoretical understanding of platform influence in health research.
2. Policy insights - Practical guidance for policymakers navigating platform adoption in health research, particularly regarding governance structures that protect public interests.
3. Foundation for future research - This project establishes groundwork for more extensive study of platform integration across different national contexts or healthcare domains (through applications to the ERC (Consolidator Award) and UK Research and Innovation Future Leader's Fellowship.