On 14 May 2025 a workshop on (dis)trust in data-driven medicine took place in Leuven (Belgium), as an interdisciplinary effort between different institutes within KU Leuven; iSiHealth Institute, the Meaningful Interactions Lab (Mintlab), the Digital Society Institute (DigiSoc) and Life Sciences & Society Lab.
Zita Van Horenbeeck, who works as the social scientist for the VPH, co-organised this workshop in the context of her research. In this workshop, gathering a total of 18 citizens, participants were invited to reflect in their native language (Dutch) on what emerging digital health technologies, from AI-powered softwares to digital twins and health trackers, mean for them as patients and citizens.
The scenario-based format and moderation by social science researchers stimulated lively discussions on key topics such as expertise, responsibility, trust, patient engagement, and data governance. In a concluding creative exercise, participants were asked to collectively sketch their ideal digital healthcare scenario, visualizing their hopes, concerns, and priorities for the future of healthcare innovation.
The event was set to offer a space for inclusive dialogue on the digital transformation of care, the results of which will be shared within the in silico community during the iSiHealth conference, taking place on September 11-12 in Leuven, Belgium. A next iteration of the workshop with healthcare professionals is planned for later this year, to further enrich the insights with clinical perspectives.
