Bavaria opens a new chapter in top medicine: With the start of the "Bavarian Health Cloud" (BHC) the Free State is creating a central research data platform that has the potential to revolutionize medical care and research. The project, initiated by Science Minister Markus Blume and Health Minister Judith Gerlach, aims to unearth the treasure trove of health data to combat diseases more effectively and develop new therapies. Investments of around 25 million euros are planned for this purpose.

A quantum leap for research and supply

The vision behind the BHC is to make billions of health data—such as diagnoses, lab values, or medication plans—structured and securely available for research and industry. The corona pandemic has shown how crucial learning from data is to save lives and prevent diseases.

Through the analysis of these vast amounts of data using Artificial Intelligence (AI) scientists, doctors, and companies should be enabled to develop personalized treatments. Especially in the case of complex illnesses or rare diseases, this approach promises a quantum leap, as therapies can be precisely tailored to individual patients.

Data security and trust as top priorities

The critical topic of data protection is given the highest priority. The operation of the platform is carried out by a newly established, 100% state-owned Bavarian Health Cloud Ltd.. This guarantees full control by the Free State.

Bavarian Blueprint with European Potential

In the first phase, the BHC will be filled with data from the six Bavarian university hospitals, which treat around 2.3 million people annually. Subsequently, additional participants such as plan hospitals and later also medical practices and care facilities are to be integrated into the Bavarian health data space.

Work on the platform is expected to start later this year, with a first functional version planned by the end of 2026. With this initiative, Bavaria positions itself as a pioneer in Germany. The "Bavarian Health Cloud" has the potential to become a blueprint for the use of health data within the emerging European Health Data Space (EHDS) and is an important milestone for the Bavarian Highmed Agenda.