October 15, 2025|Daniela Geiser

A unified contractual framework for health data sharing

A newly published introductory reference paper provides practical information for the set-up of a contractual framework for multi-center data-driven health research. The reference paper explains the basics of the Legal Agreement Templates published by SPHN and offers in-depth insights on complex issues such as governance, data reuse, and intellectual property.

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A unified contractual framework for health data sharing

A newly published introductory reference paper provides practical information for the set-up of a contractual framework for multi-center data-driven health research. The reference paper explains the basics of the Legal Agreement Templates published by SPHN and offers in-depth insights on complex issues such as governance, data reuse, and intellectual property.

Legal agreements have become standard practice in national and international collaborations in data-driven health research. Navigating the regulatory landscape and negotiating such agreements is time-consuming and often causes friction, delays, and financial risks.  

To simplify legal negotiations in data-driven research projects, the Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) issues an accompanying introductory reference paper to its nationally consolidated Legal Agreement Templates.  

The reference paper enables readers with or without legal expertise to navigate the SPHN contractual framework. It is written for research professionals, legal experts and other stakeholders involved in setting up multi-center health research projects. The paper supports all parties in making compliant and well-informed adaptations to the templates based on a project’s needs. It introduces the components, content and structure of the SPHN Legal Agreement Templates. The paper also provides in-depth discussion of the most commonly discussed topics in legal negotiations including governance, data reuse and intellectual property.