On 25 September, leading figures from healthcare, academia, and industry gathered for the highly anticipated webinar “Perspectives on Sustainability of the VHT from EU Member States and Key Partners” organized by DIGITALEUROPE and EDITH. The event centered on the groundbreaking Virtual Human Twin (VHT) initiative, which seeks to transform healthcare through digital models of human biology, advancing research, diagnostics, and treatments. 

The webinar addressed key strategies for sustaining and scaling VHT-based healthcare across Europe, with discussions focusing on the importance of gaining support from national authorities responsible for health, innovation, and the digital agenda. With widespread backing from the EDITH VHT Manifesto, the initiative has already received strong support from stakeholders across Europe, and this event aimed to drive further collaboration and policy support. 

One of the key highlights of the event was the presentation of the TARGET project by Dr. Oliver Frings from Siemens Healthineers. Siemens Healthineers, a global leader in healthcare solutions, emphasized its role as a vital partner in the TARGET project, which was presented as an innovative example of ongoing collaboration in the VHT ecosystem. 

The TARGET project focuses on a patient-centric digital twinning concept designed to revolutionize the management of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and AF-related strokes (AFRS). By combining mechanistic and data-driven virtual twins with causal AI, TARGET bridges the gap between research and clinical practice, providing a groundbreaking approach to personalized treatment. This innovative use of digital twins enables more precise interventions, potentially transforming the way AF and AFRS are diagnosed and treated in the future. 

The event underscored the importance of partnerships like TARGET in advancing the VHT initiative, as well as the potential of digital healthcare to enhance patient outcomes across Europe. As stakeholders look to the future, collaborative efforts between healthcare providers, national authorities, and technology leaders will be key to driving the sustainability and scalability of VHT-based healthcare systems.