Are we fitting 21st-century tools into 20th-century systems?

On July 2nd, 2026, the EU Health Policy Platform (EU-HPP) and VPH- The Society for In Silico Medicine hosted the second thematic network webinar to chart the adoption pathway for Virtual Human Twins (VHTs) and AI in European healthcare.

As these technologies are moving from the “futuristic” concepts phase into market-ready solutions, the session brought together a powerhouse of industry experts, innovation strategists, healthcare visionaries, and policy transformers to bridge the gap between innovation and clinical reality.

The discussion highlighted that while the technological capabilities of VHTs, personalised digital models used for prevention and therapy optimisation, are advancing rapidly, the real barrier is systemic readiness. Here’s the key perspectives from our distinguished speakers:

• Liesbet Geris, VPH Executive Director, opened the session by defining VHTs as personalisable models that allow clinicians to de-risk and optimise medical interventions. Frank Rademakers, Cardiologist and former Chief Medical Technology Innovation Officer at KU Leuven/UZ Leuven, argued that we must move away from static regulation towards how such fast-evolving technologies are created, tested, and what is allowed to apply in healthcare based on their evolving performance in real-world clinical environments.
• Industry leaders like Fabien Colaone, Head of Reimbursement (EMEA) at Siemens Healthineers, and Claudia Ivascu, Director of Health Economics (DACH Region) at Medtronic, addressed the “Two-Lock”challenge: Adoption (clinician trust and workflow fit) and Reimbursement (how the system pays for the value). They emphasised that for VHT and AI to scale, developers must build tools that are “adoptable by design”, fitting seamlessly into existing workflows while demonstrating long-term efficiency gains to payers. They cautioned that these innovations are extremely iterative and we must look beyond initial adoption hurdles.
• Ramon Maspons Bosch, Chief Health Innovation Officer at AQuAS, identified Public Procurement of Innovation (PPI) as a stretegic vehicle to transform health systems from the bottom up. This systemic approach was echoed by European Commission experts Margherita Fanos (DG CNECT) and Yiannos Tolias (DG SANTE), who discussed flagship actions like the European Network of AI-powered advanced screening centers to boost adoption across the continent.
• A central theme was also the role of clinicians. Rather than replacing humans, AI and VHTs act as safety nets. Experts argued that automating routine tasks will free up human time for complex decision-making and direct patient interaction.

The meeting recordings and slides can be accessed here.

What’s next? The webinar concluded with a call to action for stakeholders to join upcoming writing sessions to draft a collaborative joint statement on creating impact through VHT and AI adoption.

Join us drafting Thematic Network Joint Statement | Building Responsible Ecosystem solutions – AI and Virtual Human Twins in Healthcare.

Click here for the registration form: online and offline participation is possible. Based on your preference, you would be included in a mailing list and receive the meeting invites, as well as the access to the draft versions of the joint statement.

Online writing sessions are scheduled for:

• 7 July 2026, 9:00 AM (CEST) (90′)
• 25 August 2026, 9:00 AM (CEST) (90′)