Preparations for the establishment of the Board for Health Apps in Denmark

The Ministry of the Interior and Health is currently working on the establishment of the Board for Health Apps (Nævnet for sundhedsapps). 

It is expected that the Board's purpose will be to assess whether the health apps can be recommended to citizens and healthcare professionals in Denmark considering the applications from companies, organizations, and other app suppliers. The recommended apps will be displayed on the list of recommended apps on sundhed.dk. The Board will assess apps based on a broad definition of health apps, which constitute a software program that can run on a mobile phone, a tablet, a personal computer, or a wearable. The Board will assess both apps that are categorized as medical devices as well as apps that are not categorized as medical devices. This has been chosen to ensure that the Board's recommended apps match the needs of the Danish healthcare system. The Board will recommend health apps based on specific assessment criteria, such as evidence for effectiveness, ease of use, and value. It is also stated that the Board will be able to continuously determine and adapt the final assessment criteria based on the Board's practice and the submitted health apps. It should be noted that the establishment of the Board does not entail a requirement that apps must be recommended by the Board before they can be used in the healthcare system.

According to the current legislation, the Board for Health Apps will consist of a maximum of 11 members appointed by the Minister of the Interior and Health. Members will be appointed for up to four years at a time. The Minister will also appoint a chairman and a vice-chairman from among the members of the Board.

Recently, a draft Executive order on the rules of procedure of the Board for Health Apps was published. The purpose of this Executive order is to determine the framework for the work of the Board for Health Apps including the rules on the tasks and competencies, meetings, decision-making and voting rules, secretariat, confidentiality, etc. It is expected that this Executive order will enter into force on July 1, 2024, and the Board is foreseen to meet as soon as possible after this.

See the full details in Danish here and here.

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