The German data protection supervisory authorities have released their take on international data transfers in medical research. With its guidelines published in September 2025, the Data Protection Conference (DSK) specifies the requirements of the GDPR for cross-border data transfers for research purposes. The guidelines are primarily intended for research institutions, university hospitals, contract research organizations (CROs), and sponsors of clinical trials, but their relevance may extend across Europe to stakeholders engaged in research activities.

The publication represents a noteworthy reference point in a landscape where international collaboration and the use of medical data are increasingly central to scientific advancement. The DSK attempts to strike a balance between freedom of research and data protection law – with a clearly structured, practice-oriented regulatory framework.

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