Current and future R&D activities of the EC-IST programme in eHealth.

The EU support to R&D in eHealth over the last few years has addressed citizens, patients and health professionals needs in their activities. The societal challenges based on the principle of citizen-centred care have found solutions in the many projects financed through the IST programme. Major paradigm shifts have emerged e.g. from "hospital centred healthcare" to "patient/citizen centred health" and from "treatment" to "prevention". Information technologies became one of the major driving forces for healthcare evolution, receiving acceptance by an increasing number of health professionals. In addition, a new industrial sector was clearly identified; the "Health Telematics Industry". This paper present the main research and development activities carried out in eHealth during the 5th R&D Framework Programme and the future research and development activities in the 6th R&D Framework Programme.