HELT TALKS _2025-26-s05

2025/26 | Session 05

What are the 'HELT Talks' ?

HELT stands for Health, Ethics, Law, and Technology – four broad subject areas that intersect each other in discourses around improving quality and access to health care, or advancing medical research beyond the state-of-the-art. Following on the success of the HELT Symposium, our annual flagship event which brings together representatives from the academia, industry, research organisations, healthcare professionals and policymakers, the HELT Talks was conceived as a year-round (monthly) event, providing a dynamic platform for thought-provoking discussions and stimulating debates on the future of digital health and care, through the prism of regulatory responses and relevant policy initiatives.

What is the typical format of a session at HELT Talks?

HELT Talks sessions are typically divided into two parts. In the first part, each speaker gives a presentation on a specific topic, touching upon particular challenges and open issues around the integration of technology in the realm of health care that require delving into legal and regulatory frameworks. The second part of the session aims at encouraging a deeper level of reflection on the topic under discussion, through organic conversations between the speakers and the audience.

What kind of topics are covered at HELT Talks?

HELT Talks cover a breadth of topics on law, ethics, health and technology, ranging from legal challenges for the use of health data and regulatory issues concerning advanced medical technology, to the use of artificial intelligence in clinical settings and the application of ethical principles in health care.

TALK of the Month

27 March 2026 | 12:00-14:00

AI and Data Governance in Work Capacity Assessments: Safeguarding Citizens in Times of Hardships

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly entering work capacity assessment (WCA) systems across Europe, where decisions directly affect individuals facing illness, disability, or unemployment. These assessments are conducted within complex institutional frameworks and rely on sensitive medical and social data. While AI-driven tools promise greater efficiency, consistency, and data-informed decision-making, they also raise fundamental concerns regarding fairness, transparency, accountability, and data governance - particularly for citizens in situations of heightened vulnerability.

This HELT Talk brings together complementary perspectives. Representing one of the largest stakeholder groups in Europe, the President of the European Union of Medicine in Assurance and Social Security (EUMASS) will provide an overview of how work capacity assessments are organised across EU Member States, with particular attention to Belgium. The presentation will explore the practical promises of AI in WCA - including improved coordination, decision support, and administrative efficiency - while also addressing key challenges, such as fragmented data ecosystems (notably in Belgium), interoperability barriers, and governance complexities.

From a legal perspective, the second contribution of the HALL post-doc researcher Anastasiya Kiseleva will analyse how AI and data governance frameworks can strengthen - rather than weaken - the protection of individuals undergoing work capacity assessments. The session will reflect on regulatory safeguards, human oversight, accountability mechanisms, and fundamental rights implications in AI-assisted decision-making. By combining institutional, medical, and legal insights, the event aims to foster an informed debate on how to design and govern AI systems that genuinely safeguard citizens in times of vulnerability.

Speakers

Dr. Jean-Pierre Baron Schenkelaars

President, European Union of Medicine in Assurance and Social Security (EUMASS) - President, Belgian Scientific Association of Insurance Medicine (ASMA)

Jean-Pierre baron Schenkelaars, MD, is a specialist in social insurance medicine and medical assessment. He serves as President of the European Union of Medicine in Assurance and Social Security (UEMASS) and President of the Belgian Scientific Association of Insurance Medicine (ASMA). He also chairs the National College of Social Insurance Medicine (Belgium). Dr. Schenkelaars is a Visiting Lecturer at the Faculty of Public Health of the Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain). Since 2002, he has been actively involved in the governance and medical oversight of health insurance, social security, and social protection systems within Belgian public institutions, notably the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI/RIZIV/NIHDI) and AViQ (Agency for Quality of Life) in Wallonia. He previously served as Medical Director within the Christian Health Insurance Funds in Belgium. His Majesty the King of the Belgians granted him nobility with the title of Baron.

Dr. Anastasiya Kiseleva

Postdoctoral Researcher, VUB - Health & Ageing Law Lab (HALL)

Dr. Anastasiya Kiseleva is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Health Law and Technologies at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Faculty of Law, affiliated with the Law, Science, Technology and Society (LSTS) Research Group and the Health and Ageing Law Lab (HALL). She holds dual doctoral degrees in Law (Belgium) and Computer Science (France), where her research developed an interdisciplinary framework for ensuring transparency of AI in healthcare that is both legally compliant and technically feasible. Anastasiya focuses on the topics at the intersection of AI regulation, health law, data governance and privacy, transparency, accountability, and socio-technical governance of emerging technologies. In 2025, she was named one of the Rising Stars in AI Ethics by Women in AI Ethics. Anastasiya serves on the Editorial Board of the European Health & Pharmaceutical Law Review and regularly delivers keynote lectures, moderates high-level panels, and advises institutions such as the Belgian Ministry of Social Affairs, the European Union of Medicine in Assurance and Social Security (EUMASS), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNESCO.