EHIL wins 2026 Global Privacy Assembly award for data protection innovation

• The Electronic Health Information Laboratory (EHIL) at the CHEO Research Institute in Ottawa won the 2026 Privacy and Human Rights Award for its pioneering work in privacy-enhancing technologies.
• EHIL's work enables health systems, researchers, and AI developers to use data while protecting individuals' privacy, dignity, autonomy, and safety.
• The award ceremony will take place on July 20, 2026, at the CHEO Research Institute, where Dr. Khaled El Emam will be recognized for his contributions to the development of privacy-enhancing technologies.
• The recognition of EHIL's work sets an important precedent for future data protection regulations and compliance requirements.

EHIL's pioneering work in privacy-enhancing technologies has enabled health systems, researchers, and AI developers to use data while protecting individuals' privacy, dignity, autonomy, and safety.

The Electronic Health Information Laboratory (EHIL) at the CHEO Research Institute in Ottawa has been selected as the winner of the 2026 Privacy and Human Rights Award. The award, presented by the Global Privacy Assembly and Access Now, recognizes outstanding leadership or initiative in data protection and human rights. EHIL's pioneering work in privacy-enhancing technologies has enabled health systems, researchers, and AI developers to use data while protecting individuals' privacy, dignity, autonomy, and safety. This achievement is a testament to the lab's commitment to innovation and its impact on the field of healthcare research.

The award ceremony will take place on July 20, 2026, at the CHEO Research Institute, where Dr. Khaled El Emam, EHIL's founder and Director, will be recognized for his contributions to the development of privacy-enhancing technologies.

The Global Privacy Assembly, led by Philippe Dufresne, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, plays a crucial role in promoting data protection and human rights globally. The assembly's joint initiative with Access Now to present the Privacy and Human Rights Award underscores its commitment to recognizing outstanding efforts in these areas. As the Chair of the Global Privacy Assembly, Commissioner Dufresne will present the award to EHIL, highlighting the importance of protecting individuals' privacy in the digital age.

The award ceremony is not only a celebration of EHIL's achievement but also an opportunity for the lab to demonstrate its work and impact on healthcare research. The event will feature a presentation by Dr. El Emam and the Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) to showcase the benefits of EHIL's privacy-enhancing technologies.

The recognition of EHIL's work in privacy-enhancing technologies sets an important precedent for future data protection regulations and compliance requirements. As healthcare research becomes increasingly reliant on data, it is essential to prioritize individuals' privacy and dignity. The award ceremony serves as a reminder that innovation and data protection are not mutually exclusive and can, in fact, go hand-in-hand.

The impact of EHIL's work extends beyond the healthcare sector, as its pioneering technologies have far-reaching implications for AI developers and researchers. By prioritizing individuals' privacy, EHIL has demonstrated a commitment to responsible innovation that will likely influence future data protection regulations and compliance requirements.

Lawyers should watch for the precedent set by EHIL's pioneering work in privacy-enhancing technologies, which may influence future data protection regulations and compliance requirements.

Source: Original reporting via Privacy Commissioner of Canada press release