Understanding public attitudes toward the secondary use of health data and its governance is essential for building trust and shaping effective policies and practices. This presentation introduces results from a citizen survey conducted in Finland as part of the Nordic VALO project, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The survey (n=2,014, representative by age, gender, and region; margin of error ±2.5%) focused on awareness and opinions regarding the secondary use of health data, including its role in research, healthcare improvement, and innovation.

Findings indicate broad acceptance of secondary use for scientific research and improving care and services. However, attitudes toward commercial applications are more reserved: fewer than half of respondents consider business development an important goal, and private-sector access for research purposes receives little support.

Across questions, respondents strongly emphasize individuals' rights to retain control over their own health data. However, over half agree that individuals also have a responsibility to share data if it enables treatments benefiting everyone. Demographic patterns show that older and highly educated respondents are bit more supportive of secondary use. These insights highlight the importance of transparent governance and practical mechanisms for exercising individual's rights.

The presentation will not only review these findings but also explore how they could guide real-world implementation of the upcoming EHDS regulation. Participants will be encouraged to consider what these attitudes mean for policy design, stakeholder engagement, and trust-building in health data ecosystems. Presentation is relevant to stakeholders preparing for the EHDS, such as Health Data Access Bodies (HDABs) and other actors involved in aligning national legislation, implementation and communication.