To review a patient’s diagnosis and treatment the members of an ERN consult, exchange information and share knowledge with other members in their network. Coordinators and other network leaders convene ‘virtual’ advisory panels of medical specialists across different disciplines, using a dedicated IT platform and telemedicine tools.
Treatment of patients with rare or complex diseases
ERNs are not directly accessible to individual patients. However, with a patient's consent and in accordance with the rules of their national health system, a patient’s information can be referred to the relevant ERN member in their country by their healthcare provider.
How are virtual consultations carried out?
Consultations are carried out through the Clinical Patient Management System (CPMS), a web-based clinical software application allowing healthcare providers from all over the EU to work together virtually to diagnose and treat patients with rare, low prevalence and complex diseases.
Data protection is handled under EU and national legislations.
Collaboration beyond diagnosis and treatment
- Development of guidelines, training and knowledge exchange
- Facilitation of large clinical studies to improve understanding of diseases
- Development of new drugs and medical devices by gathering patient data
- Development of new care models, eHealth solutions and tools.
Establishing an ERN
The European Commission ran a first call for proposals for the development of ERNs in 2016. Additional calls for new healthcare providers and ERNs will follow over the coming years.
To be recognised by the European Commission an ERN must fulfil the following requirements:
- Have at least 10 healthcare providers (members of a network) from at least 8 different EU countries
- Each healthcare provider (member of a network) must be endorsed by their respective EU country
- All members of a network must have common expertise in a specific field, treatments, diseases or health conditions
- Submit a proposal for a network (once the call for ERN is launched)
- Meet the criteria for networks and its members, as provided in the Commission delegated decision on ERNs
- Gain the approval for membership, which is granted by the Board of Member States based on the independent technical assessment of the proposal.
2019 Call for membership to the existing ERNs
- The first call for new members to join existing 24 ERNs is open until 30 November 2019. Please read carefully the content of this website before entering the application tool.
Related Information
- Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/1269 of 26 July 2019 amending Implementing Decision 2014/287/EU
- Implementing decision and annex
- Delegated decision and annex
- ERN Specific criteria
