Subject: VPH newsletter - April 2026

Dear Reader,

Over the past months, VPH has been actively involved in a range of project proposals, reinforcing its role as a trusted partner in multidisciplinary initiatives across Europe.

Our expertise covers communication and dissemination, stakeholder engagement, policy and regulatory support, standardisation, and ecosystem building. You can find a full overview of our offer here.

With the upcoming HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-01 call approaching, VPH is ready to engage in new collaborations and contribute to ambitious projects in cancer and beyond. If you are preparing a proposal and seeking an experienced partner, we encourage you to get in touch.

Enjoy this month’s reading!

VPH Team

POLICY

VPH Webinar Series: Accelerating in silico medicine innovation: discover activities at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre

22 March 2026 from 14 to 15.30 - Registration now open

VPH ready to support Mission Cancer call on Virtual Human Twins

The VPH Society is preparing to contribute to the upcoming HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-01 call under the European Commission Mission on Cancer, and invites interested organisations to get in touch for collaboration.

EU Public Consultations Relevant to Our Community

Three important European consultations are currently open for feedback. These initiatives represent key opportunities to help shape policy and regulatory frameworks impacting research, innovation, and healthcare across Europe.

FDA hits first milestone in plan to phase out animal testing

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported the successful achievement of its first-year objectives aimed at reducing animal testing in drug development, representing a notable milestone for the in silico medicine community.

Incorporating Patient Preference Information Across Product Life Cycle

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released updated guidance aimed at strengthening how patient perspectives are incorporated into medical device decision-making throughout the total product life cycle.

EMA: adoption of ICH M15 (Step 5)

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has announced the successful adoption of ICH M15 (Step 5), establishing a harmonized international framework for planning, evaluating, and communicating Model informed Drug Development (MIDD) evidence.

COMMUNITY

Wear In Silico Medicine

We’re thrilled to unveil a limited-edition collection of VPH-branded t-shirts, available during the VPH2026 registration process, to celebrate the launch of our official merchandise.

VPH contributes to multiple Horizon Europe proposals and strengthens its service offering

Over the past months, VPH has been actively involved in a number of project proposals, confirming its role as a trusted partner for high-impact, cross-cutting activities.

How inclusive is digital inclusion?

To address this question DigiSoc and Ethics@KU Leuven will host an interdisciplinary lunch workshop on 7 May 2026 in Leuven.

Digital Twins and AI in Personalised Healthcare: from Innovation to Implementation and Impact

VPH is pleased to highlight this upcoming event bringing together the Belgian healthcare ecosystem around two of the most transformative forces in modern medicine: digital twins and artificial intelligence.

VPH Executive Committee Interview Series: Bernard Staumont

This month’s spotlight in the VPH Executive Committee Interview Series features Bernard Staumont, the committee member leading efforts in Policy, Regulation, and Engagement with Industry.

Unlock your VPH member discount for the VPH2026 Conference

The upcoming VPH Conference is just around the corner, and we are pleased to remind all members that they can benefit from exclusive discounted registration fees.

In the literature: April 2026 highlights

Discover the recently published papers from our community!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Next-gen neuroprosthetics

How a failing device implanted in 1958 set in motion a revolution that is now restoring speech, movement, and vision through electronics wired directly to the brain.

Click here

THE DIGITAL TWIN THEORY PODCAST

22. The right to understand in healthcare AI

In this episode we explore with Anshu Ankolekar what explainability means for clinicians and patients, along with the challenges of bringing AI into real-world care.

Click here

YOUNG SCIENTISTS

VPH Webinar Series | 28 May 2026 | Integrating in silico and experimental approaches in biomedical research: Challenges and best practices (Registration Open)

This webinar explores how researchers handle uncertainty in biomedical research, focusing on trust in models, integration of computational and experimental approaches, and interdisciplinary decision-making, with an emphasis on methods over results.

VPH Webinar Series | April 2026 | What do modelers do outside academia? (Recording Available)

Computational modelling is opening careers beyond academia, but paths can be unclear. Watch this VPH webinar to hear experts from industry, regulation, and start-ups share insights and experiences.

Join our Slack channel for students and young scientists!

VPH has launched a public Slack channel for young members to connect, share ideas, and engage with the Young Scientists Committee.