Dear iPath Users,
As already announced, the previous provider, Basys Data, will no longer be hosting the iPath platform in the future. In order to ensure the continued existence of the iPath platform (hereinafter: iPath), the non-profit liable company iPath Telemedicine Network gGmbH (https://www.ipathnetwork.org; hereinafter: iPath-gGmbH) was founded some time ago in order to be able to act as a contractual partner for a new provider.
In the meantime, a new partner has been found in consolidated companies PAICON Cloud GmbH and PAICON GmbH (PAICON), which will also be able to take over the hosting of iPath in the future.
PAICON was founded by former employees of the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) in Heidelberg and operates a GDPR-compliant cloud. The main business purpose of the PAICON companies is the development of medical software as well as the operation of a medical cloud platform for data-driven disease management.
In addition, the original iPath software (iPath 2.1.15) is not only outdated, but can also no longer be updated, so that reprogramming is mandatory (iPath 3.0).
PAICON has already developed a new iPath version (iPath3.0) in cooperation with iPath-gGmbH and integrated it into its platform. As of today, iPath3.0 has new additional functions, which will be extended in the future. No development costs were incurred by the iPath network or its users. In the future, iPath should also profit from the further developments of the PAICON platform. For this purpose, a cooperation agreement between PAICON and iPath-gGmbH was signed on 23.06.2022.
PAICON pursues a commercial business purpose, which among other issues deals with biomedical research, but also supports humanitarian projects such as iPath. In return for the support and hosting, PAICON shall therefore receive a right of use, according to the cooperation agreement, to the data of the iPath groups. Of course, this only applies to those groups and users who wish to continue working with iPath3.0.
This agreement would allow commercially interested parties to work with the anonymised or pseudonymised data on the PAICON platform, e.g. to optimise machine learning procedures or to exclude technical or biological variances that could otherwise be considered diagnostic features, although they only have to do with differences in delivery, but not with the actual data, the "content" of the cases.
Technical measures implemented by PAICON prevent the data itself from being downloaded from the platform or coming into the disposal of third parties. The data is used solely on the PAICON server infrastructure. Only the results obtained, but not the source data located on the platform, can go to commercial interested parties.
However, the migration of the groups from Basys Data to PAICON can only take place with the consent of the groups and users. A migration to another server will be necessary in any case because iPath, even in its old form (iPath 2.0), will no longer be hosted by Basys Data in the future. If you want to continue working with iPath2.0, you will have to take over moderation, hosting, service and IT support yourself. The final migration has not yet been determined, but should take place in the first quarter of 2023.
As you are a moderator of a group, we are contacting you and asking to discuss in your group whether you agree to a migration of your group to the PAICON server. It should be clarified that there will be no organisational change for you. Your contact partner is and remains iPath Telemedicine Network gGmbH.
Whether the previous data can be transferred depends on several factors. The most important is to ensure that all old data is anonymised or at least pseudonymised, otherwise the transfer of any data to third parties (in this case from Basys Data to PAICON) is not permitted for data protection reasons. The following are two examples of data sets for illustration; the first can be considered pseudonymised and the second not:
- histopathological image with
a) diagnosis
b) Age in years at diagnosis
c) Gender
d) Ethnicity
- photo of an X-ray with blurred name of the person
a) Diagnosis
b) Age in years at diagnosis
c) Gender
d) Ethnicity
In the age of machine learning as well as artificial intelligence, the difference between anonymised and pseudonymised is unfortunately, at least from a legal point of view, no longer fully given; therefore, even genuinely anonymised data is treated as pseudonymised for security purposes.
Whether the old data can be processed IT-wise in such a way that it can be transferred to iPath3.0 without individual processing cannot yet be foreseen.
However, we are working on a solution to park the old data in its previous form and keep it accessible if you want to use iPath 3.0 for the future.
All existing users will need to re-register in their groups on the iPath3.0 platform. This includes agreeing to both the cooperation agreement and the new terms of use, which are still being revised at the moment.
iPath-gGmbH and PAICON are already in active exchange on how the previous data can be saved. A loss of the old data stock should be prevented in any case, but this cannot be ruled out in the event of a server failure with the current solution at Basys Data.
If you decide to do so, we need your written consent for data protection reasons (signed letter as PDF document by e-mail), in which you confirm that your group agrees to the migration to the PAICON server, that the data is available in at least pseudonymised form and that it may be used according to the specifications of the cooperation agreement. A letter proposal can be requested as a Word document at: office@ipathnetwork.org.
If your group does not want to use iPath3.0, please also inform us and the company Basys Data https://www.basysdata.ch; (e-mail: info@basysdata.ch), which will ensure that your data is not migrated to the new server. However, you will then have to take care of a new provider and the hosting of your data yourself in the future.
Please send your reply as soon as possible to:
iPath Telemedicine Network gGmbH
Management: Monika Hubler
Mittlere Strasse 16/4
D-79576 Weil am Rhein
office@ipathnetwork.org
Dr. Nina Hurwitz passed away.
“Unfortunately, we have the sad task to announce that last Easter Monday, one of the founding members of iPath, Dr. Nina Hurwitz passed away. "We stand on the shoulders of giants, that's why we can see so far," Newton said. This applies to Nina very aptly. It was she like no other in the last 20 years after her retirement to spread her shaping hands out into the wide world - including Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa - to teach our colleagues about hemaptopathology in countries with more limited access to resources hereby listening to theirs' and patients' concerns in often godforsaken places to finally start meaningful aid projects. Doing this, Nina consciously and unconsciously positively influenced the fate of countless fellow women and men: what a sign of humanity, and contrary to what she experienced in her childhood at the time of World War II and persecution of Jews. Her dedication to people was endless; in fact, up until two weeks ago, she kept in touch with friends around the world on her projects. Regrettably, a bad illness robbed her the power of continuing and she had to say goodbye forever.
The iPath team wishes success and good health for another challenging year in which telemedicine was able to make a good contribution to diagnostics and therapy. Many thanks to everyone who made this possible.
Sincerely for the whole team Monika Hubler
