Tapani Piha worked in the European Commission from 2001 until 2018. As Head of Unit, he was responsible for digital transformation in health, the European Reference Networks for rare diseases, Directive on patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare, as well as developing policies on Health Technology Assessment (HTA). 

Since 2019, he has advised the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra on digital health, use of health data and the EU health policy.

He has a medical specialist degree in public health. He served the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and coordinated Finland's EU policies in health during 1995-2001. As Regional Adviser at the WHO Regional Office for Europe in 1989-94, he was responsible for the Action Plan for a Tobacco-Free Europe.