‘Health innovation: big ideas’ speakers sound a call to action to the pharma industry

Invited pharmaceutical executives listened to a fantastic and diverse range of speakers discussing the incredibly powerful connection between the arenas of science, sport, medicine and communication – harnessing the influence of the pharmaceutical sector to enhance wellbeing.

The evening was opened by David Rowley, CEO of OPEN Health, where he gave an introduction to OPEN Health and discussed the inspiration for the ‘Health Innovation: big ideas’ event.

Keynote speaker Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the British Olympic Association and Chairman of CSM Sport & Entertainment, discussed the legacy of the Olympics for health, and that it was a ‘no brainer’ for the pharmaceutical industry to get involved in prevention and in getting people more active to improve health outcomes.

Kingsley Manning, Chairman of the HSCIC (Health & Social Care Information Centre), gave an interesting presentation about the power of patient data; how we have the opportunity to make fundamental changes to the NHS data system, but the industry as a whole needs to be better at communicating the benefits of initiatives such as Care.data to the patient, their family and the whole community in order to restore trust.

Alex Butler, Joint Managing Director of The Earthworks, talked about the digital revolution within healthcare; how technology companies’ involvement in health will transform the health data picture and that pharma should be getting involved. He stated how healthcare is now about right living, right care, right provider, right value and right innovation.

Final speaker of the evening, Bina Rawal, Director of Medical, Innovation & Research at the ABPI (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry), spoke of the UK’s strong heritage in pharmaceuticals and the need for pushing for innovative healthcare e.g. adaptive licensing.

Learn more about what David Rowley believes are the four big ideas that are the major drivers of pharma http://www.pharmaphorum.com/articles/health-innovation-big-ideas

Further outputs from the conference will be available over the coming weeks.