Video: NSF Health Sciences Symposium — Highlights from the Event

The NSF Health Sciences Symposium on March 16 attracted a significant audience from around the world who gathered to hear from almost 30 speakers. Leaders from NSF were joined by experts from the FDA, the MHRA, Microsoft, GSK, Roche, Herbalife, McLaren and many other organizations.

The event looked at the critical issues impacting companies and professionals right now: supply chain, the developing regulatory landscape, the collision of digital technologies and health care, and the growth in supplements since the onset of the pandemic.

Below, you can watch sessions from the symposium and hear from some of the most insightful professionals at work today in the life sciences industry.

Acting Global Vice President for Health Sciences Heather Howell opened the event with a look at the changes the industry has seen in recent years.

You can watch Heather Howell’s opening remarks here.

Anders Vinther, Vice President of Quality at Kronos Bio, is regarded globally as one of the most innovative thinkers in the sector. Throughout his 35-plus-year career, he has led the way in his thinking and in driving quality outcomes at companies around the world. Vinther sat down with BBC broadcaster Clare Forestier to talk about his career and where he sees the industry going in the years ahead.

Watch Anders Vinther’s discussion with Clare Forestier.

Oliver Christ, Global Managing Director of Medical Device and IVD Consulting at NSF, was joined by:

Phil Brown, Director, Regulatory and Compliance, ABHI​
Graeme Tunbridge, Senior Vice President, Global Regulatory and Quality, Medical Devices, BSI
Julian Thorns, Principal Consultant, Health Sciences EMEA, NSF

They discussed the difficulties facing manufacturers, with different regulations being applied in different territories, and the potential for a singular global approach.

Watch The Global Regulatory Landscape — How to Best Comply.

Lynne Byers, Global Managing Director of Pharmaceutical and Dietary Supplements Consulting at NSF, was joined by:

Karen Walker, Chief Technology Officer, Kyverna Therapeutics
Ian Rees, Manager for the Inspectorate Strategy and Innovation Unit, MHRA
Kazem Kazempour, President and CEO, Clinical Research Services, Amarex/NSF

They discussed a transitioning drug-manufacturing sector with ever more potent molecules and biologics in the pipeline, asking: How can regulators keep pace with such a fast-changing industry?

Watch Keeping Pace With the Ever-Changing Regulatory Landscape.

Heather Howell, Acting Global Vice President, Health Sciences at NSF, spoke with:

Sarah Moore, Director of Medical Device/IVD Consulting, NSF
Aftin Ross, Senior Special Advisor for Emerging Initiatives, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Samantha Jacques, Vice President, McLaren Clinical Engineering Services (MCES), McLaren Health Care
Christopher Plummer, Senior Cybersecurity Architect, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health

This panel discussed the steps being taken by global regulators to protect patients when products are tampered with and counterfeited.

Watch Cybersecurity Is Critical: Pulling Up the Digital Drawbridge.

Lynne Byers returned as a panel chair, along with:

Dipti Gulati, Executive Vice President, Pharma and Biotech, NSF
Matthew Winterman, Global Head of Pharma E2E Supply Chain Management and CDMO, Roche
Catherine Blackman, Vice President for Therapy Supply Chain, GSK

They looked at the steps companies can take to ensure supply chain security in an increasingly volatile environment. They also asked if nearshoring of the supply chain will improve processes and what impact it will have on product pricing.

Watch Ensuring Supply Chain Security in a Post-Pandemic World.

Oliver Christ returned, along with:

Ronny Stoll, Advanced Technologies Lead, Principal Consultant, Medical Devices, NSF
Euan Cameron, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, COHESION Medical
Neil Jordan, Worldwide General Manager, Retail Health Innovation, Microsoft Corporation

This panel explored how digitalization, especially artificial intelligence, could transform the health care industry for manufacturers, regulators and patients. They also looked at the assistance needed from regulators to drive innovation while ensuring patient protection.

Watch Compliance in a Digital World: Preparing for the Challenges of Tomorrow.

Casey Coy, Senior Manager, Training and Consulting, Dietary Supplements and Cosmetics/Personal Care, at NSF, was joined by:

Jeffrey Brams, General Counsel and Vice President, R&D and Regulatory, Garden of Life
Lisa Thomas, Senior Director, Product Marketing and Innovation, Herbalife Nutrition
Daniel Harari, Vice President of Business Development, ClearCut Analytics
Len Monheit, Executive Director, Global Prebiotic Association
Shelley Sapsin, Director, MarketReady Insights, Health and Nutrition, Informa Markets

Hockey stick sales growth of dietary supplements in early 2020, with an increase in the United States of $435 million in a six-week period¹, has cast a spotlight on the sector. In this session, chaired by NSF’s Casey Coy, we asked: Is the unprecedented growth in dietary supplements here to stay?

Watch The Increasing Importance of Dietary Supplements in a Post-COVID World.

Heather Howell wrapped up this successful event with some takeaways about the critical issues covered by the speakers and session chairs.

Watch the closing remarks.

Source:

¹www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8416287/