Global collaboration and innovative research is key to solving the greatest health challenges of our time
On 30 May, international experts and politicians gathered in Leiden to discuss global health issues. Lively discussions were held about equal access to vaccines worldwide and diversity in clinical research. New scientific insights were also shared, such as about the differences in vaccine response between Africans and Europeans. The conclusion of this day is clear: global collaboration and innovative research is the key to solving the greatest health challenges of our time.
The Global Impact in Health symposium was organized by LUMC Global, a strategic program of the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). For this symposium they have joined forces with Leiden University, Health~Holland, Bristol Myers Squibb, Janssen, Philips and the Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP). The aim was to bring together experts from all over the world and stimulate new international collaborations. The experts came not only from all over the world, but also from different branches such as academia, politics, public or private sector.
Equal opportunities
This mix led to substantive discussions. For example, about equal access to vaccines. Indonesia’s Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, speaking on the subject, questioned whether Indonesia would be better off producing its own vaccines rather than relying on vaccine donations from other countries. “The development of vaccines and drugs, without the capacity to produce them quickly in large quantities, has led to the huge disparity in vaccination coverage between the Northern and Southern hemispheres.” He called on the public to start a conversation about the opportunities and challenges related to this equal access.
In addition to equal access to vaccines, it is also important to ensure that vaccines work well around the world. Several vaccines are known to provide lower protection in African countries. With a new malaria vaccine, this protection is 100% for Europeans and only 30% for Africans. According to LUMC professor Maria Yazdanbakhsh, this is due to the differences in defense systems between people from these continents. During the symposium, Yazdanbakhsh talked about her new research project that aims to improve this vaccine response in people from Africa and Southeast Asia. She does this in close collaboration with local researchers. “Good partnerships with these countries are crucial for the success of this project and to unlock the full potential of vaccines worldwide.”
Leiden ecosystem
New developments in healthcare were also celebrated during the symposium. For example, Anne Kerber, Head of Cell Therapy Development at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), spoke about the new BMS CAR-T cell therapy facility at the LBSP. In this facility, immune cells of cancer patients can be modified in such a way that they attack and disable cancer cells. She explained, among other things, why Leiden was chosen to open the first cell therapy facility of BMS in Europe: “This city offers the opportunity to realize the company’s vision of changing patients’ lives through science.”
The day ended with co-creation sessions in which participants could roll up their sleeves. Valuable plans were drawn up that reflected the creative energies of the diverse audience. For example, about the role that the Netherlands and Europe can play in collaboration with international partners in setting up a health data infrastructure, based on the example of the Virus Outbreak Data Network (VODAN) – Africa. This will be discussed further in concrete terms in Brussels this week.
Fruitful discussions, meetings and exchanges of knowledge can be looked back on. The importance of international collaborations was once again underlined during this day. The symposium therefore offered new starting points for collaborations in the future.
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