Nordic Life Science 1
HIGHLIGHTS // VITALIS HIGHLIGHTS FROM VITALIS 202
6 Over four days, 6,900 participants visited Vitalis at Svenska Mässan in a sunny Gothenburg. Many of them stated to NLS that this event is a great meeting place and a perfect venue to find new collaborators and clients. T E X T B Y M A L I N O T M A N I P H O T O B Y N A T A L I E G R E PP I T HE AGENDA INCLUDED MANY HOT TOPICS for the life science industry, including the future of Nordic healthcare, utilizing the potential of health data in the Nordics, do's and don'ts in developing medical apps, trustworthy AI, company pitches, how Sweden and the Nordics can regain a leading position in clinical research, and much more. In addition participants could walk around the 200 different exhibitor booths or enjoy a coffee with a potential collaborator. The atmosphere was vibrant and buzzing with life science and healthcare energy. “Vitalis is the trade fair I prioritize most. Everyone in the industry gathers here and the conversations take on a different depth through the cross-functional meetings,” stated Pelle Axelsson, Partnership Manager at Astra Zeneca. Health data and clinical trials This year’s Vitalis focused a lot on health data, exploring whether and how health data can be created and used both for primary use in healthcare and for secondary use in research, statistics, and quality improvement. Besides the opportunities, ongoing projects and initiatives and challenges for Sweden, Denmark's work in this area was also highlighted. Peter Munch Jensen, Manager, the Danish Health Data Agency, spoke about the new national initiative Digital Health Denmark, hopefully to be launched on January 1, 2027. In addition, Jakob Skaarup Nielsen, Executive Director, Healthcare Denmark, spoke about public-private partnerships in healthcare and life sciences in Denmark. Obviously, all Nordic countries have lot to learn from, and teach, each other. Another track focused on clinical trials, including digital solutions and how Sweden can regain a leading position in clinical research. Ann Lindberg, Director General of the Swedish Medical Products Agency, spoke about the importance of strengthening the whole of Europe as a leader in life sciences and clinical trials. And she emphasized how Sweden can be at the forefront here. The new Swetrial partnership and their plans to position Sweden as a leading country in clinical research was also presented. Three awards The Healthtech Award is given to a health technology solution that has proven to provide real benefits to healthcare. This year's winner was Mirno, an Icelandic company that develops AI-powered virtual patients for medical education. The eHealth Municipality of the Year was Partille Municipality and the Vitalis scholarship went to Lund Municipality for its work with mobile security alarms. NLS NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG | 95