2011/10/27

Researchers, doctors and health managers analyse prevention challenges in Bilbao

The conference took place on Thursday 27 October, at the Basque Government's Health Office in Bilbao, and involved two debates - one on "Biomarkers for early diagnosis" and another on "Prevention: evidence and perspectives".

(Bilbao, 26 October 2011).- Scientific research experts, medical professionals and health managers have gathered today, 27 October, in Bilbao, as part of the 2nd Health Innovation Conference, with the aim of analysing the situation and future challenges of prevention.

The 2nd Health Innovation Conference is organised by entities such as the Spanish Foundation of Health Sciences, CIC bioGUNE, Tomás Pascual Institute and the Basque Regional Health Department. It took place last Thursday from 9 am to 2 pm, in the Assembly Hall at the Basque Regional Health Office (Alameda Rekalde 39).

The aim of the conference was to consider and debate about the value of prevention, from the point of view of researchers, managers and health professionals. In this sense, topics such as biomarkers for early diagnosis, results and evidence in this matter, as well as the future of prevention were covered.

The conference began at 9.30 am with presentations by Julián Pérez Gil, president of Osakidetza; Ricardo Martí Fluxá, president of the Tomás Pascual Institute; and José M Mato, president of CIC bioGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE and trustee of the Foundation of Health Sciences.

The event included two debates: the first one, "Biomarkers for early diagnosis", was moderated by Iñigo Aizpurua, Pharmacy deputy director for the Basque Government, with interventions by Jonathan Barr, head of Metabolomics Dept. at Owl Genomics, and Jose Asúa, head of Knowledge Management and Assessment for the Basque Government's Health Department.

The second debate took place from 12 to 2 pm, with the title, "Prevention: evidence and perspectives", and was moderated by Juan Goiria, president of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Bilbao. Speakers included Gonzalo Grandes, head of the Teaching Unit at the Family and Community Medicine Department of the Basque Government; Ramón Cisterna, head of the Microbiology Service in Basurto Hospital; and Santiago Esnaola, head of Epidemiological Analysis Service at the Directorate of Knowledge and Management of the Basque Government's Health and Consumption Department.

The event was closed by the deputy minister of Health of the Basque Government, Olga Rivera.

View programme on PDF: 2nd Health Innovation Conference: The value of prevention