Lima.- The recent pandemic has forced science to move quickly, to look at the knowledge generated around the world and to take joint actions to combat the virus that required diagnostic tests, vaccines and medicines implemented in record time. The existence of the virus is far from over, and one of the greatest lessons is that science, health, and the way they are understood must take a new path to meet the challenges of the future.
The fusion of science, innovation and entrepreneurship has allowed us to develop all the materials, tools and technologies that shape our lives. But do we realize this effect? On November 24 at 9:30 a.m., Roche Latin America will host Celebrating Life: Science Changes Our Lives. There, on the occasion of its 125th anniversary, the main scientific developments that the world witnessed at this time will be reviewed and how they were fundamental to the development of Latin America and the world. In addition, the future of science will be analyzed and how technologies will need to be rethought to support a post-pandemic society.
The event will be attended by prominent physician and scientist from Stanford and Harvard Universities, Daniel Craft, who will talk about the future of health and the role of science after COVID-19. Rolf Hoenger, President, Roche Pharma Latin America Region; Marily Acosta, MA in Public Health and Health Promotion from the Institut Henri Poincaré in France; Andre Medici, an international health and social economics expert in Washington, DC; and Antonio Vergara, President of the Roche Diagnóstica Region of Latin America.
The commission will analyze the future of health and the potential development of medicine in the service of people, and where science should point in the coming years in a context full of uncertainties and challenges.
What should be the future of applied sciences in medicine? “Celebrating Life” keynote speaker Daniel Craft confirmed this “The convergence of accelerating technologies is rapidly enabling the reinvention of smarter, more available and more personalized healthcare, accelerating science from discovery to clinical trials to public health.”.
Likewise, for Rolf Hoeninger, President of Roche Latam, science must advance to improve quality in health, and these advances effectively benefit all patients. “We need more and better investment in health, from research and development of innovative solutions to their integration into health systems so that they reach patients faster”, He expressed.
For his part, Antonio Vergara confirmed that “Through alliances between the public and private sectors, as well as academia, NGOs and multilateral organizations, we will have the ability to bring together all the resources that advance science and knowledge sharing and access. Not just in the short term, but to continue and thrive over time.“.
However, faced with a future full of paths to follow, the question arises: What will it take for the future of science and medicine to deal with challenging contexts? For Marilou Acosta, the goal of medicine should be the preservation of health, not its recovery. “If there is no explicit adjustment of the sector, the power of health is in the hands of those who exercise it, the future of medicine and health will be such a shrinkage that society enters into a decline not only in health, but also in the development of mankind”, is detailed.
The idea that André Medici agrees with, and which argues that before understanding what the challenges of knowledge are, it is necessary to separate the structural and situational problems that must be solved. For example, the fragmented pluralism of health supply and non-integrative care and the lack of management mechanisms are structural problems, according to the economist, that threaten the good delivery of medicines to the Latin American population and the world.
There are recent and unexpected factors that, according to Medici, you need to pay attention to moving forward. Some of these events are the mechanics of different health systems, the stability of each government, and of course the COVID-19 pandemic that has brought global health under control. “The pandemic has disrupted health supply and demand, making it necessary to reconfigure access to services to avoid excessive mortality and morbidity due to chronic diseases left behind during the pandemic year and a half.”Health economist assured.
Latin America’s contribution to the world
Besides reflecting on the future of science and technological development, at the event “Celebrating Life: Science Changes Our Lives”, the main contributions of the humanities developed from this region of the continent, which have been instrumental in the development of humanity over the past century, will be highlighted.
“Our ethos as Latin Americans is characterized by a unique passion, energy and warmth, which is a feeling in everything we do. This has been no exception in the world of science, where we have seen major advances promoted by people in our region, that make many innovative treatments possible today”Hoenger added about it.
In this context, Hoenger explained that the greatest contribution to “The efforts of all health professionals, academics, researchers, public sector representatives, and my colleagues at Roche and other pharmaceutical companies put this passion at the service of people and help us all have a better future.”.
Latin America is full of inspiring stories of innovation and science. Examples include Dr. Jorge Rosenkranz, who developed the birth control pill in the 1950s, which has enabled women to plan families to this day; Guillermo González Camarena, who introduced us to color television in the 1940s, to promote mass communication around the world and which, in itself, also helped us in disease awareness efforts. Also Nuba Muñoz, who established the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer over the past decade, thus saving the lives of millions of women worldwide.
Given this, Antonio Vergara added it “In Latin America we are experts in celebrations, and I’m not just referring to the majestic Carnival in Brazil, or the typical family celebrations around food feasts. I’m referring to the passion that Latin Americans have in our daily work, our desire to thrive, and a willingness to reach out to our brother in need”.
Celebrate Life will air on November 24 and will be free to all Latin American countries starting at 9:30 AM Peruvian time. Those interested in knowing the details of the event and other details can visit the website www.celebrateliferoche.com for more details. It will be a meeting to celebrate the progress of the past, while at the same time understanding the present to create the future. The center of this celebration will be life and how it will be possible to continue to improve in the years to come.
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