By Cong Yao, 6th March 2024
Introduction
The healthcare industry is facing significant opportunities and challenges driven by AI-based technologies. AI-powered solutions have emerged as a transformative force in the healthcare sector, which has been reshaping diagnoses, treatment, and administrative processes, promising efficiency gains and new research opportunities. However, concerns regarding algorithmic robustness, fairness, and bias, particularly in healthcare, exacerbate potential risks and ethical quandaries. Furthermore, concerns about commercial exploitation and economic consolidation highlight the need for strong data governance and ethical algorithm development.
The upcoming HEalth, Law, and Technology (HELT) 2024 symposium, organized by the Health and Ageing Law Lab (HALL) at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), seeks to unravel these complicated processes. The symposium aims to facilitate the interdisciplinary dialogue on the opportunities and challenges that AI brings to the health sector. By drawing insights from computational, medical, legal, ethical, policy, and regulatory perspectives, HELT 2024 aims to define a path forward that reconciles the innovation of AI with legal imperatives, providing tangible recommendations for navigating the changing landscape of healthcare.
Symposium Details
The HELT symposium, a yearly multi-disciplinary event initiated by HALL at VUB, seeks to explore a series of discussions relating to matters of health and ageing. In particular, it focuses on areas such as privacy and data protection; the use of advanced technologies in healthcare, pharmaceutical development and research; e-Health and m-Health; and healthy ageing. With interdisciplinary collaboration at its core, the symposium aims to bridge gaps between health sciences, engineering, law, and technology to drive innovation and address the most pressing challenges in healthcare. It serves as a platform for leading experts, researchers, and practitioners to converge, exchange ideas, and chart the course for the healthcare landscape of tomorrow.
HELT 2024 Symposium is scheduled to take place on April 25th, 2024, at the Sparks venue, Rue Ravenstein 60 in Brussels. This year’s theme is “Health(y) AI – Bridging Innovation and Regulation”. The discussion will focus on the application of AI in healthcare and its impacts on research, data governance, and future regulation. Attendees can anticipate a series of insightful keynote presentations, thought-provoking panel discussions, and interactive workshops covering a wide range of topics, including:
- Cutting-edge developments of AI in healthcare
- The transformative impact of AI on research using health data
- The potential implication of the European Health Data Space (EHDS) on AI governance in healthcare
- AI as a disruptive force in the regulation of healthcare and related research
The Key Theme of the Panels
PANEL 1 AI & Healthcare
AI applications are becoming increasingly integral to the provision of healthcare and medical research. This panel will explore the existing regulatory landscape of AI applications, along with the remaining ethical and legal challenges, as well as the role of the EU’s AI Act in addressing them. Speakers representing patients, healthcare professionals and institutions, regulators, and policymakers will share their experiences and perspectives.
Panel 2 AI & Research Using Health Data
AI has the potential to significantly enhance health research by enabling faster and more precise analysis and identification of patterns within expansive and complex datasets. This panel brings together experts at the forefront of AI and health research to delve into the transformative impact of AI on the prospective landscape of research using health data. It seeks to discuss prevailing challenges and explore potential ways for optimizing the utilization of AI in the domain of health research.
Panel 3 How Will the European Health Data Space (EHDS) Shape AI Governance in the Health Sector?
As the first sector-specific regulation of the EU's data strategy, it is the objective of the European Health Data Space (EHDS) to make more health data available for innovation, research, and policymaking. This panel will explore the potential implications of the EHDS - a world where AI-driven processes are available to bring about transformative changes using electronic health data.
Panel 4 AI as a Disruptive Force in the Regulation of Healthcare and Related Research
AI may be far more than an agent for change in the way health data is used, rather it is likely to be a force of immense disruption. This disruption will call into question the way data is collected and shared and the very systems designed to regulate the use of health data and associated technologies. This panel will discuss to what extent current regulatory and other structural paradigms will remain fit for purpose in the coming decades.
Speakers Profile
HELT 2024 boasts an impressive lineup of keynote speakers and panellists, each bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the symposium. The keynote speech will be delivered by Mr. Pēteris Zilgalvis, Judge of the General Court of the European Union. From renowned researchers and industry leaders to trailblazers in healthcare innovation, the symposium's speakers include:
Allison Gilbert, Postdoctoral researcher at UMons
Bart de Witte, Founder of AI HIPPO Foundation
Chiara Formenti-Uilaki. Senior Counsel and EU Data Protection Officer at Pfizer
David Murphy, Deputy Commissioner at the Data Protection Commission Ireland
Erika Ellyne, Lawyer and Managing Associate at ALTIUS
Jaisalmer de Frutos, Policy Officer for the Digital Transformation Cluster at the European Public Health Alliance
Laura Caroli, Senior Policy Advisor at the European Parliament
Milana TrucI, Policy Officer at the European Patients’ Forum
Nikolaus Forgo, Professor of Law at the University of Vienna
Paul Quinn, Professor and Director of Health & Ageing Law Lab (HALL), Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Ralf Bendrath, Advisor on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs for Greens/EFA in the European Parliament
Sofie de Broe, Leading official of the Health Data Agency for Belgium
Rudolph Wagner, Founder and consultant of ADHOCON
Sarah Neville, Global Health Editor at Financial Times
Stephen Gilbert, Professor at the EKFZ for Digital Health of Technische Universität Dresden
Thierry Geerts, Outgoing Country Director of Google Belgium
Thomas Lampert, Chair of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at Télécom Physique Strasbourg and |Cube, University of Strasbourg
Special Points This Year
What distinguishes the HELT 2024 Symposium apart is its dedication to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation at the intersection of health, technology, and law. By bringing together experts from diverse backgrounds, the symposium provides a unique opportunity to explore emerging trends, forge new partnerships, and catalyze groundbreaking discoveries that will shape the future of healthcare.
In addition, this year’s HELT Symposium features a breakout session that provides a special chance for attendees to engage with presentations from representatives of universities, research institutions, and companies. This session provides a platform for networking, idea sharing, and partnership building with people who share the passion for research and development of cutting-edge health technologies. Attendees will be able to hear from experts in their respective fields on important issues related to AI, digital health, and digital policy.
Furthermore, the HELT 2024 Symposium is supported by the European Health and Pharma Law Review (EHPL) – the journal of the Lexxion Publisher. Attendees of the HELT network session are encouraged to submit abstracts and present their research during the event. Selected candidates will be supported in the publication process.
Agenda Highlights
The agenda for the HELT 2024 Symposium is as diverse and dynamic as the fields of healthcare, law, and technology. The programme of HELT 2024 is as follows:
Registration Information
Registration for the HELT 2024 Symposium is now open to all interested participants. To secure your spot and be a part of this transformative event, visit the official symposium website here for more details and registration instructions.
Conclusion
In the ever-changing healthcare sector, collaboration and creativity are the keys to unlocking a brighter future. With the HELT 2024 Symposium, we embark on a journey of discovery, exploration, and transformation. We invite you to join us as we collectively explore possibilities, overcome challenges, and change the future of healthcare for future generations. See you at HELT 2024!
