The scientists of the 20th International Congress of Pharmaceutical Medicine – ICPM 2022 called for cooperative participation of all partners with equal contribution of patients in the research and development of new drugs.
The 20th International Conference of Pharmaceutical Medicine (20th ICPM 2022), a leading international scientific conference of biomedicine, pharmaceutical research and technology that took place in Athens, at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center from October 19th to 21st. The 20th ICPM was co-organized by the Hellenic Society of Pharmaceutical Medicine- EL.E.F.I. and the International Federation of Associations of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Pharmaceutical Medicine – IFAPP.
The conference successfully met its goal of highlighting the exponentially beneficial accomplishments of biomedical research and development of advanced medical treatments and technologies, as well as a view to a near future horizon.
In the realization of this goal, 104 distinguished scientists, high ranking academic researchers, prestigious experts from regulatory authorities, and leaders of the international biopharmaceutical community, who participated as speakers and chairs, contributed significantly on what lies ahead in pharmaceutical medicine.
In parallel, young and rising biomedical researchers were given the opportunity to present ongoing research activities, with major announcements, on modern genomic tools, newer pharmacological models and medical devices.
The hybrid ICPM 2022 was actively attended by 207 pharmaceutical medicine specialists of the international R&D research ecosystem, either in person or online.
State-of-the-art research methodologies, new clinical trial designs, as well as therapeutic innovations that will improve clinical practice through Real World
Data – Real World Evidence (RWD-RWE) were presented, in connection with evolving topics in Data Science and Research Governance. The rich and diverse program of the Conference (www.icpm2022.gr) included lectures, round tables, dialogues, and workshops, with an emphasis on biomedical R&D for public health and cutting-edge issues in paediatric research and pharmaceutical medicine education.
The physical presence and active participation of most of the delegates and faculty from 27 countries and 5 continents, as well as the large online audience, fueled a diverse dialogue in the co-shaping of new trends.
Developments and the future of biomedical, biotechnological research, therapeutics and medtech digital innovation were discussed with representatives of patient associations—main partners in the patient-centered mission of science and research.
The benefits of organizing the conference in Greece were multiple, as stated by the President of the Conference Varvara Baroutsou:
The organization of ICPM 2022 highlighted the outstanding performance and scientific potential in pharmaceutical medicine by promoting new collaborations with the international research and development (R&D) ecosystem in the field of basic – translational – clinical research and bioethics.
The 20th ICPM 2022 international conference of IFAPP & EL.E.F.I. created a climate of mutual understanding between scientists and experts from academia, regulatory bodies, research institutions and strengthened collective thinking around the challenges and imperative solutions for the successful implementation of the new European Regulation on Clinical Trials (EU- CTR) in Europe, Greece and internationally.
The keynote speeches of the international conference were delivered by Prof. Achilleas Gravanis on the subject of “The Post-Covid Era of Drug Development”, which covered the new technologies for the development of effective antiviral and multivalent vaccines against other viruses besides SARS-CoV-2 and therapeutic mRNA vaccines in non-infectious diseases, and by Prof. Nektarios Tavernarakis, on the subject “Development of Novel Genetic Tools in Biomedical Research”, who reviewed the research progress in the modern era with the rapid integration of new genetic technologies and their potential applications, as well as the particularities of the prudent management of gene editing tools.
Many distinguished academics, expert scientists, bioethics committee members and representatives of the biopharmaceutical and medtech industry and patient associations, from all over the world, delivered high interest talks on cutting-edge topics.
In the session “Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in Medicines R&D: Let us walk the Talk”, Professor Christoph Meier from the University of Zurich and Jan Geissler, representative of Patient Padvocates from Germany, emphasized the importance of patient reported outcomes and patient preferences in the configuration of the research goals of drugs under development but also in their clinical application.
In the roundtable “Current situation and issues with the Data driven Research in US”, Dr Laura Biven, from the US National Institute of Health, referred to the developing Data Science in its interdisciplinary dimension, and in particular to ensuring the equity and diversity of patient data with the application of artificial intelligence, while ensuring the integrity, reliability and integrity of the data.
The dialogue on the revision of the Declaration of Helsinki, a fundamental principle for biomedical research for the protection of the rights of people participating in clinical research, with the introduction of the framework and process of the 8th revision proposal by Jack Resneck, President of American Medicine, had an exceptional impact. The commentary by Dr Otmar Kloiber, Secretary General of the World Medical Association, for the inclusion of recent developments since its last renewal in 2013, by applying the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki in the changing landscape of the social environment & new technologies -AI, new clinical trials adaptive designs, virtual trials, data science and secondary data use.
Dr. Varvara Baroutsou summarized the three-day conference conclusions by highlighting the contribution of the 20th ICPM 2022 to the need for more substantial patient-centered innovation, more transparency, stronger documentation for more targeted, safer and efficient therapeutic solutions through collaborative participation of partners and equal contribution of patients in research and development.
The conference was attended by the heads of international regulatory organisations such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA-UK), the European Network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA), the US National Institutes of Health (NIH, USA), representatives of international scientific organizations such as the Council of International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS), WHO-UNESCO.
The conference was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Development and Investments as well as of public research institutions, medical societies and organisations: Foundation for Technology and Research (ΙΤΕ / FORTH), National Center for Research and Technological Development (EKETA / CERTH), Medical Association of Athens, Medical Society of Athens, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, EUCROF & HACRO.
The conference was welcomed by the Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Mina Gaga, the Rector of EKPA Prof. Meletios Dimopoulos, Dr. Lembit Rägo, Secretary General of the Council of International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS), and Dr. Steffen Thirstrup, Chief Physician of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as statutory bodies of the pharmaceutical industry, who underlined the value of the conference regarding research, development and clinical trials for the better health of citizens in Greece, Europe and the world.
With the end of the 20th ICPM 2022, the term of Varvara Baroutsou as President of the International Federation of Associations of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Pharmaceutical Medicine (IFAPP) began.
