On March 24, TBVI, together with Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Fondation Mérieux, Friends of the Global Fund Europe and Stop TB Partnership, organizes a round table discussion and a symposium in Paris:
Round table: The fight against tuberculosis: what's new in research?
Symposium: Innovative funding and translation of discoveries into added value: new vaccines for TB
Date: 24 March 2011, 15h00-18h00, followed by a cocktail reception
Location: Centre culturel Calouste Gulbenkian, 51 Avenue Iéna 75116 Paris, France
Interpretation EN/FR will be available.
Registration required.
The world faces tremendous challenges to combat big health problems, such as Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Millions of euros have already been spent to develop new tools to combat these diseases, which are also a threat for Europe. But state budgets of developed countries are under huge pressure. In the meantime, the importance of innovation on the agendas of European countries and the European Union is rising (EU 2020 agenda, Europe 2020 Flagship Initiative Innovation Union). How to handle this obvious conflict of interests?
On World Tuberculosis Day (24 March) a round table discussion will be organized followed by a symposium where the possibilities to bring all challenges together will be discussed. An innovative funding model will be presented to assure the development of new tools to combat diseases and to assure Europe’s leading role in the development of these tools.
Programme:
15h00-15h05: Welcome by Dr. Emílio Rui Vilar, President of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
15h05-16h30: Round table: The fight against tuberculosis, what's new in research?
Elimination of tuberculosis by 2050 will only be achieved if current tuberculosis management can be radically transformed through novel technologies and service delivery models. New technologies are needed for optimal diagnosis, prevention and treatment of all forms of tuberculosis in people of all ages, including those living with HIV. Such tools must deliver quicker results, be affordable to the poor and less complex in terms of health system requirements. Developing, evaluating and implementing more effective technologies requires not only large-scale investment, but also the coordinated and concentrated efforts of all tuberculosis research stakeholders: scientists, donors, governments, national TB programmes, pharmaceutical companies and commercial manufacturers, as well as tuberculosis patients and their advocates, doctors and other health workers. Thanks to notable progress over the past decade, there is considerable hope in the development of new technologies for TB control. In diagnostics, a molecular tool capable of diagnosing resistant forms of tuberculosis in two hours has been endorsed by the WHO and will soon be available at country level - a live demonstration will be performed during the round table.
Speakers:
- Dr. Jorge Sampaio UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Stop Tuberculosis
- Dr. Patrice Debré, Ambassador for the fight against AIDS and communicable diseases, Ministry of foreign and European affairs, France
- Dr. Christian Lienhardt, Senior scientific advisor, Stop TB Partnership
Moderator: Michèle Diaz, Science Journalist, Radio France International
16h30-16h45 Coffee break
16h45-18h00: Symposium Innovative funding and translation of discoveries into added value: new vaccines for TB
- Introduction by Dr. Jorge Sampaio UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Stop Tuberculosis
- Mrs Michéle Barzach, France, former Minister of health and President of Friends of the Global Fund Europe: The needs of the world for innovative ways to combat Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
- Mr. Benoît Miribel, Director General Fondation Mérieux, France: Which innovative measures are needed to act more quickly against tuberculosis in the field?
- Dr. Onno Ruding, chairman of the Board of the Centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels, former minister of finances of The Netherlands: TBVI as a model
- Dr. Joris Vandeputte, TBVI: Translating science into products through innovative funding; developing tuberculosis vaccines
- Mrs. Clara de la Torre, Director of Research and Innovation within the Directorate General of Research, representing European commissioner for research, innovation and Science Geoghegan-Quinn: The I-conomy
- Ms. Françoise Grossetète, MEP (to be confirmed): The role of the European Parliament in strengthening an innovative Europe
- Discussion moderated by Dr. Patrice Debré, Ambassador for the fight against AIDS and communicable diseases, Ministry of foreign and European affairs, France
18h00: Cocktail reception
We would be very honoured if you would like to join this round table and symposium. Please fill in the registration form before March, 21 to confirm.
For questions, please contact erna.balk@tbvi.eu