A plethora of annual meetings right now.
PERSONALIZED MEDICINE COALITION
November 13-14, 2024, in Boston. Primarily in person.
Here's the website:
https://www.personalizedmedicineconference.org/
FRIENDS OF CANCER RESEARCH
November 12, 2024, live in Washington, plus streaming and archived.
https://friendsofcancerresearch.org/event/friends-of-cancer-research-annual-meeting-2024/
See an overview and links to video archive at Linked In here. 5 hr video at YouTube here.
See their Session 1 on overall survival trials in cancer, plus white paper, here.
Other white paper sessions on "Pragmatism" in trials and integrating ctDNA in trials.
MILKEN INSTITUTE - HEALTH SUMMIT
November 13-14, live in Washington, DC, plus a livestream option.
https://milkeninstitute.org/events/future-health-summit-2024
Milken program here.
Association for Molecular Pathology - AMP
November 19-24 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Website here:
Lab Institute / G2 Intelligence
Two-day virtual meeting, November 12-13. Stating, "This free two-day digital event will feature industry experts who will provide timely, accurate analysis of legal and regulatory issues, enforcement trends, and other developments that directly affect labs and other healthcare providers. Receive expert advice and guidance to help improve your lab’s operational performance and stay abreast of key industry trends."
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Since calendars go offline, I made a simple text dump of the PMC, FOCR, and Milken agendas, here.
AI Corner
Here's a Chat GPT article as-if written by a health policy journalist who was able to attend all 3 events (working from the agendas only).
Health Summits of November 2024:
Insights from the Front Lines of Medicine
In an extraordinary confluence of discussions on the future of medicine, the Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC), Friends of Cancer Research (FOCR), and the Milken Institute's Future of Health Summit convened in November, each providing unique perspectives on innovations reshaping health care.
Personalized Medicine Coalition: A Vision for Genomics and Diagnostics
Held over two days, the PMC conference opened with a forward-looking address from Edward Abrahams, PMC President, who framed the evolving landscape of personalized medicine against a backdrop of genomic innovation. Amgen’s David Reese and Illumina’s Jacob Thaysen outlined groundbreaking strides in pharmacogenomics and personalized diagnostics, anticipating transformative impacts on rare disease treatment. Thaysen noted Illumina’s ambition to move personalized medicine into mainstream health care, emphasizing collaborations to overcome policy and funding obstacles.
A poignant moment came with the annual Leadership in Personalized Medicine Award, honoring Emily Kramer-Golinkoff of Emily’s Entourage, a cystic fibrosis advocate whose personal journey mirrors the power of genomics-driven research. Panels later explored the role of AI and diagnostics, culminating with a session on AI’s potential to revolutionize patient-specific treatment plans. Notably, Joe Franklin of Covington & Burling LLP chaired a forward-looking panel on how AI will define the future of precision diagnostics, showcasing optimism about data-driven decision-making.
Friends of Cancer Research: Pioneering Cancer Trials and Regulatory Progress
On November 13, Friends of Cancer Research’s annual meeting zeroed in on cancer trial design and regulatory efficiency. Opening remarks from FDA Commissioner Robert Califf set the tone, highlighting the agency’s commitment to streamlining oncology approvals. Califf was followed by thought leaders discussing the power of interim overall survival (OS) evaluations in trial designs. Researchers like Geoff Oxnard from Eli Lilly addressed the complex role of OS as a measure of trial success, emphasizing the need for accurate and reliable data interpretation.
The discussion transitioned to the use of ctDNA as a biomarker in non-small cell lung cancer trials. Hillary Andrews of FOCR underscored the potential of ctDNA as a more immediate indicator of treatment efficacy than traditional OS metrics. A key takeaway: standardizing ctDNA methodologies could accelerate approvals and improve patient outcomes. This session underscored the collective effort to bridge the gap between clinical trial data and real-world applications, with patient advocates reminding stakeholders that regulatory advancements directly impact lives.
Milken Institute’s Future of Health Summit: Health Equity and Whole-Person Wellness
Capping off the week, the Milken Institute’s Future of Health Summit in Washington, D.C., addressed some of health care’s most pressing issues. In a candid discussion, FDA Commissioner Califf and CDC Director Mandy Cohen examined future preparedness against pandemics, advocating for inter-agency collaboration.
Health equity emerged as a prominent theme, especially in discussions around “Harnessing Community Power: Driving Health Equity Research,” which stressed the need to make health care accessible to marginalized populations. The Milken Summit also highlighted public-private partnerships, with panels exploring workforce mental health and “Food is Medicine” initiatives aimed at tackling chronic disease through nutrition. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack joined discussions on food-based interventions as preventative health tools, underscoring the importance of nutrition in public health.
Conclusion: An Industry United by Vision and Mission
Together, these summits demonstrated an industry galvanized by shared goals. Personalized medicine’s integration with AI, innovations in cancer diagnostics, and health equity initiatives are moving health care into an era where prevention, access, and individualized treatment become the standard. Each gathering underscored a commitment to harnessing technology and compassion to foster a more resilient and inclusive health care system.
