The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown into stark relief the gaps in the global ability to quickly identify, track, and combat the emergence of pathogenic threats. Such menaces include formerly unknown viruses of epidemic potential as well as the development of antibiotic resistance that threatens medical practice. As we fight the current pandemic and struggle to identify best ways to reopen communities worldwide, the need for a coordinated, active early warning system is more acute than ever. Now is the time to unite the global health community in mobilizing such a network. Leaders at the forefront of addressing this pandemic and preventing another will discuss what it will take to build an active, coordinated, and sustainable early warning system to detect and combat future threats.

The great disparities in public health outcomes due to race, class, and location have been brought center stage as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are now more aware than ever of the importance of the social determinants of health—an individual's social and economic conditions including housing status, job security, and social mobility—as structural drivers of health equity. Too many of the efforts designed to address these inequities have been siloed, underfunded, or lack enforcement. How do we move past buzzword-filled conversations to merge a cohesive policy agenda with actionable solutions that have health equity at their core? How do we fund these efforts and evaluate success? Panelists will provide multiple perspectives on implementing more effective public health policies, examining the important roles played by poverty, racial disparities, and social inequality in effecting outcomes.

In the landscape of new, potentially curative cell and gene therapies, many uncertainties remain including how to pay for them. Value assessment approaches have been looked to as a way to achieve higher-value healthcare and many efforts are aimed at centering the patient perspective. Although we've come a long way, much work remains to be done to ensure that determinations of the value of cell and gene therapies integrate the perspectives of those they are intended to help: Patients. In this session, experts will discuss the progress that has been made in recent years as well as remaining gaps and challenges that we should urgently work to address.

Access to nutritious foods is essential to promoting health and preventing disease. Although malnutrition can affect anyone, children, older adults, and people with chronic diseases are especially at risk of "hidden hunger." Healthy diets are a critical component in addressing chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. A childhood diet lacking the necessary vitamins and minerals, despite adequate calories, can cause irreversible damage that has educational, financial, and long-term health consequences reaching far into adulthood. The multifaceted and complex racial and ethnic disparities in the United States have exacerbated food and nutrition insecurity among vulnerable populations and need to be prioritized by the health-care system. As the world prepares for a new normal beyond the pandemic, we must prioritize nutrition to promote health and prevent and treat disease.

This session will begin with a conversation with American Cancer Society CEO, Karen Knudsen followed by a panel discussion.

Researchers have made significant progress in treating cancers, with a range of new interventions providing important options for patients. However, for myriad reasons, much of the innovation to date is indicated to treat patients with advanced disease. Today, screening tests are widely available for only five cancer types. For many patients, cancer is diagnosed when they present with symptoms, with the result that treatment is initiated only after the disease has already progressed. A new wave of multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests has the potential to identify cancers earlier, opening doors to research and treatment opportunities for cancers at earlier stages than before. Learn more about how earlier detection has the potential to shift the research paradigm and drive new advances in cancer treatment.

Part 1:

• Guest Karen Knudsen, CEO, American Cancer Society
• Moderator Michael Milken, Chairman, Milken Institute

Part 2:

• Moderator Jody Hoyos, President and Chief Operating Officer, Prevent Cancer Foundation
• Speaker Jeff Allen, President and CEO, Friends of Cancer Research
• Speaker Camille Hertzka, Vice President, Head of Medical Affairs, US Oncology, AstraZeneca
• Speaker Josh Ofman, Chief Medical Officer and External Affairs, GRAIL
• Speaker Azra Raza, Professor of Medicine and Director, Myelodysplastic Syndrome Center, Columbia University

 

This session will begin with a conversation with US Representative, California, Anna Eshoo followed by a panel discussion.

During the pandemic, the increased use of virtual care has been an important tool to ensure that patients stay in communication with their health-care providers. However, with fewer in-person visits, the impact of COVID-19 on people living with chronic diseases may be greater than we realize. Efforts to flatten the curve have resulted in deferring care for non-COVID patients. This is raising concerns that medical conditions that might normally have been caught will go undetected, adding to the psychosocial and economic cost for patients, the health-care system, and society. How can we build on the remarkable innovations developed in response to the pandemic to address the chronic non-COVID conditions that millions of people continue to live with? Should we expect an influx of patients seeking screenings, diagnoses, and treatments once the pandemic recedes? Have we effectively addressed the needs of patients outside of COVID-19?

Part 1:

• Guest Anna Eshoo, US Representative, California; Chair, Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, US House of Representatives
• Moderator Esther Krofah, Executive Director, FasterCures, Milken Institute

Part 2:

• Moderator Lynn Goldman, Michael and Lori Milken Dean of Public Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University
• Speaker Mike Gladstone, Global President, Inflammation and Immunology, Pfizer
• Speaker Caren Heller, Chief Scientific Officer, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America
• Speaker Shantanu Nundy, Chief Medical Officer, Accolade; Primary Care Physician; Author, "Care After Covid: What the Pandemic Revealed is Broken in Healthcare and How to Reinvent It"
• Speaker Gary Puckrein, President and CEO, National Minority Quality Forum

Mental health research and models of care have been criticized for excluding groups disproportionately burdened by mental health challenges. The convergence of youth movements, equity movements, and new awareness of mental health challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic is changing the landscape. Organizations focused on mental health and well-being are driving new models of engagement by empowering once-sidelined communities: youth, BIPOC, and those living with serious mental health disorders. These changes have the power to create more inclusive systems of research and care accessible to all. Further, philanthropy can help usher in a new era within mental health care by amplifying different voices, including those of lived experiences. Panelists will discuss how the mental health landscape is becoming more inclusive. They will explore diverse perspectives and experiences that can be harnessed to ensure that mental health support reaches those who need it.

This session will begin with a conversation with White House National Climate Advisor, Gina McCarthy followed by a panel discussion.

The linkage between climate change and human health is increasingly evident, as frequent climate disruptions impact a range of issues such as air pollution, the distribution of food, and the spread of infectious disease. Community NGOs are leading the way, developing partnerships with private, civic, and corporate sectors to advance equitable access to clean water, energy, and food systems, and build healthier communities. Panelists will explore how we can improve health outcomes, treat disease, and—through climate-smart solutions—drive equitable development while preventing a climate disaster.

Part 1:

• Guest Gina McCarthy, White House National Climate Advisor
• Moderator Anne Thompson, Correspondent, NBC News

Part 2:

• Moderator Anne Thompson, Correspondent, NBC News
• Speaker Robert Blaine, Senior Executive and Director, Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, National League of Cities
• Speaker Michael Goldstein, Donald P. Babson Chair in Applied Investments, Professor of Finance, Babson College
• Speaker Ailun Yang, Head of International Programs, Climate and Environment, Bloomberg Philanthropies

 

Advances in public health and bioscience have added decades to average lifespans over the past century. But the way we plan has not met the moment. As evidence builds about the connections between healthy longevity and work, purpose, learning, and financial security, it is increasingly clear that traditional retirement must be reimagined. How should it change to ensure that older adults can realize the upsides and mitigate the risks? How should future retirees prepare? A panel of multi-sectoral experts will discuss the future of retirement and opportunities to advance policies, practices, equity, and cultural norms to support longer, healthier, and more meaningful lives.

The COVID-19 pandemic tested US and global supply chains by requiring the production and distribution of hundreds of millions of units of key medical products at unprecedented speed. In contrast to earlier crises, when local shortages could be solved by shifting products from unaffected markets, the pandemic caused a worldwide spike in demand that removed the slack from supply chains, creating new logistical challenges.

Ultimately, the supply chain proved resilient enough to deliver essential supplies on an unprecedented scale. However, the crisis shed light on vulnerabilities in national preparedness and the need for greater coordination and collaboration.

As we emerge from this crisis, the supply chain is applying lessons learned and best practices to prepare for the next one. How can the public and private sector work together to make sure the United States is ready for the next public health crisis?

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented acceleration in many areas of scientific research and development. It has not only enabled an extraordinarily rapid vaccine rollout but has given health-care companies a chance to showcase the benefits of their groundbreaking work—from gene sequencing and DNA printing to big data solutions. How can we take advantage of this momentum and apply new scientific findings to push the boundaries of public health? Join our chairman Michael Milken and some of our most innovative healthcare leaders as they discuss the era of the genome and data-driven medicine and the opportunities it offers to improve the long-term quality of our lives.

Mothers have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic, juggling paid and unpaid work, continuing to raise children, and providing care for family members—all while grappling with an unprecedented health crisis. Economic and social stressors of the pandemic have made a significant impact on maternal health and well-being, and this stress is magnified by numerous intersecting issues, including race and poverty, educational inequity, and loss of childcare services. Nearly three million women dropped out of the workforce over the last year, roughly one third of them mothers, with Black, Hispanic, and single mothers disproportionately affected. What will the global return to the workplace look like for mothers? And what will the pandemic's lasting impacts be for mothers and children alike?

This session will begin with a conversation with Ranking Member, Energy and Commerce Committee, US House of Representatives, Cathy McMorris Rodgers followed by a panel discussion.

During the pandemic, in the face of cascading health and social crises, health and science leaders illuminated the path forward. Massive scientific investments led to groundbreaking advancements in vaccination and therapy. Unprecedented collaboration in the public and private sectors enabled remarkable progress across industries. Telehealth and digital tools proved the potential of technologies to respond to health challenges. But the pandemic revealed a darker side as well. Wide gaps and disparities in healthcare delivery, quality, and access led to tragic outcomes as underserved communities and under-resourced countries struggled in the pandemic's grip. Will we heed the lessons of COVID-19? To build on the successes and combat the failures, solutions will require innovation and commitment from across the health ecosystem. Our panel of experts will discuss the possibilities.

 Part 1:

• Guest Cathy McMorris Rodgers, US Representative, Washington; Ranking Member, Energy and Commerce Committee, US House of Representatives
• Moderator Mary Ellen McIntire, Staff Reporter, Roll Call

 Part 2:

• Moderator Sam Baker, Health Editor, Axios
• Speaker Amy Abernethy, former Principal Deputy Commissioner, US Food and Drug Administration
• Speaker Kelvin Baggett, Executive Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, McKesson
• Speaker Tanisha Carino, Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Alexion Pharmaceuticals
• Speaker Gary Michelson, Founder and Co-Chair, Michelson Medical Research Foundation
• Speaker Andrew Plump, President, Research and Development, Takeda Pharmaceuticals