Real World Evidence for the Real World

Elisa Tarazona, a specialist in Family and Community Medicine, has extensive experience in healthcare management, including roles at La Fe Health Department in Valencia and La Ribera Health Department in Alzira, where she developed renowned integrated care models. With over 15 years of medical practice and a tenure as CEO of Ribera since 2020, Elisa has a strong background in healthcare operations, teaching, and research, with numerous scientific publications.

Elisa holds a Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Valencia, a Master's in Home Hospitalization from the Valencian School of Health Studies (EVES), and her contributions to the field are recognized in various national and international forums, reflecting her commitment to advancing healthcare practices.

As a guest keynote speaker, Elisa will bring a perspective from the health provider angle on the benefits of science in guiding hospital clinical decisions and improving patient care. Her insights will underscore the importance of evidence-based practices in enhancing healthcare outcomes and efficiency.

Dr. Saleem Sayani is the Director of the Technology Innovation Support Center at Aga Khan University, where he leads various initiatives in health informatics and digital health. With a rich background in healthcare management and technology, Dr. Sayani has spearheaded numerous projects aimed at improving healthcare delivery through innovative technological solutions. He holds advanced degrees in health informatics and has extensive experience working with both academic and healthcare institutions globally. Dr. Sayani's leadership and expertise have been instrumental in advancing the integration of digital health solutions in healthcare systems, earning him recognition as a thought leader in the field. More information about his work can be found at Aga Khan University.

At the Health Data Forum Global Summit, Dr. Saleem Sayani will present a keynote on "Real World Evidence for the Real World." His address will cover the latest trends and advancements in digital health, the practical applications of RWE in improving healthcare delivery, and the future landscape of health informatics. Attendees will benefit from Dr. Sayani's deep knowledge and experience, gaining insights into how digital health and RWE can be leveraged to enhance patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency.

Maria de Belém Roseira, a distinguished lawyer, jurist, and politician, graduated in Law from the University of Coimbra in 1972. With over three decades dedicated to Social Affairs and political activity, she has served as Minister of Health, Minister for Equality, and Member of Parliament. As President of the Parliamentary Health Committee, she championed pivotal initiatives such as the Parity Law and the Medically Assisted Procreation Law.

She has also chaired the Inquiry Commission on the nationalization of Banco Português de Negócios, served as President of the World Health Assembly of the WHO, and led the Socialist Party. Maria de Belém is actively involved in volunteering and serves on the boards of various non-profit organizations and academic institutions.

Her numerous accolades include the Grand Cross of the Order of Christ and a Doctor Honoris Causa title from the European University in 2022.

We are honoured to have Maria de Belém Roseira open the pre-summit event on "The Impact of Real-World Evidence (RWE) in Clinical Pathways" at Nova SBE.

Pedro Ramos was born in the parish of São Martinho, Funchal, in 1960. He is a surgeon at Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça and has extensive experience in Emergency Medicine and Trauma. From 2009 to June 2016, he served as Director of the Emergency Department at Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça, and from June to December 2016, he held the position of Clinical Director of the Health Service of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (SESARAM). He also led the Madeira Clinical Simulation Center from 2012 to 2016, fostering training activities at regional, national, and international levels.

In academia, Pedro Ramos was a Guest Lecturer at the University of Madeira from 2004 to 2016. He held leadership roles as the Coordinator of the Trauma Chapter of the Portuguese Society of Surgery and Vice-Chair of the Military and Disaster Section of the European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery. Additionally, he is an international instructor in several training programs, including TEAM, ATLS, DSTC, MRMI, and ETC.

On December 29, 2016, he assumed the role of Regional Secretary of Health in the 12th Government of the Autonomous Region of Madeira. On October 15, 2019, he became Regional Secretary of Health and Civil Protection in the 13th Government, a position he continues to hold in the 14th Government as of October 17, 2023.

Rui Santos Ivo holds a degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Lisbon (1987) and is a specialist in Hospital Pharmacy (Ministry of Health, 1992) and Pharmaceutical Regulation (Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society, 1997). He has completed postgraduate training in Health Law (University of Lisbon, 1997), Pharmaceutical Medicine (University of Basel, 1999), Regulation (LSE, 1999), and Health Unit Management (Portuguese Catholic University, 2000).

He began his career as a hospital pharmacist at Egas Moniz Hospital in Lisbon and joined INFARMED in 1993, where he served as vice president (1994-2000) and president (2002-2005). He was also a director at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and a member of its Management Board. Later, he worked for the European Commission and led APIFARMA from 2008 to 2011. Since 2014, he has been the president of the Central Administration of the Health System (ACSS).

Rui Santos Ivo has been awarded several distinctions, including the Almofariz Prize for "Personality of the Year 2004," the European Corresponding Membership of the Académie de Pharmacie (France), and the Distinguished Service Medal – Gold Grade from the Portuguese Minister of Health in 2015.

Eric is a Senior Health Economist leading the OECD’s work in Digital Health, bringing together policy guidance for digital tools, integrated data, and responsible analytics including artificial intelligence. In that role, he is accountable for measuring and evolving the OECD’s Recommendation on Health Data Governance (2017) and supporting digital health policy that provides data protection (e.g. security and privacy) and timely access to quality data to optimize the use of data for information, insights, and impact among individuals, health workers, policy makers, researchers, and innovators.  

Before joining the OECD, Eric led the Secretariat for a pan-Canadian Health Data Strategy, bringing together experts and governmental leaders from across Canada to establish an integrated health data ecosystem that better uses data for health systems, public health, population health, research, and care. Eric authored the Pan-Canadian Health Data and Information Governance Framework and Toolkit and has taught courses in data science, health data governance, and privacy.

Elena Petelos is a Senior Research Fellow in Public Health and Lecturer in Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Crete (Greece) and Maastricht University (Netherlands). With a background in molecular oncology and health economics, she also teaches at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the University of West Attica (Greece).

Elena serves as the Vice President of the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) section at the European Public Health Association (EUPHA). She is also the Co-Chair of the Real-World Evidence (RWE) and Artificial Intelligence Interest Group at HTAi. Additionally, she holds key roles in various international health bodies, including advisory groups such as the Healthcare Professional’s Working Party of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Advisory Forum of HERA at the European Commission. Her research and advocacy focus on international collaboration, real-world evidence, benefit/risk communication, and the integration of new technologies in healthcare, aiming for digital equity and improved global health outcomes.