The event “The Prevention Dividend: Health as a Driver of Prosperity”, organized by the Italian-Irish Chamber of Commerce and the Embassy of Italy in Ireland, was held on 1 October in Dublin at the prestigious venue of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. The meeting brought together institutional, business, academic and life sciences representatives to explore the role of prevention in addressing the challenges associated with population ageing and in promoting innovation, sustainability and cooperation between Italy and Ireland.
The event was opened by the President of the Italian-Irish Chamber of Commerce, Furio Pietribiasi, who highlighted the challenges associated with population ageing and the opportunities for cooperation between the healthcare systems and business ecosystems of the two countries.
The Ambassador of Italy to Ireland, Nicola Faganello, for his part, underscored the strength of the economic and scientific relations between the two countries in the life sciences sector, highlighting the role of the “Sistema Italia” in fostering dialogue among institutions, businesses and the scientific community, thereby contributing to the creation of concrete opportunities for cooperation.
As guest of honour, the meeting was attended by the Italian Minister of Health, Prof. Orazio Schillaci, who was in Dublin to attend the Informal Meeting of EU Health Ministers within the framework of the Irish Presidency. In his remarks, the Minister highlighted the central role of prevention, stressing the importance of an intersectoral approach, digital technologies, health data and public-private partnerships in supporting innovation and addressing new health challenges. In congratulating the event organizers for creating a valuable opportunity for dialogue among Italian and Irish professionals working in the healthcare sector and other relevant fields, he ultimately reaffirmed his strong interest in the initiative.
Afterwards, the Executive Panel “Building a Prevention-First Ireland: Health, Innovation, and Economic Sustainability”, moderated by Maria McCann, Founder and CEO of Future Focus, explored the role of prevention, technology and research, featuring contributions from Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec; Michael Leahy, Managing Director of PIA; Marco Monopoli, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Founder and Director of the BioNano Research Lab; Erica Moscatello, President of AIThink; and Alessandro Nizardo Chailly, Founder of Capsula. The meeting confirmed the potential for collaboration between Italy and Ireland and the importance of strengthening dialogue among institutions, businesses, and the scientific community.
