News

This year’s ULF, more than ever before, will focus on some of the biggest healthcare questions of the 21^st century. Two of these burning-hot topics – the global antimicrobial resistance crisis and cybersecurity of medical devices – will be covered on Friday, June 1^st in panel discussions that you don’t want to miss!

Modern healthcare providers and medical device companies are facing a growing risk as the diagnosis and treatment of patients is increasingly depending on medical devices. Namely, as medical devices become more and more connected, they form networks that – like any other computer network – are vulnerable to security risks. This, in turn, makes hospitals an increasingly potential target of cyber-attacks that can put patient safety at risk. But how can hospitals and manufacturers prepare for hospital hackers or other possible cybersecurity threats?

On June 1^st at 10:00, the “Industry Under Attack – How to Ensure Medical Device Cyber Security” panel discusses the current issues related to medical device cyber-risk. Key opinion leaders of the field, including Dale Nordenberg from the MDISS network, Konstantin Shemyak from GE Healthcare, Phil Englert from Novasano LCC, and Mike Taborn from Intel will share their views on medical device vulnerability identification, risk assessment, and cyber security certification, and other current topics.

At 10:50 on June 1^st, the Blue Stage will handle one of the biggest global issues of modern time: antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an urgent health threat that complicates the fight against infectious diseases. The “The Antimicrobial Resistance Crisis – New Solutions” panel will share expert views on minimizing the spread and development of untreatable superbugs and present new, innovative strategies for fighting antimicrobial resistance.

The keynote speaker of the panel, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, is a hard-core professional in infection prevention: in the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Nigeria, she led the national team for Infection Prevention and Control. Currently, professor Ogunsola is a member of World Health Organizations (WHO) Infection Prevention and Control group as well as the WHO AFRO regional rapid response group of experts for epidemics. In the panel discussion, professor Ogunsola will be accompanied by the brilliant experts Annamari Heikinheimo, Ville Mustonen, and Juha Kirveskari, all viewing the fight against antimicrobial resistance from a slightly different angle but striving for the common goal.

The “Industry Under Attack – How to Ensure Medical Device Cyber Security” and “The Antimicrobial Resistance Crisis – New Solutions” take place on Friday, June 1, on the Blue Stage of the Upgraded Life Festival. Both panels are hosted by Health Capital Helsinki.

Kaisa Oksanen

Health Capital Helsinki communications