Medicine shortages continue to rise in the Netherlands. Doctors and pharmacists have been sounding the alarm for some time now because critical medications are increasingly unavailable to patients. The necessity of pharmaceutical production in the Netherlands is indisputable, but how do you initiate and strengthen this process? This question was the focal point during the second edition of the LIFE Sciences Conference on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, under the leadership of moderator Rosanne Hertzberger, in a sold-out Forum Groningen. During this conference, the LIFE Cooperative, together with its partners, once again brought together the players from the Life Science & Health sector in (Northern) Netherlands, this year under the theme 'Bringing Back Drug Manufacturing to the Netherlands.'
"I am convinced that in the Netherlands, we can work together on a strategy where we don't have to rely as much on foreign countries when it comes to drug development and production. Collaboration is in our DNA, and it has been evident today here in Forum Groningen. It's fantastic to be a part of this informal and innovative community in Northern Netherlands," said keynote speaker Hans Schikan, Top Team Member Life Sciences & Health, Health~Holland.
After Hans Schikan's keynote session, participants split into three breakout sessions to gain further inspiration from speakers like Weite Oldenziel, CEO of Ofichem Group, as well as Marieke Meulemans and Brigitte Drees from PharmaNL, and Ton Rademaker from HTRIC.
Ambitious goals
In addition to the development and availability of pharmaceuticals, the development of innovative medical equipment is also at the forefront of the LIFE Cooperative. This northern collaboration of companies and organizations in the Life Science & Health sector in Northern Netherlands aims to stimulate innovation and increase the societal impact of the sector through the pooling of resources and knowledge sharing.
During the conference, the ambitious goals of the cooperative became clear. "It is evident that the return of drug manufacturing in the Netherlands is no longer a wish but a necessity. The life science sector in the North is equipped to play an active role in this, from development to production in collaboration with Dutch and European partners," said Ton Vries, chairman of the LIFE Cooperative.
"It is evident that the return of drug manufacturing in the Netherlands is no longer a wish but a necessity. The life science sector in the North is equipped to play an active role in this, from development to production in collaboration with Dutch and European partners"
Award
The second part of the conference focused on the LIFE Science Innovation Award. This award recognizes innovation with significant impact in life science and health originating from Northern Netherlands. The award comes with a prize of €5,000. From all the submissions and applications, Protyon, Griphingo Pharmaceuticals, XVIVO, and PureIMS were selected as the four finalists. After an exciting pitch round, PureIMS emerged as the winner. They received the trophy specially designed for the Life Science Innovation Award by Woodewide Cities.
About the LIFE Cooperative
The LIFE Cooperative is the northern collaboration in the field of life sciences and medical technology. Founded in 2015, the cooperative aims to strengthen innovation by working together effectively and efficiently. The impact of the LIFE Cooperative on the Life Sciences & Health sector in Northern Netherlands is significant. It represents over 50 companies - from startups, SMEs to international players - with 5,000 FTE and €500 million in revenue. More information: www.lifecooperative.nl.
Source article: LIFE Cooperative
Header photo: Keynote speaker Hans Schikan. Photographer for both photos: Jan Buwalda.
