‘Visionary Exchange’ is an invitation-only programme that will be held three times, and this is the second programme. To establish a meaningful forum that fosters ongoing collaboration among stakeholders, both during and beyond the Theme Weeks, thereby building shared understanding and connections that contribute to designing the future of society.

10:00　Venue　open/Welcome　coffee
10:30-12:00 　PartⅠ：Speech and discussion
Main Topic:Health and Well-being(How do we realize a society where the well-being of each person resonates?)
・Lead Navigator：Seiji Inada（Agenda2025 Advisor）
1. Global Health Equity and Access for All
Speakers:Paulo Gadelha(Coordinator of the Fiocruz Strategy for the 2030 Agenda =EFA 2030, Brazil)
Ionescu Octavian（Romanian's National Institute for Research and Development for Microtechnologies）
Pierre Van Damme（MD, PhD,Director of the Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination =CEV, University of Antwerp, Belgium）

2. Cutting-Edge Medical Innovations & Future Healthcare Systems: Personalization, Equity & Planetary Health
Speakers：Arita Dubnika（Assist. Prof., Dr.sc.ing., Direction Leader, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Riga Technical UniversityFaculty of Natural, Latvia）
Carmen van Vilsteren（Chair of the Top Sector Life Sciences & Health, The Netherlands）
Jakub Hlávka（Director of the Health Economics, Policy and Innovation Institute (HEPII) at Masaryk University, Czech Republic）
Michio Tanaka（VP, Medical, AstraZeneca, United Kingdom）

3. Fostering a Culture of Well-being – Work, Education, and Mental Health
Speakers:Charmaine Gauci（Superintendent of Public Health and Director General of Health Regulation at the Ministry for Health, Republic of Malta）
Marwan Al Kaabi（Chief Executive Officer - Sheikh Shahbout Medical City, a PureHealth Entity Company, United Arab Emirates）

12:00-13:30　Part Ⅱ： Lunch networking

【Session 1: Global Health Equity and Access for All】

-Programme Summary

This session explored global efforts to ensure access to essential healthcare for all, in response to complex challenges such as population ageing, pandemics, and climate change. Discussions focused on universal healthcare system design, expanding access through advanced technologies, and strengthening international cooperation from the perspectives of human resource development and preventive care.

Speakers Paulo Gadelha (Brazil), Ionescu Octavian (Romania), and Pierre Van Damme (Belgium) shared national practices and challenges. Through themes such as system-industry collaboration, co-development of medical innovations, and building region-based healthcare infrastructure, the session offered perspectives on how to establish equitable and sustainable healthcare systems.

-Remarks by Paulo Gadelha

Gadelha emphasized that Universal Health Coverage (UHC) lies at the heart of the 2030 Agenda, with SDG 3 acting as a proxy for all goals. He noted that realizing UHC requires clear recognition of healthcare as a right, backed by a state responsibility to deliver it.

In Brazil, this principle is enshrined in the Constitution. The government has advanced strategies linking healthcare systems and industries, promoting domestic production of pharmaceuticals and technology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazil ensured national-scale vaccine supply through partnerships such as with AstraZeneca and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation.

He concluded that equitable access to healthcare is essential to address global threats like pandemics and climate change. Each country must pursue UHC according to its own context to achieve a sustainable future for humanity.

-Remarks by Ionescu Octavian

Octavian, speaking as an engineer rather than a physician, introduced the NERVAC project—an advanced initiative in neuro-interface technology that helps people with disabilities regain function. The system reads and returns signals via implanted modules, complementing neural activity.

The project involves 18 organizations from 12 countries. Romania handles implant modules, the Netherlands ASIC design, Turin University AI, while others contribute to biocompatibility testing and hardware integration—demonstrating a robust division of labor.

He highlighted that such cutting-edge projects exceed the capacity of any single country in terms of funding, infrastructure, and expertise, underscoring the necessity of international partnerships.

-Response by Pierre Van Damme

Van Damme highlighted five key concepts to address the global shortage of healthcare workers: “attractiveness,” “task shifting,” “digitalization,” “prevention,” and “shared responsibility.” As ageing populations drive rising healthcare demand, he stressed the need for country-specific training and robust talent pipelines.

He noted that temporary staff relocation is not a long-term solution. Instead, redesigning task allocation and integrating digital tools can relieve pressure on healthcare workers. Reframing roles for doctors, nurses, and administrators enables more efficient use of limited resources. Public engagement, such as self-monitoring and self-administered vaccines, also plays a vital role.

Lastly, he emphasized that investing in prevention is key to long-term healthcare sustainability. Promoting healthy lifestyles and vaccinations allows more older adults to maintain independence.

-Audience Comment / Question①

Ms Vona from the Netherlands posed a question regarding the workforce shortage. She asked which of the three suggested solutions—IT integration, workforce recruitment, or preventive healthcare—would prove most effective in ten years. Rather than treating the measures equally, she encouraged a prioritized approach, seeking perspectives on the comparative impact and strategic urgency of each intervention.

-Response by Pierre Van Damme①

Pierre Van Damme stated that digital transformation is inevitable and that multiple strategies must be pursued concurrently. However, he emphasized that enhancing the appeal of medical education is essential for workforce recruitment. This includes fair remuneration and better career development to ensure healthcare professions are valued by society. He also urged immediate action on prevention, stressing that the responsibility should not lie solely with healthcare professionals. He argued that individual engagement in maintaining personal health is the most essential and cost-effective strategy.

Moreover, he pointed out the importance of public attitudes towards knowledge and information sharing, noting that healthcare providers should act as advisors, not sole decision-makers. He underscored the need for shared societal responsibility and governance to support behavioral change around health.

-Audience Comment / Question②

A participant asked about the relationship between universal health coverage (UHC) and primary prevention, with particular focus on how living environments—such as urban planning and transportation systems—intersect with public health. They cited recent studies identifying air pollution as a major health determinant and emphasised the importance of close collaboration between healthcare professionals and the fields of urban planning and environmental policy. The question called for insights into how health perspectives can be integrated across all policies and highlighted best practices from different countries.

-Response by Paulo Gadelha②

Paulo Gadelha stated that health must be discussed in terms of integration—not only at the level of care delivery, but also with respect to the social determinants of health. In Brazil, the universal health system already incorporates this integrative perspective, although challenges in intersectoral collaboration remain.

He stressed that addressing climate change requires both mitigation and adaptation, and that the health sector plays a crucial role. Noting that the healthcare industry accounts for roughly 5% of global CO₂ emissions, he advocated for efforts to reduce environmental impact while building localized resilience and awareness. He concluded that a cross-sectoral vision integrating prevention and care should be central to future health policy.

-Response by Pierre Van Damme②

Pierre Van Damme agreed with Gadelha’s remarks and highlighted the education sector as a concrete example of an integrative approach. He emphasized the importance of incorporating preventive health education into primary and secondary school curricula to enhance future generations’ health literacy.

From his background in immunology, he introduced "Immune Patrol," an educational toolkit developed by the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Comprising six game-based modules on topics such as transmission and the role of vaccines, the toolkit is offered free to schools and aims to help 10-year-olds assess the reliability of health information.
He concluded that such initiatives should be embedded in a broader preventive health strategy, and that early educational interventions are particularly effective in fostering a culture of prevention throughout society.
 
【Session 2: Cutting-Edge Medical Innovation and the Future of Healthcare Systems: Personalisation, Equity, and Global Health】

-Programme Summary

This session explored the transformative potential of medical innovation alongside the institutional, ethical, and economic challenges it entails. As treatments become more advanced and costly, the need to allocate limited resources fairly through value-based healthcare came to the forefront.
Speakers—Arita Dabnika (Latvia), Carmen van Vilsteren (Netherlands), Jakub Hlavka (Czech Republic), and Tomoo Tanaka (UK, AstraZeneca)—shared concrete insights on system–industry collaboration, the role of evidence in policymaking, and the scope for international cooperation.

-Remarks by Arita Dabnika

Arita Dabnika introduced cutting-edge research in regenerative medicine, focusing on biomaterials designed to stimulate regeneration and self-healing rather than merely repair tissue. She explained that the role of scaffolds in regenerative therapy has shifted—no longer passive structures, they now support healing by releasing biological signals, delivering drugs, and possessing antibacterial properties. These advanced materials serve both therapeutic and preventive functions.

She stressed the need for collaboration across the ecosystem—including researchers, industry, policymakers, and regulators—to bring these innovations to society. In Latvia, the Baltic Biomaterials Centre was established to foster partnerships with clinicians and companies, expediting the delivery of innovative materials to patients.

-Remarks by Carmen van Vilsteren

Carmen van Vilsteren highlighted the importance of the “quadruple helix” framework, involving government, business, academia, and citizens/patients, as a foundation for health innovation, particularly in addressing chronic diseases. She emphasized that patients and society are essential stakeholders in this model.

She then introduced the Dutch government's efforts to build a health data infrastructure accessible to all, akin to utilities like water or electricity. While patients are generally open to data sharing, the lack of a clear consent process remains a major barrier. Trust and privacy are central issues.

Finally, she stressed that multisectoral collaboration is key to ecosystem development and called for stronger international ties, including with Japan. Reflecting on the delegation’s visit to Japan, she reiterated the value of dialogue and joint action for building a healthier future.

-Remarks by Jakub Hlavka

Jakub Hlavka identified population ageing and workforce shortages as Europe’s most pressing healthcare challenges, stating that current systems cannot sustain adequate staffing. He highlighted the vast underuse of existing hospital data and advocated for data-driven clinical decision-making. In the Czech Republic, integration of healthcare and social welfare data has already informed elderly care planning.

Citing the EU’s European Health Data Space and Finland’s model, he emphasized the need for national platforms and expanded secondary use of data. Institutional frameworks for cross-sectoral collaboration must also be strengthened.
He further argued for enhanced data literacy, digital training for healthcare workers, and prioritizing health in policymaking. He stressed that ageing is an existential issue for society, and investments and collaboration today will determine the sustainability of healthcare and social systems in the future.

-Remarks by Michio Tanaka

Michio Tanaka offered a practical perspective from the private sector on implementing data-driven healthcare at the regional level. In addition to national policy frameworks, he emphasized the need to build early intervention systems within local communities. He argued that setting shared goals among stakeholders is essential for effective collaboration.

He cited an initiative in a mid-sized Japanese city, where municipal data is analyzed by healthcare professionals and used by general practitioners to detect illnesses early and extend healthy life expectancy. Tanaka noted that while stakeholders—such as local governments, healthcare providers, and private physicians—may share values, aligning individual incentives is critical.

He particularly highlighted that private physicians operate as businesses, and public interest alone may not motivate them. Therefore, defining shared goals that make sense to all parties is key to building a sustainable ecosystem. He concluded that scaling successful local initiatives to national and global levels is a central objective.

-Audience Comment/Question①

An Attendee referred to the recurring themes of “patient-centered approaches” and “data utilization” throughout the session. She asked how standardized health outcome indicators could contribute to the development of data ecosystems across countries and sectors.

-Response by Carmen van Vilsteren①

Carmen van Vilsteren acknowledged the value of standardized indicators but cautioned that value-based healthcare could be misused to justify expensive treatments. While appreciating ICHOM’s work, she stressed the need for critical implementation. In budget-constrained systems like the Netherlands, decisions must balance treatments such as €1 million cancer care versus €10,000 cardiac ablation. She emphasized the importance of aligning quality improvement frameworks with policymaking, ensuring both ethical and economic considerations.

-Audience Comment/Question②

An Attendee raised a critical point, questioning whether standardized outcome measures are being used to justify rising healthcare costs. She argued that the true value of outcome data lies in its application to prevention, early intervention, risk stratification, and the optimization of resource allocation. She expressed concern that costly treatments such as GLP-1 agonists should not be used indiscriminately and emphasized that outcome measurement should not serve as a tool to priorities high-tech solutions but rather to determine what is needed to achieve meaningful results.

-Response by Carmen van Vilsteren②

She responded to the follow-up question on the value of standardized outcome indicators by reaffirming her strong support for value-based healthcare and her understanding of ICHOM’s work. She clarified that her earlier remarks reflected the Dutch government’s cautious stance toward numeric-based value assessments.

She noted that within the government, there is a degree of “allergy” to frameworks built solely on value-based healthcare. This sentiment stems from both pressures to control costs and the difficulty of making policy decisions.
Nonetheless, she explained that value-based healthcare also enables performance comparisons and mutual learning among medical institutions. This has become widely utilized in the Netherlands. She reiterated that the true purpose of outcome measurement should not be to justify expensive treatments, but rather to drive improvement and cooperation.

-Audience Comment/Question ③

An Attendee raised concerns about companies justifying expensive medical technologies, especially cell therapies, based on predicted rather than proven benefits. She noted that while such therapies show scientific promise, they often lack sufficient clinical track records, and their high prices are frequently justified by long-term cost-saving assumptions.
She asked how these therapies could be made more accessible globally and how to overcome cross-border regulatory barriers to ensure equitable access to innovation.

-Responses from Speakers ③

In response to the audience question, Arita Dubnika pointed out the strict regulations surrounding cell therapies and explained that in Latvia, a collaborative ecosystem is being developed between the government and medical institutions with clean rooms to promote regulatory reform. Carmen van Vilsteren highlighted the challenges of high-cost treatments in the Netherlands and the US, including cases exceeding USD 800,000 per patient, and noted the existence of outcome-based payment agreements.

Jakub Hlavka stressed the need for standardized outcomes, real-time data collection, and reduced spending on low-value care in the face of growing healthcare demands from ageing populations. Transparent decision-making, he said, is essential. Norio Tanaka pointed out that private sector engagement in public healthcare reform is driven by mutual benefit, especially in response to municipal cost pressures and rising drug prices. Van Vilsteren further emphasized that drug approvals and reimbursement decisions must be based on sufficient evidence, or risk being reversed. Finally, a participant raised concerns over the lack of transparency in Australia’s health technology assessments and called for greater accountability in the evaluation process.

-Audience Comment/Question ④

An Attendee, the CEO of a startup offering early vision impairment screening for children under five, raised two concerns regarding data use. First, he noted that while regulations are vital, they may hinder innovation in medical technologies, highlighting the importance of effective data utilization. Second, he cautioned that monetization of data could inflate prices in the private sector, potentially limiting access to valuable health data for public healthcare systems. He asked for views on how to strike an appropriate balance in system design.

-Responses from Speakers and Participants ④

In response, Jakub Hlavka stressed the need to balance patient privacy with public interest. He advocated for broad data utilization under systems like universal health coverage, supported by cybersecurity investments, talent development, and public-private collaboration.

Carmen van Vilsteren noted that over 95% of patients in the Netherlands consent to data use, which is anonymized and securely managed, with fees applied for commercial access.
Charmaine Gauci highlighted the importance of sharing medical data within the EU's free movement area, stressing the need to exchange only essential information while safeguarding privacy. She also cited EU regulations as a global model.

Carmen van Vilsteren endorsed the opt-out model being adopted in parts of Europe, with Gauci agreeing that allowing individuals to make informed choices was essential.
 
【Session 3: Fostering a Culture of Well-being – Work, Education, and Mental Health】

-Programme Summary

This session explored comprehensive approaches toward a healthier future society, centered on the theme of fostering a culture of well-being across work, education, and mental health.

Discussions addressed the significance of social determinants—such as education, housing, and the workplace—and the development of a sustainable society that supports mental and physical health for all generations.

Speakers Charmaine Gauci (Malta) and Marwan Al Kaabi (UAE) presented multifaceted strategies including reforms in emotional intelligence and conflict resolution education, promotion of preventive care, technology-driven health management, and community engagement

-Remarks by Charmaine Gauci

She highlighted the importance of imagining the future of health, noting that in addition to conventional elements like healthcare delivery, prevention, and primary care, social, economic, and political factors play a major role. She proposed “schools of the future” where students learn not only math's and science but also emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and how to learn. Exposure to different cultures, she argued, develops critical thinking and fosters understanding of issues such as NCDs, harmful substances, and the role of housing and environment in health.

She also pointed out the need for workplaces to support mental health by addressing family-related issues holistically. She suggested moving beyond GDP as the primary national indicator and focusing instead on health and well-being.In closing, she called for the responsible use of social media to spread empathy and cooperation, envisioning a healthier and happier future shaped by shared action.

-Remarks by Marwan Al Kaabi

Representing the UAE, he underscored the urgent need for governments to invest in preventive healthcare, particularly to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which account for over 60% of global deaths and up to 80% in certain communities. Shifting to prevention not only improves health management but also helps mitigate long-term economic loss.

He cited Abu Dhabi’s mandatory national screening system as a successful example that enabled early detection and intervention. He also highlighted the “Emirates Genome” programme, which has analyzed over 100,000 samples to identify health risks and guide strategic responses based on genetic insights.

In closing, he stressed the importance of empowering communities to take ownership of their health through education and access to data. Encouraging lifestyle changes, improving infrastructure, and ensuring access to supportive services—alongside technology—were presented as essential elements for enhancing overall well-being.

-Audience Comment / Question ①

An Attendee expressed interest in promoting employee health and well-being from an employer's perspective. She noted the challenge of limited access to employee health data, especially for organizations operating across multiple countries. Explained that her team is exploring how available data could be used to support healthier lifestyles among employees. She asked the speakers for their views on how employers in various countries can play a meaningful role in advancing employee well-being.

-Responses from Speakers and Participants②

In response to the audience question, Charmaine Gauci noted that employee health is linked to productivity and called for greater collaboration between workplaces and health authorities. She explained that Malta has guidelines and systems for employer-provided insurance. Pierre Van Damme pointed out that occupational physicians can monitor workforce health through aggregated data, while Marwan Al Kaabi cited the UAE’s “Pura” app as a tool enabling employees to track their own health.

Carmen van Vilsteren noted that reaching low-income populations remains difficult and shared examples of interventions through corporate HR channels. She also mentioned that past health apps were mostly used by highly educated users.

Other participants stressed the importance of empowering people with data and education and highlighted grassroots efforts alongside national policy. Referring to US cases, they noted the limits of mandates and underlined the need for individual and community engagement. Gauci agreed and concluded by advocating for patient involvement and stronger cross-ministry ties.

-Audience Comment / Question ②

An Attendee reflected on the difficulty of encouraging behavioral change among patients. He noted that while healthy eating and exercise are promoted as social initiatives, such efforts have rarely succeeded in practice. He pointed out that increased life expectancy has largely resulted from technological advances and questioned whether new challenges would emerge if average lifespans reached 100.
He asked whether such challenges should be addressed through technology or society and expressed concern that technological solutions might widen socioeconomic disparities.

-Response by Marwan Al Kaabi ②

He acknowledged that achieving behavioral change remains difficult in many communities. He suggested that one reason is the short-term affordability of unhealthy lifestyles. To address this, he emphasized the need to make healthy choices more affordable and accessible. He added that promoting understanding of the value and incentives of healthy behavior is essential, and that encouraging voluntary engagement could support broader adoption.

【Closing Reflections by Moderator Seiji Inada】

This Visionary Exchange served as a moment to fundamentally reexamine what “health” truly means in our modern era. From ancient struggles against epidemics
in agrarian societies, to the rise of public health infrastructure, and now toward Society 5.0 and AI-powered medicine, the meaning of health has evolved alongside societal transformation. Today, health can no longer be confined to curing illness - it must encompass the ability of each individual to live fully, in both body and mind, with equal opportunity assured on a global scale. This discussion
became a space to imagine, through concrete examples, a future in which everyone can live with vitality in a way that is true to themselves - a future that is inclusive and leaves no one behind.

Health Is Not About Medicine, But About How We Live: A central insight that emerged was the recognition that health is mostly cultivated outside hospitals - in the conditions of daily life, shaped by the environments we inhabit. Investments in prevention and lifestyle, from vaccinations to nutrition and physical activity, are more critical than treatment alone. Health is shaped less by access to medicines
than by the social, economic, and environmental contexts in which people live. In this light, a paradigm shift is underway: one in which health is no longer defined by the absence of illness, but by the ability to live well. Beyond healthcare professionals and institutions, communities and education systems must empower individuals to take agency over their well-being.

Cross-Border Co-Creation and Data Ecosystems: Another striking realization was that healthcare challenges cannot be solved within national boundaries - they must be reconsidered within a framework of international cooperation. Addressing infectious and chronic diseases, as well as health risks posed by climate change, requires global co-creation and data sharing. To fully leverage the potential of AI-driven healthcare, we need collaboration across borders, diverse datasets, and shared governance. In addition to technological innovation, the advancement of institutional frameworks, such as universal health coverage (UHC) and public-private innovation ecosystems, was emphasized. A society in which “no one is left behind” in healthcare can only be achieved through international partnerships that resemble a new kind of social contract.

AI and Technology Are Redefining Well-being: The third key realization was that the advent of the AI era is prompting a fundamental redefinition of what we mean by “well-being.” Digital technologies are enabling increasingly personalized and sophisticated medical care, offering new possibilities for human experience. Yet as our lives grow more entangled with technology, we are confronted with profound questions about what it truly means to live well. In this era, well-being must extend beyond physical health to include mental resilience, meaningful social connections, and coexistence with a sustainable planet.

Mental health -long overlooked despite its central role in community well-being - must now take its rightful place in the global health agenda. The challenge ahead is to harmonize the power of technology with human values, and to continue asking what constitutes a “rich and fulfilling life” in a rapidly changing world.

This dialogue marked only the beginning of a longer journey toward reimagining the future of health and well-being. We now carry the responsibility to transform these insights into concrete action, building upon continued dialogue and collaboration.

Health is not merely a personal matter - it is a shared asset of society, and a promise we owe to future generations. To meet the challenges posed by climate change and artificial intelligence, we must evolve into a more inclusive and sustainable society - one that embraces well-being not as an individual pursuit, but as a collective commitment.