On September 26th, the pharmacovigilance community gathered at the Novartis Campus for the Insife Annual Convention – a full-day convention focused on connection, collaboration, and innovation. Bringing together leading experts in the field, the convention provided a space for professionals to tackle the challenges facing the industry, explore cutting-edge technologies, and exchange knowledge on the latest advancements in pharmacovigilance.
The convention saw a remarkable turnout of industry leaders, who came together to shape the future of pharmacovigilance and address how technology can drive both operational efficiency and patient safety improvements.
An Inspiring Line-Up of Experts
Our incredible speaker line-up included industry veterans from renowned global organizations, each of whom delivered thought-provoking presentations on pressing topics in the PV world:
Thomas McConnon, Global Head PS&PV External Engagements, Pharmacovigilance Systems & Operations at Novartis, set the stage with his presentation on “ReVA – Supporting Portfolio Transformation via Digitalisation of End-to-End PV Agreements Management”. Thomas shared insights into how digital transformation supports the evolution of PV agreements, enhancing agility and supporting portfolio transformation.
Martin Holm-Petersen, CEO of Insife, followed with “The Roadmap for PV Innovation. HALOPV 6.0 Revealed and Beyond – The Future of Technology-Led PV Innovation from Now Towards 2030”. Martin unveiled the latest version of HALOPV, highlighting how Insife continues to push the boundaries of innovation, driving the future of pharmacovigilance.
Chris McCurdy, Chief Architect, Healthcare and Life Sciences at Amazon Web Services (AWS) brought a fresh perspective with his talk on “Improving Patient Outcomes and Accelerating Science with Generative AI and Data”. Chris emphasized how the power of generative AI is accelerating scientific discovery while enhancing patient outcomes.
James Whitehead, Senior Director at AstraZeneca, gave an insightful presentation titled “Innovation - It’s a Team Sport, It’s a Community Initiative”. He underscored the importance of collaboration, driving home the point that innovation thrives when the community works together.
Michael Forstner, Head of Global Patient Safety Science at SOBI AG, addressed the role of “Machine Learning in Signal Management”. Michael discussed the growing role of machine learning in signal detection, illustrating how advanced technology is improving both speed and accuracy in pharmacovigilance.
Sarah Vaughan, Head of Vigilance Operations, and Phil Tregunno, Deputy Director, Patient Safety Monitoring, Safety and Surveillance at MHRA, delivered a joint presentation on “Innovating Patient Safety: A Regulator’s Perspective”. They offered a unique viewpoint from the regulatory side, providing a detailed look into the innovative measures regulators are adopting to enhance patient safety.
Helle von der Recke-Heisel, Vice President, Global Drug Safety, QPPV at Pharmacosmos, and Thomas Hornbæk Svendsen, Consulting Director at NNIT, shared their journey in “The Journey from Preparation to Hypercare When Moving to a New PV System”. Their session provided valuable lessons on overcoming challenges when transitioning to new PV systems.
Florian Görgens, Project Lead at Bayer, tackled “Challenges in the Automation of Aggregate Reporting”. Florian outlined the hurdles faced in automating aggregate reporting processes and how overcoming these barriers is key to future efficiencies in PV.
Henry Barton, Global Safety Lead at Grünenthal, discussed “Risk Management in Pharmacovigilance: Global Strategy, Local Solutions”, focusing on the balance between global strategies and local needs in risk management.
Louise Tan, Principal PV Consultant and Head of GRIP Services at Insife, led a session on “Getting a GRIP on Regulatory Intelligence”. Louise highlighted the importance of regulatory intelligence in keeping organizations ahead of evolving compliance landscapes.
Latika Sharma, Strategic Thought Lead at Navitas Life Sciences, closed out the presentations with “Highlights from This Year’s PVnet Benchmark”, where she shared the key findings and benchmarks from across the pharmacovigilance sector.
Connecting Through Community
The day concluded with a relaxed and informal networking session at Volta Bräu, where attendees enjoyed drinks and continued conversations about shared challenges and experiences. It was a fantastic opportunity for the community to come together in a spirit of collaboration and connection, further strengthening relationships that will drive the industry forward.
At Insife, we believe that by connecting and collaborating, we can build a stronger pharmacovigilance community – one that’s ready to tackle the challenges of today while shaping the future of tomorrow. We look forward to seeing you next year for another unforgettable convention!
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