Smart Global Health Policy Report Launched at Boston University

The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) Commission on Smart Global Health Policy, Boston University, and Harvard University, hosted a conference on the future of global health featuring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Congressman Michael Capuano (D-MA), Boston University President Robert Brown, as well as top academics, industry leaders and student activists from the Boston area. Co-sponsored by the The Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future and the Boston Univeristy Center for Global Health and Development, the meeting was held at the BU Metcalf Trustees Ballroom on Monday April 26, from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

The first session, “CSIS Commission Panel”, featured four Commissioners from the CSIS Commission on Smart Global Health Policy. The session was moderated by Prof. Gerald Keusch of the Boston University School of Public Health. The panelists presented on the nature of the report and the process the Commission underwent to produce the Report. Peter Lamptey, President of Public Health Programs at Family Health International, began by provided a summary of the Report and its recommendations made while Sen. Jeanne Shaheen elaborated on the importance to engage both the government and the public on the importance of global health investments. She pointed out that these efforts should continue to be bi-partisan and there is a direct correlation between national security and global health. Dr. Karen Remley, Commissioner of the Virginia Health Department, agreed with Senator Shaheen’s pointed and also reiterated the need to build up the nation’s healthcare system.

The second session looked at New England’s strategic advantage in research and innovation. Prof. Adil Najam, Director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, moderated the session and kicked it off by getting the panelists to elucidate on the role of New England in smart global health policy. Congressman Michael Capuano pointed out that New England’s greatest resource and strength is its intellectual capital while Dr. Robert Brown, President of Boston University, and Dr. Stephen Hyman, Provost of Harvard University, discussed how New England universities can make use of their intellectual capital with the grooming of well informed, global students to create well-informed academic institutions that can perform research and implement smart global health policy. The discussion then moved to industry leaders, Philip Dormitzer, Senior Director for Viral Vaccine Research at Norvatis Vaccines and Diagnostic, and Jame Geraghty, Senior Vice President of Genzyme Corporation, who discussed the roles businesses can play in smart global health and contribute effectively in public-private partnerships.

The third session, “The Next Generation of Global Health Leaders”, featured a panel of student leaders from universities around New England who shared their experiences and aspirations in the field of Global Health Policy. Prof. David Hunter from the Harvard School of Public Health moderated the session, The student panelists include:

1) Amy Bei, Harvard School of Public Health
2) Bryan Lublin, Boston University
3) Sarah Pallas, Yale University
4) Kartik Venkatesh, Alpert Medical School, Brown University
5) Claire Wagner, Dartmouth College

Also, on the panel was Joel Lamstein, founder and president of John Snow Inc. He concluded the panel by explaining what employers in the global health sector look for in potential employees and described career experiences for working in the global health sector.

Further information on the Report of the CSIS Commission on Smart Global Health Policy can be found here.

Download the Report of the CSIS Commission on Smart Glbal Health Policy here.