Yongbao Zhuang and Wenyang Shi: Scientific thinking with meaningful real-world impact
Doctoral researchers Yongbao Zhuang and Wenyang Shi are interns at the Medaffcon office in Stockholm.
6th Nordic RWE and AI conference – 27-28 January 2026, Helsinki
How can RWD and AI transform drug development and strengthen value-based regulatory and HTA decision-making?
The 6th Nordic RWE and AI Conference, hosted by the University of Helsinki and Åbo Akademi University, explores these themes through a program highlighting collaboration, Nordic data excellence, methodological innovation, and real-world applications.
The Nordic RWE and AI conference brings together leading experts, researchers, and stakeholders to explore how RWD and AI can transform drug development, regulatory decision-making, and healthcare — with patient needs at the center. The goal is to highlight the Nordic region’s unique advantages, foster collaboration across academia, industry, and regulators, and accelerate value-based, patient-focused healthcare.
Venue: University of Helsinki, Main Building, Fabianinkatu 33, 00170 Helsinki, Finland – Auditorium and Agora Hall
Time: Tue 27 January 12.00-17.45 (networking event 18:30-19:30), Wed 28 January 9.00-15.30 (EET)
For more information contact Mia Bengtström.
The conference is free of charge to all participants—thanks to the support of the sponsors—though registration is required and a no-show fee applies. As participation is limited to 490 seats and the event is consistently highly popular, we encourage you to register early to secure your place. Please note that a separate registration is required for the networking event (networking event registration form can be found here).
Online remote attendance can be arranged for a fee of 500€. For more information contact Mia Bengtström.
The agenda will continue to be updated as we approach the seminar dates.
PROGRAM:
Using the Excellent RWD Assets in the Nordic Region to Improve Drug Development, Value-Based Decision Making and Healthcare Where Patient Needs Are in Focus
DAY 1
12.00 Registration, networking and exhibition in Agora Hall
13.00 Welcome, background and practicalities. Mia Bengtström Visiting Researcher, University of Helsinki and Associate professor, Åbo Akademi University
Use of RWD and AI in Drug development
13.10 Value and drivers of clinical trials and RWD studies, Erkki Soini, Chairman of the Board, Health Economist. ESiOR Oy
13.30 AI-Driven Real-World Evidence: Unlocking Early Detection and Drug Repurposing in Dementia, Christian Jonasson, Research Director, NordicRWE
13.50 Fingenious® service and Finnish biobanks offer unique opportunities for biomedical research, Johanna Mäkelä, PhD, Director of Research and Services, FINBB
Use of RWD and AI in Value-based Decision Making
14.10 Unlocking the Power of RWE and AI for Cardiovascular Health: Insights from Helsinki, Riikka-Leena Leskelä, Research Director, Senior Partner, Nordic Healthcare Group
14.30 A Finnish Nationwide Register Study Describing People With and Without ADHD, Tuire Prami, Oriola
14.50 The Power of Three – A Tripartite Collaboration in Register Research, Katja Nolvi, Associate Director, Quantify Research
15.10 Coffee, exhibition and networking
16.00 Advancing Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) prevention through health and social data in Finland session by Novartis
- Janne Martikainen, Professor, Data Science and Evidence Generation, ESIOR
- Annukka Kivela, Nordic Evidence Generation and Early Pipeline Lead, Novartis
- Tanja Hakkarainen, Healthcare Partnership Director, a.i, Novartis Finland
16.45 FIREFLY: classifying induced vasomotor symptoms using RWD and natural language processing, Samu Kurki, Strategic Project Lead, Bayer
17.10 Session with Nordic Health Data Access Bodies
Moderator: Nicolas Vaugelade-Baust
Setting the scene: Navigating for health data – into the perfect storm? Michel Silvestri, The Swedish eHealth Agency
Short country overviews and moderated discussion with:
- Michel Silvestri, The Swedish eHealth Agency
- Øystein Kyrre Johansen, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
- Maari Parkkinen, Finnish Social and Health Data Permit Authority Findata
18.10 Thank you for the Day and walking to the City Hall
18.30- 19.30 The Networking Event hosted by the City of Helsinki
Join us for a networking reception at Helsinki City Hall (Pohjoisesplanadi 11–13). Capacity is limited to 220 participants.
Register—and cancel your registration if needed—by 20 January 2026: https://www.lyyti.fi/reg/reception27january. Registration confirmation is sent by email from edustus@hel.fi. Please present personal QR code ticket at entrance.
DAY 2
9.00 Welcome to Day 2, Mia Bengtström and chair Riikka-Leena Leskelä, Research Director, Nordic Healthcare Group
Value-Based Regulatory and HTA Decision-Making
9.05 External Control Arms in Regulatory and HTA Decision-Making, session by MedEngine
Host: Karin Luttropp, Senior Advisor – Real World Evidence NE Hub, Eli Lilly
- Evolving Guidelines on External Control Arms in Regulatory Decision-Making in Europe; Elina Asikanius, Biostatistician, FIMEA
- The Role of Real-World Evidence in Nordic Health Technology Assessment; Saku Torvinen, Market Access Director, MedEngine
- Methodological Approaches to Optimize Clinical Trials with External Control Arms; Maria Guzman-Castillo, Senior Data Scientist, MedEngine
10.05 Transportability and External Validity: Approaches to Generalizing Evidence, Iiro Toppila Data Analysis Lead, Medaffcon
10.30 Real-world data enabling VBHC transformation at HUS Psychiatry session by HUS, University of Helsinki, Johnson & Johnson
- Grigori Joffe, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Hospital (HUS)
- Petri Näätänen, Development Manager, Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Hospital (HUS)
- Paulus Torkki, DSc, Associate professor, University of Helsinki, Department of Public Health
- Irene Eriksson, PhD, VBHC Partnership Lead EMEA, Johnson & Johnson
11.10 Coffee, light lunch, networking Agora Exhibition Hall
11.50 Value of Patient Experience Data When Addressing Nordic Stakeholders’ Needs session by IQVIA
- James Turnbull, Senior Principal, Patient Centered Solutions, IQVIA
- Daniel Eek, Medical Evidence Scientific Lead, AstraZeneca
- Frida Bayard, Sr. RWE Consultant, IQVIA
12.20 Strengthening Confidence in RWE for Assisted Reproductive Technology: Merck KGaA’s Commitment to Scientific Rigor, Lise Braathen-Pettersen, Global Medical Director Fertility, Merck Healthcare
12.45 Transforming Patient Pathways: AI-Driven Risk Prediction and Cross-Sector Optimization in Cardiovascular Care, Jesper Eriksen, Head of Data Analytics, Healthcare Nordics, IQVIA
13.05 The Journey from Care to Evidence: Tackling Registry Hurdles, Hanna Heloterä, Senior Consultant, Pharmaca Health Intelligence Oy
13.25 Coffee and networking Agora Exhibition Hall
14.10 Next-Generation Anonymization: Securing Nordic RWD for Cross-Border AI & RWE Innovation, Tuomo Pentikäinen, CEO of VEIL.AI
14.30 Bright Future for the use of RWE and AI in the Nordic Region for the best of the Patients, Society and Economy: Visionary moderated discussion on using the excellent RWD assets in the Nordic Region to improve Drug development, Value-based Decision Making and Healthcare
Moderator: Lisse-Lotte Hermansson, Managing Director at Medaffcon AB Sweden
Setting the scene: Olli Kallioniemi, Research Director at the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM) presenting findings from Sitra’s project A plan for the Finnish Health Data Space (FHDS) in the AI-era.
- Elina Asikanius, Biostatistician, Fimea
- Janne Martikainen, Professor, UEF/ Esior
- Samu Kurki, Strategic Project Lead | Clinical Data Scientist, Bayer Global R&D
- Paavo Raittinen, Head of Commercial Insights and Data, Oriola
- Christian Jonasson, Research Director and Co-Founder at NordicRWE
15.20-15.30 Next steps. Thank you for participating and funding, Mia Bengtström
The conference is free of charge but requires registration. Cancellation policy; cancellation done by 19 January 2026 is free of charge. After 19th January 2025, the invoiceable per individual cancellation fee is 100.00€ per day of the event, and 80.00€ per individual for the separate networking event.
Sponsors and Partners
