Aspen Healthcare & Quality of Life Program Partners 2025: Roche, Alliance Healthcare, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Astra Zeneca, Sanofi, Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis

Aspen Healthcare Summit 2025 Supporter: F.M. Medident

Institutional Partners: Ministry of Health, National Health Insurance House, National Institute of Health Services Management

Knowledge Partner: Renașterea Foundation

Media Partner: DC Media Group

Aspen Healthcare Summit, at the fourteenth edition in 2025, is the major public event of Aspen Institute Romania’s Healthcare & Quality of Life Program, bringing together decision-makers, renowned specialists and researchers from the medical sector, European and national healthcare experts, representatives of non-governmental organizations and academia, representatives of health technology and pharmaceutical sector, as well as industry leaders engaged in developing health policies. Last years’ editions contributed to setting up a program community and an agenda of thematic priorities in convergence with national priorities and advanced technological solutions as well as the EU regulatory framework and WHO goals.

The Aspen Healthcare Summit 2025, under the title “Advancing Health Through Innovation, Values, and Partnership”, serves as a platform for strategic dialogue and exchange of ideas among healthcare leaders, policymakers, researchers, and innovators. As the flagship event of the Aspen Institute Romania’s Healthcare & Quality of Life Program, the Summit embodies the values of equity, resilience, and collaboration, fostering a space where sustainability, evidence-based policy and shared European values guide discussions on the future of healthcare systems.

This year’s edition of the Summit will consist of an Aspen Dialogue and a Networking Reception on the afternoon / evening of June 17th, followed by the main public conference scheduled for June 18th. The event will explore three core themes: sustainable health financing in the context of rising demand and limited resources; the role of digitalization and artificial intelligence in improving system efficiency and patient outcomes; and primary and secondary prevention as a central element for the sustainability of health systems. Key sessions will also address the social and political determinants of health, including the interplay between public health and populism. Through panels, expert conversations, and collaborative exchanges, the Summit aims to shape actionable solutions rooted in innovation, shared responsibility, and regional partnership.

The Aspen Dialogue on the afternoon of June 17th will mark the launch of our Mind, Body and Spirit Initiative, which aims to foster holistic leadership on healthcare-related topics by developing a dedicated community involving relevant stakeholders, according to the Aspen Method, and integrating topics at the intersection of healthcare, quality of life, healthy lifestyles, personal and social wellbeing into the Institute’s conversations.

 

 

Agenda

June 17th  

16:30 – 17:00     Participants’ Registration & Welcome Coffee 

17:00 – 17:10    Welcome Remarks:

  • Mircea Geoană – President, Aspen Institute Romania

17:10 – 17:50    Aspen Dialogue – Launch of the Aspen Institute Romania Mind, Body and Spirit Initiative

17:10 – 17:30    Conversation with: 

  • Dr. Wargha Enayati – Founder, Regina Maria & Enayati Medical City

Moderator: Mihaela Tănase – Health Policy Expert

17:30 – 17:50     Conversation with: 

  • Nikola Dabic – Senior Country Manager Romania and Moldova, Medtronic

Moderator: Ștefan Strilciuc – Fellow, Aspen Healthcare & Quality of Life Program

18:00   Cocktail & Networking Reception

June 18th  

08:30 – 09:00   Registration & Welcome Coffee

09:00 – 09:05    Introductory Remarks:

  • Iulian Trandafir – Member of the Board of Trustees, Aspen Institute Romania

09:05 – 09:20    Keynote Remarks:

  • Alexandru Rafila – Minister of Health, Government of Romania

09:20 – 09:40   Health, Democracy, and Trust: How Population Well-being Shapes Political Engagement and Institutions

Drawing from the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies’ policy brief, this keynote will explore how poor health affects democratic participation, trust in public institutions, and rising support for populist movements across Europe. It will examine the feedback loop between structural health inequalities and political disaffection — and why investing in equitable, inclusive healthcare is essential not only for individual well-being but for the stability and legitimacy of democratic systems. The presentation will offer insights into policy approaches that strengthen both health systems and democratic resilience, especially in vulnerable populations.  

  • Josep Figueras – Director Emeritus, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

09:40 – 11:20   Panel: Prevention First – The Key to a Sustainable Health System

This panel will analyze the pivotal role of primary and secondary prevention in ensuring the long-term sustainability of health systems. As healthcare costs continue to rise and populations age, shifting focus from treatment to prevention is not just a medical imperative but a policy and economic one. The discussion will focus on best practices, cross-sectoral collaboration, and policy innovations that place prevention at the heart of healthcare strategies—improving outcomes while alleviating pressure on public health budgets. 

Prior to this panel, a presentation on Investing in Prevention and Infrastructure will outline the main findings of a landmark study, commissioned by the Aspen Institute Romania, assessing the economic and fiscal impact of investing in prevention and health infrastructure in Romania. Drawing on original data and econometric modelling, the presentation will demonstrate how targeted investments—particularly in underserved regions—could yield over €30 billion in economic gains by reducing premature mortality and improving population health. It will also address the budgetary implications, regional disparities, and the strategic alignment with EU health policy and competitiveness goals.

Presentation:

  • George Ștefan & Vlad Nerău – Co-authors of the Aspen study

Panel Discussion:          

  • Adriana Pistol – Secretary of State, Ministry of Health

  • Carmen Ungurean – Head of Noncommunicable Diseases Unit, National Institute of Public Health

  • Frank Loeffler – General Manager, Roche Romania

  • Marcelo Pascual Morales – General Manager, MSD Romania & the Republic of Moldova

  • Iulian Trandafir – CEO, Alliance Healthcare Romania

  • Mihaela Stoican – Public Affairs & Patients Access Senior Manager, Novartis Romania

Moderator: Teodor Blidaru – Fellow, Aspen Healthcare & Quality of Life Program

11:20 – 11:50   Coffee Break

11:50 – 12:30   Panel: From Budget Strain to Strategic Investment: Financing a Resilient Health System 

This panel will explore the strategic rethinking of healthcare financing in Romania and the broader EU context, emphasizing the need to shift from reactive, hospital-centric spending to forward-looking investment in prevention, primary care, and infrastructure. Drawing on new macroeconomic data and EU best practices, the discussion will focus on innovative financing models, optimizing public-private collaboration, aligning with EU cohesion and resilience funds, and improving fiscal efficiency.

  • Horațiu Moldovan – President, National Health Insurance House

  • Josep Figueras – Director Emeritus, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

  • Cristian Vlădescu – Director General, National Institute of Health Service Management / Senior Fellow, Aspen Healthcare & Quality of Life Program

  • Cătălin Radu – General Manager, BMS Romania

Moderator: Ștefan Strilciuc – Fellow, Aspen Healthcare & Quality of Life Program

12:30 – 13:30   Panel: Digital Health and AI in Practice

This panel will explore how digital transformation and artificial intelligence are reshaping healthcare delivery — from clinical decision-making and diagnostics to system management and patient engagement. It will highlight not only technological potential but also the practical, ethical, and institutional challenges of integrating digital tools across Romania’s and Europe’s health systems.

  • Larisa Mezinu Bălan – Vicepresident, National Health Insurance House

  • Henrik Ibsen – Principal Consultant, Founder, e-HealthBrains

  • Radu Gănescu – President, COPAC

  • Cristina Pricop – Corporate Affairs Lead, Sanofi Romania

Moderator: Teodor Blidaru – Fellow, Aspen Healthcare & Quality of Life Program

13:30 – 14:30   Networking Lunch