Symposium suisso-coréen des sciences de la vie (Swiss-Korean Innovation Week)

Dear Minister,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to be here today at the fifth edition of the Swiss-Korean Life Science Symposium.

Let me thank you, Minister, for the warm welcome I have received. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the organisers for their excellent work in preparing this event.

Pierre de Coubertin, the founding father of the modern Olympics, said that “Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles”.

I believe these basic principles can guide us in answering the question of how innovation and new technologies impact on our health systems.

First, just as in sports, innovation is about effort.

And great efforts are needed to tackle the challenges we face.

The biggest challenge is our ageing society. We know that high-income countries are particularly affected in that regard. By 2050 about one third of the population in South Korea and in Switzerland will be over 65 years old. Health issues related to ageing will have to be addressed.

Using artificial intelligence and mobile health for diagnostics breaks technological boundaries. The use of robots in surgery and elderly homecare have contributed immensely. But they cannot replace doctors altogether. The human factor will remain essential.

Innovation can help us overcome health challenges and improve the quality of life of older patients and people with disabilities, for example.

The potential is huge. Innovation in precision medicine or personalised health, that are being discussed here, will improve people’s health. Let’s keep up this effort, for the well-being of the people.

In terms of Olympism and the educational value of good example: education and collaboration are key elements in innovating at the highest level.

Both South Korea and Switzerland invest heavily in education and research.

These are the cornerstones of our knowledge economies and the key drivers of innovation and economic prosperity.

Education provides the basis for equal opportunities, enabling everybody to learn and develop their skills. This in turn is the basis for social mobility, allowing talented individuals to succeed regardless of their background.

South Korea and Switzerland have been intensifying cooperation in the field of education, science and research over many years now.

Numerous projects have been launched, allowing both partners to benefit from each other’s good example.

The Life Science Initiative and the Innovation Week are excellent occasions to learn from one another and strengthen our fruitful collaboration.

Turning to the third element of Pierre de Coubertin’s Olympic principle: the importance of respecting ethical principles. Innovation for health is also about ethics.

We are now capable of changing the genetic essence of our species, and of prolonging the end of life beyond what may be reasonable. This raises serious ethical questions – questions to which none of us has clear answers today.

It also raises the question of financial sustainability. Unlike in other sectors, innovation in health does not systematically lead to lower costs.

Instead, new technologies and new treatments contribute to higher health expenditures.

If a new technology becomes available, people expect to benefit from it in case they need it – regardless of how much it costs.

But there are also innovations that could help us bend the cost curve – such as those that encourage prevention.

Smart watches, for example, motivate people to exercise more. They may not reach Olympic levels, but they may reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular diseases or obesity.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Innovation and new technologies offer great opportunities, but they also have a disruptive effect.

The more we advance towards the deepest secrets of life and death, the closer we come to the ethical boundaries of our humanity. And to the limits of our health systems’ financial sustainability.

We must use these capabilities very carefully. With this responsibility in mind, it is extremely important that we make wise decisions, in the laboratory and in our hospitals.

I hope the discussions this week have sparked your creativity and boosted your motivation to win gold with your ideas.

Let’s keep up that momentum in an effort to bring those ideas to life and make innovation for health happen.

Let’s hope our thriving Swiss-Korean collaboration will provide us with many good examples to learn from. May this lead to new projects to improve the quality of life of our citizens and the welfare of our societies.

Last but not least – I hope both our Olympic teams win many medals in the coming days. Thank you!