The Helsinki Conference on ‘Sustainable Healthcare Financing: new approaches for new outcomes' was hosted by the Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund, with Pfizer, Inc. as sponsoring partner. It was held at the Finlandia Hall in Helsinki on Wednesday 7th and Thursday February 8th, 2007.

The Helsinki Conference launched a call to action to European policymakers which took two forms:

• It presented the results of 4 independent investigations into policy issues which are key to the sustainability of healthcare financing in Europe. These papers were presented as one document which, together with its introduction, was directed at European policy makers both nationally and at Community level.
• The Conference also launched a programme of workshop activity in certain European Member States. The workshops were designed to model innovative practices in healthcare based on findings presented in the policy document launched at the Helsinki Conference.

Pat Cox, Chairman of the European Movement and past President of the European Parliament, was Moderator of the Helsinki Conference.

Speakers at the Conference on February 8th included Esko Aho, President of Sitra, and author of January 2006 Aho Report on Innovation as well as European Health and Finance Ministers and representatives of the European Commission, the World Bank, the Institut de l'Economie Industrielle/University of Toulouse, the European Investment Bank, the London School of Economics, the European Health Management Association and INSEAD.

The conference Programme is available. Programme link downloads pdf of event programme
The following presentations are available for download:

The development of Kameda medical centre as one of the best quality service providers in Japan
John Wocher, Senior Vice President, Kameda Medical Center, Ciba, Japan
Download John Wocher Presentation

Funding Innovation in the European Union
Dr. Henriette van Eijl, Medical and Public Health Research, DG Research,
European Commission
Link to CORDIS FP7 Health Site for further information

The Pharmaceutical Forum - Supporting innovation
Christian Siebert, Competitiveness in Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology, DG Enterprise & Industry, European Commission
Download Chistian Siebert Presentation

Report 2: Ensuring value for money in healthcare: The role of HTA in the European Union
Prof. Mike Drummond, University of York
Download Prof Mike Drummond Presentation

Report 3: Patient empowerment and efficient health outcomes
Philip Berman for EHMA and/or Prof. Reinhard Angelmar, INSEAD
Download Philip Berman Presentation

Report 4: Issues affecting the sustainability of health financing in several countries of South East Europe
Dr Pia Schneider, World Bank
Download Dr Pia Schneider Presentation

The European context
Dr Josep Figueras, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
Download Dr Josep Figueras Presentation