November 14, 2024 – MILAN, Italy – This week, Secretary Jason Weida and the Florida life sciences delegation, which includes senior executives from the Mayo Clinic, Tampa General Hospital, HCA Healthcare, Baptist Health South Florida, Mount Sinai Medical Center, and Jackson Memorial Hospital, opened the Florida Pavilion at the MEDICA Trade Fair 2024. This pavilion not only showcased Florida’s health care industry to a global audience but also highlighted our state’s dedication to innovation and collaboration on an international scale. At the pavilion, SelectFlorida proudly featured 17 Florida-based medical device companies, further solidifying our global presence in the health care industry.
Secretary Weida and the life sciences delegation then met with the German Health Alliance (GHA), Germany’s leading health care association, which consists of over 100 private sector organizations, non-governmental organizations, civil societies, foundations, and academic institutions focused on improving health infrastructure. During this meeting, Secretary Weida and the GHA discussed global industry needs and explored potential future collaborations between Florida and German health care companies. The GHA’s interest in organizing a delegation of German life sciences companies to visit Florida in 2025 is a promising sign of potential collaborations and growth in Florida’s health care industry.
Secretary Weida and the delegation also visited the Royal Philips Innovation Center in Best, the Netherlands. Philips is a global leader in health technology and one of the largest health care companies in the world. This visit was followed by a successful meeting with several senior executives. The MEDICA convention in Düsseldorf, Germany, was a notable success and crucial for creating new business opportunities in health care while reinforcing our strong relationships worldwide.
“The Agency for Health Care Administration is committed to advancing health care and research in our state,” said Secretary Jason Weida. “We are strengthening Florida’s European partnerships, demonstrating our dedication to innovation and collaboration. Our goal is to attract the brightest minds and most creative initiatives that will drive problem-solving and advancement in Florida’s health care industry.”
Following the success of the MEDICA summit, the delegation joined the Governor and other Florida leaders in Italy. In Milan, the Governor and the Florida delegation helped facilitate the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Florida International University (FIU), Insightec, Inc. (a Florida-based company), and the Neurological Institute of Besta. This agreement aims to foster collaboration on research related to innovative treatments for brain diseases.
The Neurological Institute of Besta (Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta) is a prestigious center for the research and treatment of neurological diseases located in Milan. The partnership among FIU, Insightec, Inc., and the Neurological Institute of Besta will enhance neuroscience research and innovation and facilitate collaboration on clinical research studies focused on potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders, ultimately benefiting patients in Florida, across the United States, and around the globe.
Secretary Weida and the delegation also visited the European Institute of Oncology, where health care leaders from both regions exchanged best practices and explored opportunities for future partnerships that could lead to meaningful actions aimed at improving and saving lives in Florida.
| The Agency for Health Care Administration is Florida’s chief health policy and planning entity. The Agency is responsible for administering the Florida Medicaid program, the licensure and regulation of nearly 50,000 health care facilities, and empowering consumers through health care transparency initiatives. |
