"Conversation on data-driven bioscience" event, co-hosted by HENAR Foundation and the American University of Armenia (AUA), took place on the 6th of July.

Dr. Afeyan and Dr. Markides discussed issues related to data-driven science, bioscience, the ethical issues behind data usage in healthcare research, as well as general challenges of the system.

Dr. Noubar Afeyan and Dr. Karin Markides specifically highlighted the fact that today's healthcare is almost exclusively focused on treating diseases, rather than improving prevention mechanisms. For important reforms in healthcare, it is necessary to review many of now existing approaches, including regulatory, government policies, and approaches in medicine.

"Public health has been the tiny outpost, which has been allowed to work upstream of human disease. Generally underfunded, generally disregarded, unfortunately. And we just paid for twenty million dead people and hundreds of millions of sick people with covid. A steep price for our societal attitude towards public health, which is horrendous," said Dr. Afeyan.

HENAR's co-founders Ruben Vardanyan and Arman Voskerchyan were also present at the event.

"For HENAR foundation, events like this are a very good platform to raise the current issues," Arman Voskerchyan noted in a conversation with the media. "Through discussions with leading international experts and scientists, uniting representatives of public and private sectors, we should find ways to make the healthcare system more stable and efficient, which in turn will contribute to improvements in the quality of life of our fellow citizens."

The conversation on data-driven bioscience took place at the American University of Armenia. The live recording of the meeting can be found on the University's YouTube channel.