To grow the biotech ecosystem in Italy, bringing together industries, startups, innovative SMEs and institutions. This is the main goal of "Biotech, the better future - For our health, for our environment, for Italy", an initiative launched by Assobiotec-Federchimica which accompanies the sector with a series of meetings up to the drafting of a shared Manifesto and a position paper to be presented, in November, at the table of the Ministry of Economic Development.
"Our country - are the words of the president i Assobiotec-Federchimica Riccardo Palmisano - has many excellences along the entire supply chain that goes from the laboratory to the end user, patient or consumer. It is a question of identifying the obstacles on the way and of joining these dots of Italian excellence to build an all-round project, capable of making the most of our precious assets ".
To understand the importance of biotech in Italy you have to look at the numbers recently published in the report “Biotechnology companies in Italy. Facts & Figures ". In 2019 the industries and realities operating in Life Sciences in Italy have turnover of over 12 billion euros: we are talking about more than 700 companies, the 28% of which is located in Lombardy, and with strong growth in recent years in the North East and in the South.
A path of encounters towards the manifesto
Thanks to the four events of the project "Biotech, the better future - For our health, for our environment, for Italy" the goal is to create new growth opportunities in a sector that, in the first half of 2020, has already recorded investments for over 2.5 billion euros. But there is also the popular aspect: the experts, in the perspective chosen by Assobiotec, must leave laboratories and research centers to make known the centrality of their work, especially in light of the no longer extendable investments in the medical and health sector after the outbreak of the pandemic.
"Never more than today - commented Palmisano - research is at the center of public attention and scientists have almost risen to the role of influencer: it is therefore essential to take this moment to make biotech and its potential understood, considering that according to estimates of the OECD in 2030 will be biotech the 80% of pharmaceutical products, the 50% of agricultural products, the 35% of chemical and industrial products, making an overall impact of 2.7% of global GDP ». After the difficult months in the lockdown, the country faces a long economic recession: that's why the restart, according to Assobiotec, should go from Life sciences. For this reason, the association has welcomed with optimism the positions issued by the States General organized by the government at the end of June: investments in research are seen as central by the executive.
This is discussed on Monday 13 July in a meeting dedicated to innovation in health, from laboratory research to the patient. The calendar of meetings of the Assobiotec initiative continues on Monday 14 September, to discuss bioeconomy. The plenary meeting is scheduled for Monday 12 October for "Sharing and validating the contents that emerged from the work of the various groups" and, finally, Monday 9 November the presentation of the work carried out between summer and autumn is scheduled. Manifesto and position paper will be immediately shared with the institutions and with the government.
Alessandro Di Stefano
