Press

Largest event of its kind gathers leaders and experts in health, technology, policy and research

Washington, DC (November 18, 2010)   The 2010 mHealth Summit came to a close last week in Washington D.C. hosting more than 2,400 attendees from 50 countries.   Attendees came together to learn, share and discuss the power and potential of mobile technology to improve global health.  The event, which nearly tripled in attendance in its second year, included keynote speeches from industry leaders Bill Gates and Ted Turner.

“We are extremely pleased with the results of the 2010 mHealth Summit which drew more forward thinking leaders, attendees, education sessions and exhibitors than any other mobile health-focused event in the U.S.,” said Richard Scarfo, mHealth Summit Director at the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.

Organized by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health in partnership with the mHealth Alliance and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the successful three-day gathering featured more than 125 exhibiting companies and 185 poster presentations showcasing the next generation of innovation, as well as current cutting-edge products, services and solutions for mHealth.

“The people, ideas and innovations at this year’s mHealth Summit are a testament to the fact that the mHealth moment has arrived, and is moving full-speed ahead,” said David Aylward, Executive Director of the mHealth Alliance. “The mHealth Alliance was very pleased to announce a series of major grants and new partnerships during the Summit. It is these connections and commitments that make events like the mHealth Summit so important in helping to drive forward the field of mHealth.”

The event drew more than 150 speakers from around the world, including additional keynote addresses from: Francis S. Collins, Ph.D., Director, National Institutes of Health; Todd Park, Chief Technology Officer, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Aneesh Chopra, U.S. Chief Technology Officer; Dr. Judith Rodin, President, The Rockefeller Foundation; and Dr. Julio Frenk, Dean of Faculty, Harvard School of Public Health and former Minister of Health, Mexico. 

“The quality of the attendees was excellent.  Everyone I needed to meet was at the 2010 mHealth Summit.  I’ve never experienced anything like this,” commented Clint McClelland, Senior Director of Market Development, Qualcomm.

Based on the resounding success of the 2010 mHealth Summit, plans are underway for the 2011 mHealth Summit, to be held Dec 5-7 at the Gaylord Convention Center and Hotel in the Washington, D.C. National Harbor.

MEDIA RESOURCES

Photo highlights: 

·      Foundation for the National Institutes of Health on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/43520317@N05/ 

·      mHealth Alliance photos
http://www.mhealthalliance.org/media_center/photos

Video highlights and interviews will continue to be updated over the coming weeks:

·      Foundation for the National Institutes of Health YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/mobilehealthsummit?feature=mhum 

·      Video of the Gates Luncheon: http://tinyurl.com/2ccmcu3

·      mHealth Alliance video excerpts:
http://www.mhealthalliance.org/media_center/videos

Official 2010 mHealth Summit Website: http://mhealthsummit.org/

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For further information contact:

Kate Barrett at kbarrett@fnih.org, 301.435.2613

To follow the ongoing conversation, use the Twitter hashtag: #mHS10

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About the Foundation for NIH
The foundation was established by Congress as a 501(c)(3) public charity to facilitate groundbreaking research at NIH and worldwide. Fundamental to our mission of supporting NIH is creating partnerships—an acknowledgement that together, individuals and organizations can often solve problems better than any one entity can alone. We place a high value on creating opportunities for networking—organizing and hosting symposia and conferences, where diverse audiences interact, connect and learn from one another. These gatherings serve as incubators for new ideas, forums to share important research and discoveries as well as outreach opportunities to new supporters. This is clearly evident in the mHealth Summit and related activities.  www.fnih.org and www.mhealthsummit.org.

About the mHealth Alliance
The mHealth Alliance (mHA) bridges diverse communities to mobilize innovation for global health. Launched by the UN Foundation, which hosts the mHA, and the Rockefeller and Vodafone Foundations in 2009, the mHA is dedicated to enabling quality health at the farthest reaches of wireless networks. By facilitating public-private partnerships that address health needs in underserved communities, the mHealth Alliance and its partners are developing new ways for mobile health, or mHealth, to increase the availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of health information and services. Founding partners include GSM Association, and the US President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and HP.  More information is available at www.mhealthalliance.org.

About the National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), part of  HHS, is the primary Federal agency  supporting and conducting  medical research - making important medical discoveries that improve health and save lives. NIH scientists investigate ways to prevent disease as well as the causes, treatments, and even cures for common and rare diseases through NIH's 27 Institutes and Centers. NIH funding  supports  some 325,000 researchers in more than 3,000 institutions in every state and throughout the world. Mobile health (or mHealth) is an emerging technology and research area - in which mobile devices can be used as a research tool, an outreach tool, a training modality, and a way to reach distant and underserved populations.