QLD | Health & Tech Series - Automation revolution: driving innovation and growth in healthcare

The French-Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry​​​ in Queensland, sponsored by Minter Ellison​, was pleased to welcome you to its Health & Tech event dedicated to the rise of AI and automation in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector in Australia, which took place on Tuesday 27 August at the premises of our Corporate member Minter Ellison​.

This event brought together Nicholas Pichon​, General Manager at Australian Biotherapeutics​; Sonja Read​, Partner & Digital Health Subsector Lead at Minter Ellison​; Jolien Reid​, Deputy Head of Clinical Operations at Sanofi​; and Preston Toole​, CTO at Provectus Algae​, to discuss the role of AI and automation in meeting the growing demands of the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector in Queensland, and any potential legal barriers to implementation.

Facilitated by our Health & Tech Subcommittee Chair Jonathan Legault​ (CEO at Corematic​), our panellists spent the morning answering a broad range of questions outlining the current state of play in Australia's Healthcare system, current regulations being brought in to ensure AI and automation development is rolled out in a safe way, and what more needs to be done to keep Brisbane at the leading edge of innovation in this space. Several barriers to these goals were also identified, largely around our mindset and willingness to take risks and embrace change.

Key Insights from the Panel:

• Nicholas discussed how automation has revolutionised Australian biotech. Initially met with scepticism due to its perceived risks, automation has proven to be cost-effective and transformative, addressing budget constraints and driving long-term gains.
• Sonja highlighted the evolving role of regulation and governance, noting that laws often lag behind rapid technological advancements. A risk-based regulatory approach is necessary to keep pace with the constant evolution in science, as exemplified by the European AI Act.
• Jolien from Sanofi shared how the company is leading AI advancements in medicine and clinical trials. Sanofi's proactive governance framework ensures that AI developments are both ethical and robust.
• Preston emphasised the benefits of robotics in increasing efficiency and reducing human error. Robotics handle labour-intensive tasks and manage off-hours work, freeing up human resources for more strategic activities.

Advice for Implementation:

• Start small, but be bold and use each project as a learning opportunity.
• Prioritise governance and risk management and adapt quickly from failures.
• Embrace ongoing technological developments and align with international standards for best practices.

Once again, we express our sincere gratitude to our incredible panellists, and to all our guests for making this event a success.

Last but not least, thanks to the generous support and breakfast provided by the wonderful, hard-working team at Minter Ellison​ for helping bring this event to life!