Lovexair promotes the debate on 'One Health' and air quality at the Radical Health Festival
The Foundation organized a workshop in the Finnish capital to promote the integration of health and environmental data.
Helsinki, Finland – January 2025
La Lovexair Foundation actively participated in the Radical Health Festival, celebrated on Helsinki, one of the leading European events dedicated to innovation in health, public policy, and sustainability. The Foundation played a dual role at the Festival: on the one hand, it organized a workshop focused on One Health and precision healthand on the other hand, he participated in the opening-session, dedicated to One Health, moderated by Shane Fitch, CEO of Lovexair.
Both spaces allowed the relationship between [the two] to be placed at the center of the debate. human health, environment and datawith special attention to air quality, respiratory health and the need to move towards preventive and integrated approaches.
Connection between health, environment and people
The workshop organized by Lovexair brought together representatives from public institutions, planetary health experts, patient organizations and air quality specialists, generating a diverse and complementary dialogue.
During the session, Shane FitchThe CEO of Lovexair presented the work the Foundation has been developing in recent years to translate the One Health approach into practice. Within this framework, initiatives such as the following were highlighted: CheckAir, as a citizen-oriented respiratory health assessment tool, and the Global Respiratory Health Mapwhich integrates user-generated health data with environmental and air quality information. Both initiatives “They seek to generate real evidence that allows progress towards models of precision health, prevention, and better-informed public policy".
Johanna Laisaari, representing the environmental area of Helsinki City HallHe explained how the improvement in air quality in the city has been the result of a deliberate political decisionbased on data, clear objectives, and close coordination between municipal departments. Laisaari also emphasized the importance of the systematic monitoring, “which has allowed us to assess the real impact of policies, adjust decisions and generate public trust, highlighting the role of cities as key players in protecting environmental health”.
Planetary health and the voice of patients as a priority
During the workshop, Mikaela Grotenfelt-Enegren, Chief Medical Officer of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, addressed the perspective “Planetary Health” Remembering that factors such as air pollution, climate change, ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss directly impact healthespecially in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and in vulnerable populations. To advance the “Planetary Health” approach, it is essential “To integrate scientific knowledge, environmental data and health systems, overcoming the fragmentation between health policies and environmental policies and promoting intersectoral work oriented towards prevention”.
Diane Whitehouse, eHealth policy consultant in EHTEL, focused on the Importance of empowering citizens within the European Health Data Area (EHDS)Whitehouse emphasized that its success will depend as much on infrastructure and standards as on people's ability to access, understand, and use their own health data. She stressed the need to overcome the current blind spots in electronic health record systems and improve quality. Initiatives such as The Yellow Button They were presented as practical examples of how to bring EHDS into everyday life, facilitating access to and reuse of data by patients, with control and confidence.
The voice of the patients was represented by Satu Mustonen, Finnish Respiratory Health Organization, who highlighted the essential role of these organizations as bridge between citizens, healthcare professionals and policymakersMustonen stressed the need to incorporate the experiences of patients living with chronic illnesses into the design of solutions, including digital tools, citizen science, and the use of health data. Without this people-centered approach, he warned, “There is a risk of developing technically advanced solutions that are far removed from real needs.”.
Lastly, Niko Siilin, senior scientist in indoor air quality, focused his presentation on the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)one of the major blind spots in health and environmental policies. He stressed that indoor air quality is not only a technical challenge, but also a social one. governance and prioritiesbecause it lacks clear regulatory frameworks in many contexts, unlike outdoor pollution. Incorporating IAQ into decision-making,Especially in sensitive settings such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and workplaces, it is key to advancing prevention, improving respiratory health, and reducing healthcare costs.".
One Health as a framework for the future of health
Lovexair's participation in the Radical Health Festival was completed with the moderation of the Opening Session on One HealthLed by Shane Fitch, this inaugural session presented One Health as the essential framework for rethinking the future of health, emphasizing that human health cannot be addressed in isolation from the health of the planet, its ecosystems, and the environment in which we live.
From this perspective, the respiratory health Air quality was presented as a key entry point for understanding the interdependence between the environment and health, as well as the need to move from awareness to action through the use of real data and solid evidence. This was the argument put forward by the brilliant panelists who participated in the debate: Jordi Serrano Pons, medical expert in digital health and planetary health; Hanna Haveri, neurologist and expert in planetary health Elisa Frenz, an expert in healthcare procurement and the sustainability of the health system; and Clare Cadeddu, expert in planetary health and ambassador of the European Climate Pact.
Initiatives such as the Lovexair Foundation's Global Respiratory Health Map exemplify how One Health can be applied practically, connecting data, people, and policies to move towards more preventive, resilient, and equitable health systems.
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