Having been present on the local market for more than 30 years now, Johnson & Johnson focuses on doing good for the Romanian society. Business Review talked to Georgiana Cosoveanu, Director of Governmental Affairs and Policy at Johnson & Johnson Romania, who told us about the company’s efforts to create a healthy society.
By Anda Sebesi
What are the most important contributions Johnson & Johnson is making to the future of society?
Education and health are two fundamental elements of a prosperous healthy society and a bright future. At Johnson & Johnson, our commitment to doing good is reflected in Our Credo and we are supporting good works and charities, better health, partnerships, and education. Acting upon Our Credo, we value patients, healthcare professionals (HCPs), authorities, and academia, encouraging research, innovation, and digitalization in the medical field. In over 30 years of presence on the local market, Johnson & Johnson Romania has proven itself to be a trusted partner of the healthcare system and a leader in the medicine of the future. Our highly relevant strategic partnership with the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest has been in place for 4 years now, and it’s as strong as ever. Through this partnership, we are proud to contribute to an innovative future for Romanian healthcare.
What are some of the Johnson & Johnson projects aimed at supporting education and the good of communities in Romania?
For the third year in a row, we are proud to offer 5 new scholarships to medical students through Johnson & Johnson’s first private scholarship programme at the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest (UMFCD). The most meritorious students will each receive RON 1,000 monthly for one year to support their academic performance and encourage them to develop groundbreaking projects, like the ones we’ve seen in previous years. Thanks to this partnership, we can also carry out the Hackathon4Health, the largest and most important annual project since 2017, implemented together with the University. This is an important strategic flagship private-academic partnership, aiming to accelerate the progress and innovation in digital health in Romania.
Through this large-scale project, we discover innovative ideas from young people and brilliant minds who represent the future of Romanian medicine, health, and science. Three winning projects, presented by the teams participating in the hackathon, will receive pre-seed funding totalling USD 30,000 from Johnson & Johnson Romania for their development and implementation. Also, in the 6 months following the Hackathon, the 3 winning teams will benefit from mentoring in the implementation of their projects from Johnson & Johnson Romania, as well as from UMFCD, through the Innovation and e-Health Centre.
What is the best outcome of these valuable projects?
Besides education, technology, growth, and the development of a unique platform of collaboration, these projects can make a significant contribution to innovation and the future of medicine and healthcare system.
Last year, Johnson & Johnson celebrated 30 years of medical innovation in Romania. The company has evolved alongside the needs of the healthcare system, has developed programmes, and has contributed to improving access to innovative medical therapies for Romanians. For example, one of our goals for the future is to eliminate cancer: with 14 new cancer drugs approved since 2011, we are continuing a rapid pace of innovation with over 35 planned approvals/filings through 2030. We are therefore looking forward to the future with confidence and commitment.
