TOPRA Annual Lecture

On 29 January 2026 we were joined by senior regulatory leaders, policymakers, and innovators for the inaugural TOPRA Annual Lecture at the Royal Society of Chemistry, a landmark event exploring one of the most defining challenges and opportunities of our time, the responsible global governance of artificial intelligence in healthcare.

This event will offer attendees the rare opportunity to:

What this lecture discussed?

Digital transformation is redefining how we diagnose, treat, and manage disease. AI is now matching, and in some cases surpassing, human experts, boosting diagnostic accuracy, streamlining workflows, and widening access to care.

But these advances also raise urgent regulatory questions: How do we maintain transparency, ensure data quality, build public trust, and protect patient safety? And how do we make sure progress is equitable across human medicines, medical devices, and veterinary care?

This lecture tackled these questions head-on, and brought together the collaboration needed to shape the future of safe, effective, and responsible AI in healthcare.

 

Keynote Lecture

Speaker:

Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite Chief Executive Officer Health AI

Dr Baptista Leite is a Portuguese-Canadian medical doctor trained in infectious diseases with experience in global health and science-based policymaking, Ricardo served four terms as a Member of Parliament in Portugal on health and foreign affairs committees.  Ricardo is the CEO of ‘HealthAI - The Global Agency for Responsible AI in Health’, the founder and president of the 'UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health ', Chair of the Board of the Harvard-Charité Global Health Policy Lab, and Chair of the Centre for Global Health at NOVA University in Lisbon.  He served as a medical volunteer during the COVID pandemic and participated in a humanitarian mission at the Lviv Regional Hospital in Ukraine.

Our keynote address discussed the topic 'Health AI: Championing Responsible AI in Healthcare'.

Dr Baptista Leite explored:

• The urgent need for harmonised global standards and capacity to ensure responsible AI in health
• Real-world examples of AI innovation and its emerging regulatory challenges
• How collaboration between health authorities, international agencies, and industry can drive responsible progress
• The future vision for ethical AI adoption across sectors

Panel Discussion

Panellists:

Aman Khera (Chair) President TOPRA		Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite Chief Executive Officer Health AI		Dr Ron Piervincenzi Chief Executive USP		Dr Gabriella Spinelli Director RADIANT CERSI		Lawrence Tallon Chief Executive MHRA

Together, this group of experts explored how regulatory systems worldwide can collaborate to secure safe, effective, and transparent use of AI in healthcare, reflecting on progress to date and priorities for the years ahead.