Co-Chair
Renata Fialho
Co-Chair
Anne Walsh
Healthcare and Life Sciences Law Committee
The Healthcare and Life Sciences Law Committee addresses legal issues in the healthcare and life sciences sectors, such as medicine, intellectual property, biotech, bioethics, regulatory matters, and scientific developments. With a dynamic, diverse, and growing membership, the Committee fosters collaboration to tackle industry challenges, such as increased competition and regulatory changes.
We provide a platform for discussion, sharing knowledge, and updating members on key developments. Through conferences, seminars, and global events, the Committee promotes professional growth, enabling members to benefit from advanced practices in well-established jurisdictions while supporting those new to this field.
Why join the Healthcare and Life Sciences Law Committee
We provide a platform for discussion, sharing knowledge, and updating members on key developments. Through conferences, seminars, and global events, the Committee promotes professional growth, enabling members to benefit from advanced practices in well-established jurisdictions while supporting those new to this field.
Forthcoming conferences and webinars View All Conferences
11th Annual IBA World Life Sciences Conference
11 Jun - 13 Jun 2025
Boston , USA
IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025
02 Nov - 07 Nov 2025
Toronto , Canada
IBA Annual Conference Copenhagen 2026
04 Oct - 09 Oct 2026
Copenhagen , Denmark
Publications
Navigating 2024: the Italian venture capital biotech market and the crucial role of intellectual property assets as a deal maker or deal breaker
This article aims to provide a preliminary outline of the major venture capital (VC) trends in the life sciences sector targeting Italian biotech companies, mainly operating in certain specific sub-segments, as a result of it being ascertained that the Italian life sciences market ranked as one of the most funded industries by VC in 2024. The article focuses on the importance of intellectual property (IP) assets in VC life science deals, through a discussion of how IP generally qualify as a ‘deal maker’ or ‘deal breaker’, capable of having a significative impacts on all the phases of VC deals: (1) related to the due diligence process and regardless of whether the biotech is the IP owner or uses such IP in the context of a licence agreement; (2) taking into account specific peculiarities of the Italian legal framework, such as the reform of the so-called abolition of the professor’s privilege; and (iii) with a focus on the contractual structure of VC deals, by pointing out some of the most common closing conditions and the market standards in terms of the release of IP representations and warranties.
Released on Jun 02, 2025
The regulation of cultivated meat in Singapore and the US: lessons for Mexico
Despite its potential, cultivated meat remains a novel and scarcely adopted technology. Its unfamiliar production methods raise valid questions about regulation and food safety. Since cultivated meat is derived from animals, yet produced through biotechnology, it falls outside traditional regulatory frameworks for either conventional meat or genetically modified organisms. This article explores how Singapore and the United States, the first two countries to approve the release of cultivated meat for the consumer market, have addressed these challenges and discusses the lessons Mexico can draw from their experience in the developing its own regulatory framework for cultivated meat.
Released on Jun 02, 2025
The innovation pipeline in Mexico’s food, biotech and pharmaceutical sectors
Mexico’s life sciences sector is shifting from rigid regulatory frameworks towards systems that foster innovation, while maintaining safety standards. Driven by trade agreements, regional cooperation and digital transformation, these changes create investment opportunities and market expansion, across food, biotech and pharmaceutical industries. This article examines how some key sectors benefit from modernisation and harmonised regulatory efforts and how Mexico is emerging as an active participant in shaping life sciences regulation throughout Latin America, rather than merely adopting external standards.
Released on Jun 02, 2025
Telemedicine in Germany: legal framework, challenges and perspectives
Telemedicine has become more important in Germany since the Covid-19 pandemic. Such services include video consultations, teleconsultations and remote monitoring. Although telemedicine is generally permitted, it is subject to strict legal requirements, particularly in the context of statutory health insurance. Professional regulations, advertising law and data protection regulations set clear obligations in this context. Cross-border treatment, liability and reimbursement are also important legal aspects. The current laws, such as the Digital Healthcare Act and EU regulations, support digital healthcare services. However, clearer framework conditions are still required to ensure legally compliant and efficient implementation of such services, particularly with regard to artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tools, which offer new opportunities, but also raise legal uncertainties.
Released on Jun 02, 2025
Projects
IBA Healthcare and Life Sciences Law Committee annual global surveys
Each year the Healthcare and Life Sciences Law Committee has produced a new comparative legal guide covering a highly relevant topic in over 50 countries. This guide is intended to offer practitioners and industry users easy access to the relevant applicable rules. In 2023, the Committee addressed questions related to telemedicine. In 2024, the Committee summarised the requirements for promoting pharmaceutical and medical devices in these countries.
Subcommittees and other groups
The Healthcare and Life Sciences Law Committee also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.
- Healthcare and Life Sciences Law Committee Advisory Board
Join us on LinkedIn
If you are a member of the Healthcare and Life Sciences Law Committee, for additional networking opportunities, programs, interviews with fellow members and tips all exclusive to members, join our LinkedIn page at: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9166617/.