European Public Health Conference 2025 (EuroHealthNet speaking)
The 18th European Public Health Conference will be held in Helsinki, Finland, from 11 – 14 November 2025. The conference theme is 'Investing for sustainable health and well-being.'
The main conference takes place from 12 – 14 November, with a pre-conference on 11 November.
Plenary Session hosted by EuroHealthNet: Tackling Political and Commercial Determinants through Policy and Governance
Thursday, 13 November, 14:00 – 15:00 (local time)
Over the past two decades, public health has rightly focused on social, environmental, healthcare, and behavioural determinants of health. However, these determinants are shaped by political decisions and the structures of the institutions where those decisions are made.
To understand what drives health outcomes, we must examine how wealth and power shape political agendas, how corporate political practices influence policy, and how both elected representatives and the political systems they operate in are often aligned with commercial priorities. Voting patterns, lobbying practices, corruption, and revolving doors between industry and government all contribute to shaping policy environments in ways that can support or undermine public health.
The role of technology and social media further complicates this landscape, as both are increasingly leveraged by powerful actors to shape public opinion and policy debates. At the same time, political systems often lack transparency in their dealings with private interests, limiting public accountability. These dynamics create feedback loops where political decisions protect commercial interests, and commercial practices reinforce political inertia or resistance.
In this session, we will explore these interconnected determinants of health and their effects on health equity. We will then discuss strategies to counter these forces and promote a healthier, more equitable society.
Our plenary will feature the following speakers and panellists.
- Sandro Galea, Dean of the School of Public Health, Washington University, United States
- Anna Gilmore, Professor of Public Health, Director of the Tobacco Research Group, University of Bath, United Kingdom
- Aki Lindén, Member of Parliament, Finland
- Mika Salminen, Director-General Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Finland
- Dóra Gudrún Gudmundsdóttir, Director Public Health, Directorate of Health, Iceland
Other sessions
In addition to the plenary session, EuroHealthNet is involved in several other sessions throughout the conference:
15:15-16:15 - Pre-conference: School health literacy: new challenges and solutions
15:15-16:15 - Round table: Creating climate and health-friendly buildings
16:45-17:45 - Practice session: Reimagining how to plan investment in health promotion and disease prevention
15:15-16:15 - Scientific session: Unlocking the true value of best practice portals: boosting their impact across Europe
15:15-16:15 - Round table: Implementation of tailored interventions for vaccine uptake: Engaging underserved communities
9:00-10:00 - Scientific session: Exploring social prescribing as a pathway to enhance equitable integrated care for migrants
14:00-15:00 - EuroHealthNet plenary session: Tackling political and commercial determinants of health through policy and governance
15:15-16:15 - Scientific session: Addressing Commercial Determinants of Health in National Institutes for Public Health across Europe
16:45-17:45 - Practice session: Sustainable implementation of public health actions matters – The case of JA PreventNCD
14:00-15:00 - Skills building seminar: Health Impact Assessment – integrating equity and inequality
Meet us at our booth
Meet our team, explore our projects promoting health equity, and discover ways to collaborate.
Find more about the conference here.
