The 5th Edition of Factor J Kicks Off

11/12/2024

4 min.

With Johnson & Johnson to explain the medicine of the future to youth.

According to Generation Z, scientific research (68%) and medicine (66%) are the sectors that will benefit the most from artificial intelligence (AI). In fact, youth have a strong trust in the use of AI for health, convinced that this technology will have a positive impact on the health of the future, making it more rapid (61%), organised (57%), efficient (50%) and personalised (50%). However, it will be fundamental to preserve human contact in cures (61%), pointing to the need for critical thinking by health professionals to fully integrate new technology (47%). This is the gist of the “Artificial Intelligence: A Resource for Health?” study conducted by SWG for Johnson & Johnson.

Introducing youth to the future of medicine is the objective of the fifth edition of Factor J, a project promoted by Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine Italia and the Fondazione Mondo Digitale ETS in scientific collaboration with the National Tumour Institute in Milan, an oncological reference point with great clinical and health achievements.

In this edition, Factor J, which in its previous versions has already involved over 300,000 Italian high school students, will also include local events, organised by some of the main general hospitals in Lombardy, Lazio, Emilia Romagna, and Campania. The meetings will serve as a bridge between students and health sector professionals, introducing students to how research and new technology are transforming the sector. Moreover, Johnson & Johnson employees will be involved in skills volunteering activities and accompany the students on various experiences, such as the visit to the J&J hub in Latina to discover how drugs are produced.

One of the innovations that will have the greatest influence on the future of medicine is artificial intelligence. It is a concept familiar to Generation Z (93%), who believe that it will have a primary role in a more rapid, efficient, and custom-tailored health system. Moreover, human contact will remain indispensable for two young people out of three.

While over half of youth (53%) affirm they know about AI in the health sector, the interest remains high to learn more about the topic (65%). The general attitude is very open in terms of AI and youth declare they are favourable to using it for instantaneous diagnosis (61%) and distance surgery (58%). Moreover, many believe that AI will play a fundamental role in addressing rare diseases (72%) and fighting cancer (67%).

Nonetheless, there still is a minority of sceptics: ca. one out of every three young people thinks that innovations that are already at work are “science fiction.” In fact, 37% of interviewees have doubts that tumours can be identified by the automatised analysis of medical imagery; 33% does not believe in the use of predictive models to identify outbreaks and health developments, and 27% is sceptic about systems that can analyse big sets of clinical and genetic data to identify new therapeutic molecules.

The event for the launch of Factor J at the Milan National Tumour Institute gathered many important institutional and scientific personalities, including:

Emanuele Monti, President, Welfare Commission and Health Commission, Lombardy Region
Gustavo Galmozzi, President, Fondazione IRCCS National Tumour Institute in Milan
Carlo Nicora, Director General, Fondazione IRCCS National Tumour Institute in Milan
Andrea Ferrari, paediatric oncologist
Carlo Alfredo Clerici, clinical psychology specialist
Arsela Prelaj, oncologist, researcher, and coordinator of the Artificial Intelligence Lab, National Tumour Institute
Mirta Michilli, Director General, Fondazione Mondo Digitale
Mario Sturion, CEO, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine ltalia
Giovanni Riccardi, Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence Director, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine ltalia.

During the event, a dedicated panel with Professors Andrea Ferrari, paediatric oncologist, and Carlo Alfredo Clerici, clinical psychology specialist, discussed their experience with the Progetto Giovani, an initiative dedicated to adolescent patients with cancer, started in 2011 by the Paediatric Oncology War of the Fondazione IRCCS National Tumour Institute in Milan.

Students from the following high schools also participated:

Jean Monnet - Mariano Comense, Como
Maserati - Voghera, Pavia
Istituto Maria Immacolata - Gorgonzola, Milano
Giovanni Giorgi - Milan
Schiaparelli-Gramsci - Milan

National Tumour Institute in Milan

The National Tumour Institute in Milan is a public scientific hospital and care institution, as well as the first oncology hospital founded in our country almost a century ago. Over the course of its long history, it has achieved significant goals in the clinical and healthcare fields, becoming a point of reference in oncological research. For over 90 years, it has stood out in the national rankings of oncology IRCCS, as per the scientific criteria of the Ministry of Health and represents an authoritative international partner for research and treatment of neoplasms, including the most common, rare, and paediatric ones. With a team of over 500 professionals dedicated to both clinical and research, the Institute is a centre of excellence for preclinical, translational, and clinical research, as well as for assistance and epidemiological activities. Recognized as a “Comprehensive Cancer Centre” by the Organization of European Cancer Institutes (OECI), it continues to lead important European projects in oncology, highlighting the importance of collaboration between institutes of excellence to address the challenge of therapies and improve the quality of life of patients.

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Statements

"Technological innovation, especially Artificial Intelligence, must not only excite and stimulate our curiosity, but it must also generate profound social responsibility. The transformation we are experiencing, especially in the field of health, offers extraordinary opportunities to improve our quality of life, but it is essential that we continually ask ourselves: Will this innovation contribute to a better world? Young people are the future of this change, and their involvement in technological challenges is crucial. Because it is through their education and participation that we can build a society in which technology, including AI, becomes a resource for the common good. The Lombardy Region is alongside young people on this journey, to ensure that the opportunities offered by technology are used in an ethical and responsible manner."

Emanuele Monti, President, Welfare Commission and Health Commission, Lombardy Region

"We are pleased to host the launch event of Factor J today and start scientific collaboration with the project. Our Institute has always been at the forefront of oncological research, contributing to the development of innovative therapies and surgical approaches that have marked significant progress in the fight against cancer. Scientific progress is the lifeblood of our reality, and we believe it is essential to transmit this passion to young people, stimulating their curiosity, and bringing them closer to the world of research. We hope that today's meeting will open a window onto a world that students may view as distant and arouse their enthusiasm to explore science and become protagonists of future innovation."

Gustavo Galmozzi, President, Fondazione IRCCS National Tumour Institute in Milan

“At Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, we are driven by the belief that innovation is the engine of change and the key to transforming the future of health. Today, thanks to technology like artificial intelligence, we are exploring extraordinary possibilities, opening new opportunities in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of diseases. With initiatives like Factor J, we want to inspire young people to become protagonists of this change, instilling in them a passion for science and the knowledge that technology can concretely improve people's lives. In 2023, we invested more than $15 billion globally in research and development, working on breakthrough therapies to address some of the most complex challenges in medicine. For us, innovating is not just about creating new treatments, but ensuring that scientific advances are accessible to all, because a healthier future is a better future for everyone.”

Mario Sturion, CEO, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine Italia

"Introducing the topic of health to schools, from equal access to care and innovative applications of artificial intelligence for diagnosis and therapy, is not just an educational challenge that expands and renews the course catalogue. It is a process of social innovation that we are building together with scientific institutions and patient associations, to address the great challenges of our times. With Factor J, year after year, we have been promoting a new, inclusive and participatory, culture of health, involving young people, women, men, doctors, experts, patients, and caregivers. Through school, we train the intelligence and collective sensitivity that is essential for research and for developing a future of fair and sustainable health for all."

Mirta Michilli, Director General, Fondazione Mondo Digitale ETS

Research

The study on “Artificial intelligence: A Resource for Health?” conducted by SWG for Johnson & Johnson (2024) involved a national sample of 1000 subjects, aged 18-74, representative of the Italian population by gender, age group, macro-area of residence, and educational qualification.

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Presentation on study

The 5th Edition of Factor J Kicks Off