The Key Takeaway from the AWS Life Sciences Symposium: Data Alone Is Not Enough—Evidence Matters

More than 1,000 leaders from healthcare and life sciences gathered in New York City on May 20–21, 2025, for the seventh annual AWS Life Sciences Symposium. The event brought together researchers, data scientists, regulatory experts, and business leaders to explore how real-world data (RWD) can be transformed into insights that drive critical decisions and improve patient outcomes. Throughout the two-day program, panel discussions, keynote sessions, and breakout conversations highlighted the increasing need to transform data into evidence that meets the highest scientific standards.

Moving Beyond Data to Generate Evidence That Matters

Dan Sheeran, General Manager of Healthcare and Life Sciences at AWS, delivered a keynote that set the tone for the symposium. He spoke about how the life sciences community is moving beyond collecting data for data’s sake and is now focused on creating evidence that stands up to scrutiny. This shift is essential, as research, regulation, and care decision-makers rely on data-driven insights to guide the development of new treatments, reimbursement models, and patient pathways. Sheeran emphasized that building decision-grade evidence requires partnerships and platforms that are both scientifically rigorous and technologically advanced.

Aetion was mentioned in the keynote as an example of how AWS partners build platforms that combine scientific rigor with advanced technology. Dan Sheeran highlighted Aetion’s work translating complex healthcare data into decision-grade evidence—a central symposium theme. Dr. Jeremy Rassen, Sc.D., Co-Founder and CEO of Aetion, added,

“At Aetion, we’re committed to translating the complexity of real-world data into evidence that decision-makers can trust. We focus on delivering the clarity and scientific discipline needed to inform better decisions—whether for patients, regulators, payers, or clinicians—to make the best choices for healthcare and people’s lives.”

Turning Complex Data into Clear Answers

Aetion’s approach begins with the understanding that RWD is valuable but challenging. Data from electronic health records, claims, and other sources contain essential signals but are often fragmented and complex to interpret. Our platform uses causal inference and proven scientific methods to turn this complexity into clear, actionable insights. By connecting the dots in patient journeys, we help ensure that evidence is statistically valid and meaningful for those making critical decisions.

These insights are essential for a range of stakeholders. Regulatory agencies need robust evidence to support approvals and labeling decisions. Payers and health technology assessment groups require clear evidence to determine coverage and reimbursement. Clinicians and researchers require insights to design more effective studies and understand the effectiveness of treatments in the real world. Aetion’s work supports all these decisions by providing a transparent, repeatable process for turning data into evidence.

Supporting Deeper Scientific Inquiry with AI and ML

The symposium also highlighted the role of technology in enhancing the efficiency and precision of scientific inquiry. At Aetion, we have integrated tools that strengthen the work of researchers and analysts. Aetion Measures Assistant for example, translates scientific questions into structured, operational definitions that can be tested and refined — replacing thousands of lines of code. This reduces the time and effort needed to move from a question to a validated cohort or study design.

These efforts were also featured in the AWS Machine Learning Blog, highlighting our work with Amazon Bedrock and generative AI. By using AI and ML in a thoughtful, scientifically grounded way, we can speed up the path from question to answer—without compromising quality or reliability.

A Broader Shift in Perspective Across Healthcare

The conversations at the AWS Life Sciences Symposium made it clear that data is no longer viewed as a static asset to be warehoused. Instead, it’s seen as the starting point for evidence that informs care, policy, and innovation. As RWD becomes more central to healthcare decisions, the demand for evidence that can withstand careful examination will grow significantly.

Decision-makers today need to be confident that the evidence they rely on is scientifically sound and directly relevant to their specific challenges. At Aetion, we understand this expectation and remain focused on meeting it with work that is rigorous, transparent, and grounded in real-world experience.

Building Confidence and Setting a Standard

Our commitment to this work involves combining scientific expertise, a deep understanding of healthcare decision-making, and the careful application of technology. Every analysis we produce is designed to be reproducible and defensible—qualities that matter when evidence is used to support everything from policy decisions to clinical pathways.

The AWS Life Sciences Symposium provided a glimpse into how far the field has advanced in developing systems that transform raw data into trusted insights. Aetion’s presence in these discussions reflects our belief that better evidence leads to better care—and that building it requires careful thinking, scientific rigor, and collaboration.

Join the Conversation

To learn more about how Aetion partners with organizations across healthcare to turn data into decision-grade evidence, contact us or visit our website. We are ready to work with you to address new questions, tackle new challenges, and continue to improve the decisions that shape patient care and healthcare systems.