Medical comms - Articles

This is the second of two articles written by Caroline Lock and Spencer Marsh at Only Medics Recruitment Ltd. In the last edition they looked at Recruitment 2010 and in this article they discuss Career Planning 2010.
Career Planning 2010 At the individual level, a fresh approach is needed for career planning as organisations gear up in 2010 and place yet more emphasis on finding the right ‘fit’ of individual for each role. Many physicians have been heard to say they have secured every job they have applied for. This may be true in a primary or secondary care setting but in the pharma sector it’s more competitive, Organisations, especially after the economic gloom of the past year, now take a tougher line with hiring decisions to ensure they offer to the right candidate. So what is a…

For over 75 years now, numerous Democratic Congressmen – and indeed several Presidents – have tried to pass something remotely resembling meaningful healthcare reform. For 75 years, they have failed. Back in 1993, Bill and Hillary Clinton’s failed ‘HillaryCare’ died with a whimper in the Senate and Mrs. Clinton was denied her chance at a second attempt by Mr. Obama in the Democratic primaries.
For over 75 years now, numerous Democratic Congressmen – and indeed several Presidents – have tried to pass something remotely resembling meaningful healthcare reform. For 75 years, they have failed. Back in 1993, Bill and Hillary Clinton’s failed ‘HillaryCare’ died with a whimper in the Senate and Mrs. Clinton was denied her chance at a second attempt by Mr. Obama in the Democratic primaries. In Nov…

‘You really need some more experience’. Perhaps the most ubiquitous phrase in modern day recruitment, thousands of graduates are now at the mercy of this one requirement as increasing competition in the job market leads to rising standards. Perhaps twenty, or even ten years ago, an undergraduate degree and a forceful sense of charisma might well have been enough to net you your first role in an industry.
‘You really need some more experience’. Perhaps the most ubiquitous phrase in modern day recruitment, thousands of graduates are now at the mercy of this one requirement as increasing competition in the job market leads to rising standards. Perhaps twenty, or even ten years ago, an undergraduate degree and a forceful sense of charisma might well have been enough to net you your first role…

Keynes called it an ‘inducement to invest’. In this instance, the most recent financial crisis has called for many of the same approaches used in the 1930s to stimulate the economy and bring industries back to their feet. Today more than ever, we realize that education is one of the most decisive facets of any successful stimulus.
A Call to Arms: Keynes called it an ‘inducement to invest’. In this instance, the most recent financial crisis has called for many of the same approaches used in the 1930s to stimulate the economy and bring industries back to their feet. Today more than ever, we realize that education is one of the most decisive facets of any successful stimulus. That’s why, alongside a whole host of other policies and schemes, the Economic Challenge Investment Fund (ECIF) manag…

At what point does a conflict of interests occur? Last year – and for many years before that – U.S. drugs companies paid out tens of millions of dollars in payments and gifts to physicians and academics. Earlier this year, the Pharmaceutical and Research Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) released a revised, and somewhat toughened, code of practice.
Some Background: At what point does a conflict of interests occur? Last year – and for many years before that – U.S. drugs companies paid out tens of millions of dollars in payments and gifts to physicians and academics. Earlier this year, the Pharmaceutical and Research Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) released a revised, and somewhat toughened, code of practice. Their attempts to target the flow of payments and gifts to doctors has resulted…

Over the past year or so, the system for issuing VISAs and work permits in the UK has changed dramatically. A knowledge of the practical implications of the new system will be vital for anyone hoping to bring their skills to the pharmaceutical industry in this country
Over the past year or so, the system for issuing VISAs and work permits in the UK has changed dramatically. A knowledge of the practical implications of the new system will be vital for anyone hoping to bring their skills to the pharmaceutical industry in this country. For years the system was governed by separate sets of rules for everyone. Be it a doctor, a banker or a student, there were different and complex sets of rules for each and every profession - with over 80 different pathways in total.After several years in the ma…

The phrase Halcyon days is a literary commonplace in the English language English language and culture, signifying ideals of prosperity, bonhomie, joy, liberation, or tranquility. I can testify to experiencing all these sentiments having worked in Clinical R&D for nearing 30 years. I'm not so certain we'll ever return to the same again though.
The phrase Halcyon days is a literary commonplace in the English language English language and culture, signifying ideals of prosperity, bonhomie, joy, liberation, or tranquility. I can testify to experiencing all these sentiments having worked in Clinical R&D for nearing 30 years. I'm not so certain we'll ever return to the same again though. We face continuing readjustment for another 12 months for sure as industry realigns portfolios and merge…

At the Financial Times Global Pharmaceutical and Biotech Conference this week, the keynote address was given by M. Chris Viehbacher, Chief Executive Officer of Sanofi-aventis.
At the Financial Times Global Pharmaceutical and Biotech Conference this week, the keynote address was given by M. Chris Viehbacher, Chief Executive Officer of Sanofi-aventis. In the context of global financial meltdown, three industry mega mergers, and the usual challenges facing ‘Big Pharma’ it was bound to be interesting to hear the perspective of an industry heavyweight such as Chris, who prior to Sanofi-aventis, was a member of the board of GSK, and President of its Pharmaceutical Operations in North America.And what he thinks certainly will matter to Sanofi-aventis. As he describes the role of CEO “You’ve got y…

We're having a fascinating day at the Financial Times Global Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology conference on London.
One of the most interesting commentaries today came from Jean-Luc Bélingard, CEO of Ipsen. Jean-Luc stated that in his view, for the pharmaceutical segment, ‘Demand is infinite’ – with no therapeutic cure for the mahority of diseases. Take diabetes for example – we can treat it, to a large extent, but we can’t cure it. This makes the pharma and interesting market, and this, with all of the other changes and challenges in the segment, does pose challenges for the survival and growth of individual pharmaceutical corporates. Paul Hartigan, CEO of PharmiWeb Solutions, asked Jean-Luc if he was confident therefore in the future for the industry. (Mr Bélingard started his career at…

The craving for cheap drugs has never been greater. For those patients and policymakers in developing countries, the existence of parallel imports is less a concern than a blessing. Yet for pharmaceutical companies themselves, there is the concern that an increasing trade in parallel imports would severely damage research-intensive activities and ultimately slow down the development of the very same drugs that are being traded in ‘grey’ markets today.
The craving for cheap drugs has never been greater. For those patients and policymakers in developing countries, the existence of parallel imports is less a concern than a blessing. Yet for pharmaceutical companies themselves, there is the concern that an increasing trade in parallel imports would severely damage research-intensive activities…

Weekly Swine Flu Update for the Week Ending November 1st.
The past few weeks have been something of a medical paradox. Yes, the number of cases is increasing, but it is doing so somewhat more steadily than first anticipated. The full brunt of the highly anticipated ‘second wave’ is more likely to come towards the end of December and into the heat of the winter season. Conversely, while there hasn’t been a terrible spike in the number of cases, more people are being hospitalized with the virus. Hospitals too are beginning to feel the strain. Speaking on BBC 1’s the Andrew Marr Show, the UK’s Chief Medical Officer, Sir. Liam Donaldson said "What we are seeing is that while most people generally get a mild illness, a small proportion of people are getting very serious illnesses”. And while…

Ever since the H1N1 virus first came onto the world map in April, ‘Where’s the vaccine?’ has been the cardinal question on everybody’s lips. As world governments scrambled to control the outbreak, supranational bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) threw themselves at the task of producing weekly updates for a virus which we originally knew very little about.
Ever since the H1N1 virus first came onto the world map in April, ‘Where’s the vaccine?’ has been the cardinal question on everybody’s lips. As world governments scrambled to control the outbreak, supranational bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) threw themselves at the task of producing weekly updates for a virus which we originally knew very little about. Their efforts rendered the first wave of the virus…

It is frightening because no one knows what's causing it, said a 28-year old law student who went to the St. Mark's Clinic in Greenwich Village last week complaining of swollen glands, thought to be one early symptom of the disease. Every week a new theory comes out about how you're going to spread it. - The New York Times , August 8th 1982.
"It is frightening because no one knows what's causing it, said a 28-year old law student who went to the St. Mark's Clinic in Greenwich Village last week complaining of swollen glands, thought to be one early symptom of the disease. Every week a new theory comes out about how you're going to spread it." - The New York Times , August 8th 1982. Unaccompanied by anything like a true understanding of the virus until years later – or even a proper name for…

A meta-analysis of the CRYSTAL and OPUS studies involving 845 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) tumours displaying the wild-type KRAS gene, has revealed first-line treatment with Erbitux (cetuximab) and FOLFOX4 or FOLFIRI chemotherapy significantly extends overall survival.
A meta-analysis of the CRYSTAL and OPUS studies involving 845 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) tumours displaying the wild-type KRAS gene, has revealed first-line treatment with Erbitux (cetuximab) and FOLFOX4 or FOLFIRI chemotherapy significantly extends overall survival. Median survival was around four months greater in Erbitux and chemotherapy-treated patients than in those receiving chemotherapy alone.A new meta-analysis presented for the first time at the joint 15th European Cancer…

Hardly a day goes by without a new report, today AT Kearney, last week Roland Berger and before them IMS and PWC warning of a gloomy future for pharmaceutical companies and saying that they must change their ways.
Hardly a day goes by without a new report, today AT Kearney, last week Roland Berger and before them IMS and PWC warning of a gloomy future for pharmaceutical companies and saying that they must change their ways. Pharma’ has responded by restructuring, re-focussing, divesting, merging, laying off etc., but all of these are, I would argue, tinkering with the existing model. Like re-painting the sides of a horse drawn cart when it is in the middle of a six lane motorway junction with the traffic going past at 70 mph.... and one of the highways in the junction is the conversation…

Medical animation is increasinlgy being employed by pharmaceutical companies to explain the scientific rationale behind their products.
Why animation? Most people are familiar with animation technology from the film and computer game industries, but its use extends well beyond these areas due to its ability to capture an audience’s attention and maintain it. One of the fields in which it is rapidly growing in popularity is healthcare. It has been used as part of training programs for healthcare personnel, such as to demonstrate complex invasive techniques. However, one of the fastest growing uses of this technology is in the pharmaceutical industry.Pharmaceutical companies are mainly interested in producing mechanism of action (MOA) animations to support their drugs, since they often have c…

In the eyes of many graduates, the economic recession has brought a new-found negativity to the job market. Thankfully, the climate is probably less dire than the situation sometimes imagined.
In the eyes of many graduates, the economic recession has brought a new-found negativity to the job market. Indeed, over the past 12 months, articles talking down the prospects of new graduates have become ubiquitous in the media. Where these kinds of stories haven’t dominated the front pages, they have been replaced by the news of failed businesses and banks, rising unemployment figures and an array of reactive monetary policy adjustments that some thought would never come. If you’d listened to the heads of central banks in the years before the crisis - notably Alan Greenspan and then Ben Bernanke at…

More than half of schizophrenia patients are expected to relapse within two years if untreated and 4 out of 5 within five years, according to experts. Antipsychotics can reduce the relapse rate so long as patients continue on treatment. However, adherence is notoriously poor. A new antippsychotic – asenapine – shows promise of being effective and better tolerated.
More than half of schizophrenia patients are expected to relapse within two years if untreated and 4 out of 5 within five years, according to experts. Antipsychotics can reduce the relapse rate so long as patients continue on treatment. However, adherence is notoriously poor. A new antippsychotic – asenapine – shows promise of being effective and better tolerated. The prospect of an antipsychotic drug that keeps schizophrenia pat…

Weekly Swine Flu Update for the Week Ending September 4th.
Week 36 of the Swine Flu outbreak has witnessed a substantial amendment to the government’s fatality predictions, with the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) reporting markedly lowered predictions of H1N1 related deaths. Specifically, the government’s experts now anticipate approximately 19,000 deaths in the worst case scenario – a significant fall from the previous figure of 65,000 fatalities that was given in July. Both figures function under the assumption that 30% of the population would be infected should the virus surge during the autumn and winter months. While the number of new cases continues to fall – with around 4,500 new cases reported for last week, compared to 5,000 cases for the week before and a z…

Max Golby, Freelance Journalist, takes a look at the history of the e-Detailing market, considers what the e-Detail of the future might look like and asks what marketing departments can learn from an academic analysis of the instrument.
The History of e-Detailing: Call it what you will - e-Detailing, e-Marketing or e-Business - now almost a decade on from the days of the dot-com predictions - and a time when the temerity that surrounded the birth of the medium was in full-flow - the e-Detail has proven itself as one of the most cost-effective, growth intensive strategies available to healthcare professionals. For many physicians, the e-Detail quickly asserted itself as a more informative - and cost effective - alternative to the sales representative. Far more than just another email in t…