Pf Magazine April 2018 by E4H Ltd

April 2018 PHARMAFI E LD.CO.U K

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WELCOME

EDITOR

John Pinching john@pharmafield.co.uk A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R

Amy Schofield amy@pharmafield.co.uk C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R

Emma Warfield emma@pharmafield.co.uk COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR

Hazel Lodge hazel@pharmafield.co.uk SALES & MARKETING MANAGER

Rachel Cresswell rachel@pharmafield.co.uk FINANCIAL CONTROLLER

Fiona Beard finance@e4h.co.uk P f AWA R D S

Melanie Hamer melanie@e4h.co.uk PUBLISHER

Karl Hamer karl@e4h.co.uk pharmafield.co.uk e4h.co.uk @pharmafield @pharmajobsuk HEAD OFFICE

Spirella Building Bridge Road Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 4ET United Kingdom Cover illustration by Alex Buccheri alexbuccheri.com The content of and information contained in this magazine are the opinions of the contributors and/or the authors of such content and/or information. Events4Healthcare accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss, cost, claim or expense arising from any reliance on such content or information. Users should independently verify such content or information before relying on it. The Publisher (Events4Healthcare) and its Directors shall not be responsible for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies within the publication, or within other sources that are referred to within the magazine. The Publisher provides the features and advertisements on an ‘as is’ basis, without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability or fi tness for a particular purpose, other than those warranties that are implied by and capable of exclusion, restriction, or modification under the laws applicable to this agreement. No copying, distribution, adaptation, extraction, reutilisation or other exploitation (whether in electronic or other format and whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes) may take place except with the express permission of the Publisher and the copyright owner (if other than the Publisher).

Letter from the Editor

n 2012 a relatively unknown chap called Jeremy Hunt was appointed Health Secretary and, at the same time, I became Editor of Pf Magazine. Indeed, he was the subject of my first cover story and I interviewed him shortly after. Now, as I bid a fond farewell to this publication, and reflect on the past six years, it is with some amazement that I find Jeremy still there, and with no intention of going anywhere else! It is fitting, therefore, that one of our features in my last edition looks at how he has managed to stay put, and with an extended job title. In the final analysis, the aspect of my role which I will miss most is meeting the people of this incredible industry. I can honestly say that I have been inspired by everyone I have encountered and, according to my finely-tuned judgement of character, all of you have been motivated simply by making a difference. The pieces I have really relished producing for you have been my ‘Coffee Break’ interviews, which have most emphasised the force for good that pharma can bring. I have spoken to AIDS survivors, people with cancer, transplant patients, brain surgeons, politicians, transgender activists, healthcare tech pioneers, app developers, professors, scientists and, of course, trail blazers from across pharma. These conversations have given me a greater scope of the human condition and its complexities than I could possibly have imagined. Finally, as I leave you with a highly-absorbing and infinitely thoughtprovoking instalment of the mag, I would like to thank my three endlessly insightful columnists David, Deborah and Claudia, while also expressing my gratitude to all the many contributors that have so passionately shared their views over the years. For me, in the great blister pack of life, it’s time to take a dose of wonderful new opportunities. I will, however, be a keen observer as Pf Magazine begins its exciting integration into digital. Until we meet again, have a cosmic day,

The information contained in this magazine and/or any accompanying brochure is intended for sales and marketing professionals within the healthcare industry, and not the medical profession or the general public.

Pf Magazine is published monthly. For a free U.K. subscription visit pharmafield.co.uk/subscribe.

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M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 1

CONTENTS Bringing you this month’s essential headlines

MAGA ZINE

April

C OV E R S TO RY

The biggest and best Pf Awards ever POLITICS

Vicky Whitehead on health and social care OPINION

Deborah Evans on pharmacy frustration COFFEE BREAK

Adele Paterson on the life-saving work of IHP

HAVE YOUR SAY: If you’d like to share an idea for a feature or collaborate with us on a captivating advertorial, please get in contact. GET IN TOUCH: hello@pharmafield.co.uk

OPINION

Are bad habits a help or hindrance to the NHS?

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Pf Magazine

OPINION

David Thorne on pharma not recognising folk F E AT U R E

Treatment, hope and stats for bowel cancer

BE IN THE KNOW.

F E AT U R E

A week in the life of a modern pharma pro F E AT U R E

Are some NHS trusts failing their patients?

FI E LD.C

December 2017

PHA RMA

OPINION

O.U K

03 08 12 15 16 18 19 22 28 30 34 36 38 40

N E WS

Getting a new role after decades can be tough M OV E R S & S H A K E R S

Who’s going where and why they’re going there P H A R M ATA L E N T

Tracey Huddey describes her German Odyssey P H A R M ATA L E N T

To request a FREE print subscription for your workplace, or to sign up to our weekly newsletters for the essential headlines, Jobs of the Week, PharmaTalent and thought-provoking features, visit pharmafield.co.uk/subscribe This issue and all past issues of Pf Magazine can be viewed online at issuu.com/pfmagazine

How to make an impression at an assessment centre

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P f N E WS : B R IN G IN G YOU TH I S M O NTH ' S E SS ENTI A L H E A D LIN E S

PA R T N E R S H I P S

HUMAN AFTER ALL A collaboration between Medicines Discovery Catapult and Tissue Solutions aims to unlock UK human tissue samples for drug discovery research, supporting UK companies and biobanks in the future. The organisations will work together to help UK companies and biobanks collaborate on medical research projects using consented UK human biological samples including tissue, blood and urine. Tissue Solutions, a Scottish provider of ethically sourced human samples required for preclinical drug development and research, will work with the Medicines Discovery Catapult to help UK SMEs and biobanks work together on medical research projects. A recent report published by the Medicines Discovery Catapult and the BioIndustry Association found that 93% of UK SMEs

DIABETES

Tale of our times

considered access to NHS biosamples for commercial development as hugely important, yet 64% had difficulty in accessing UK tissue samples for medical research. In turn, access difficulties lead to 75% of diagnostic SMEs using non-UK sample sources instead. The partnership is a two-year commitment supporting the use of consented human samples from UK patients for medical research and development. The partnership complements Medicines Discovery Catapult’s current collaboration with the UK’s Tissue Directory and Coordination Centre, which will make consented samples easier to find. Chris Molloy, Chief Executive of the Medicines Discovery Catapult, said: “We must ensure SMEs involved in drug discovery are given all they need to maintain the UK’s strong heritage position in medicines R&D.”

he number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has more than doubled in the last 20 years, according to analysis from Diabetes UK. The figures show that there are now almost 3.7 million people living with a diagnosis of the condition in the UK, an increase of 1.9 million since 1998. The data also shows that the number of people diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes has increased by almost 100,000 since last year – from 3,590,501 to 3,689,509. Almost nine in 10 people were diagnosed with Type 2, and it is estimated that there are nearly 1 million people currently living with the condition who don’t know they have it. Counting this undiagnosed population, the total number of people living with diabetes has reached 4.6 million.

Pf View: It is vital that organisations like the Medicines Discovery Catapult can identify areas which will vitalise healthcare delivery in the UK. Check out my interview with the Catapult’s Mark Samuels in March Pf Magazine.

There are an estimated 12.3 million people at increased risk of Type 2 diabetes in the UK, and obesity is the leading cause in the majority of preventable cases. Chris Askew, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said: “We want the Government to recognise the seriousness of the growing diabetes crisis, take action to help those at increased risk, and help us turn the tables on this devastating condition.” Pf View: The figures don’t lie and, even without undiagnosed cases, the global catastrophe of diabetes is stark. This condition is the 21st Century’s great leveller and pharma’s job is as much to prevent and educate, as it is to cure.

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VAC C I N E S .

CELL UP Seqirus has announced plans to commercialise its novel cell-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIVc) across Europe. The company expects QIVc to be the first four-strain, cellbased seasonal influenza vaccine licensed in Europe. QIVc was licensed in the U.S. by the FDA in 2016 and is manufactured in cell lines, not eggs. Recent laboratory studies have shown that some influenza viruses undergo changes when they are grown in eggs, possibly impacting the effectiveness of traditional egg-based influenza vaccines. These changes are not observed in influenza viruses cultured in cells, leading to the hypothesis that cellbased influenza vaccines may offer better protection against influenza in some seasons. Seqirus has submitted a Marketing Authorisation Application for QIVc to the EMA and is preparing for launch in European countries in the 2019-20 influenza season. The company is seeking an initial age indication of four years and above for QIVc and has begun additional clinical studies to achieve an age indication of six months plus.

ANTIMICROBIAL . R E S I S TA N C E .

KNOW YOUR ABAC

ebiopharm Group has announced an investment in antibiotic development with the acquisition of a minority stake in ABAC Therapeutics. The investment was made through the Debiopharm Innovation Fund and illustrates the synergy between the group companies in the fight against the growing threat of antibimicrobial resistance. Debiopharm International, the drug development company of the group,

VAC C I N E S .

Catchpole position

The ABPI has expressed concern that recommendations in the consultation on the Cost-effectiveness Methodology for Immunisation Programmes and Procurement (CEMIPP) would impact negatively on the health of the nation by making it harder for people to access vaccines on the NHS. Concerns about the methodology used to assess immunisation programmes were first raised during the appraisal of the vaccine for Meningococcal B. According to the ABPI, the CEMIPP recommendations if implemented would achieve the opposite of what 800,000 petitioners called for. The ABPI welcomed the commitment to a public consultation on the recommendations of the report and commented that it was vital that views of a wide range of stakeholders were fully considered before a decision was made. Dr Paul Catchpole, Value & Access Director at the ABPI, said: “The UK currently has a world-leading immunisation programme, so it is profoundly concerning that proposals to introduce stricter hurdles are even being considered.”

is developing targeted antibiotics that represent the future of treating bacterial infections. Its pipeline is based on afabicin (Debio 1450), the first selective antibiotic against Staphylococci, currently in advanced development for skin and bone infections, as well as two earlier stage projects against multidrug-resistant pathogens. ABAC’s PasNas research platform makes it possible to identify new targeted molecules, and their most advanced programme targets

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Acinetobacter, whose resistant forms are at the origin of many infections. Their research skills are complementary to Debiopharm’s expertise in pharmaceutical development. Thierry Mauvernay, President of Debiopharm Group, said: “We are delighted with our investment in ABAC. Just like us, ABAC is tackling antibiotic resistance.”

P f N E WS : B R IN G IN G YOU TH I S M O NTH ' S E SS ENTI A L H E A D LIN E S OVA R I A N C A N C E R

Lynparza lift PA R T N E R S H I P S

VOYAGE INTO THE UNKNOWN

bbVie and Voyager Therapeutics have entered into an exclusive strategic collaboration and option agreement to develop and commercialise vectorised antibodies directed against tau for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. The collaboration combines AbbVie’s monoclonal antibody expertise, global clinical development and commercial capabilities with Voyager’s gene therapy platform and expertise that enables generating adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors. In healthy individuals, tau is an abundant protein in the brain that promotes cellular stability and function. In the diseased brain, altered tau accumulates, resulting in impaired brain function and neuronal cell loss. One of the current limitations with the use of weekly or bi-weekly infusions of biologic therapies is that only a small amount of drug can make its way into the brain. This collaboration seeks to develop a potential one-time treatment using Voyager’s gene therapy platform to reduce tau pathology through the delivery of an AAV vector antibody that encodes the genetic instructions to produce anti-tau antibodies within the brain.

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion recommending a marketing authorisation of Lynparza (olaparib) tablets for patients with certain types of peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy. Lynparza is recommended for treatment in this setting regardless of patients’ BRCA mutation status. The CHMP recommendation is based on two randomised trials, SOLO-2 and Study 19, which showed Lynparza reduced the risk of disease progression or death for platinum-sensitive relapsed patients compared to placebo. The first poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor approved, Lynparza was initially licensed as a capsule formulation. The new tablet will reduce dosing from eight capsules twice daily to two tablets during the same period. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca and MSD are working together to bring Lynparza to more patients across multiple cancers.

H C V I N F EC T I O N

SOF are so good NICE has issued a technology appraisal guidance for Gilead Science’s Vosevi (sofosbuvir, ‘SOF/VEL/VOX’), a 12-week treatment regimen for patients with any genotype of chronic HCV infection, without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis, who have previously failed therapy with a directacting antiviral (DAA) – containing regimen. SOF/VEL/VOX fulfils an unmet need for people who have had unsuccessful treatment with DAA and represents the best hope of a cure for this population of people with HCV. In January, NHS England announced its commitment to being the first country in the world to eliminate hepatitis C by 2025. The availability of SOF/VEL/VOX is a critical step towards this goal, as treatments for all people infected with HCV are now available, regardless of genotype, disease state or treatment status. Vosevi is Gilead’s fourth sofosbuvirbased treatment to be recommended for the treatment of chronic HCV infection, complementing the existing portfolio.

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RARE DISEASE

Life maps Shire, Microsoft and EURORDISRare Diseases Europe have announced a strategic alliance to address the diagnostic challenge for patients living with a rare disease. The long road to diagnosis is one of the most important issues affecting the health, longevity and wellbeing for rare disease patients and their families. The Global Commission to End the Diagnostic Odyssey for Children (aka the Global Commission) is a multidisciplinary group of experts with the creativity, technological expertise and commitment required to make a major difference in the lives of millions of children and their families. It will develop an actionable roadmap to help the rare disease field to shorten the multi-year diagnostic journey, considered a key to a longer,

PA R T N E R S H I P S .

SWITCHED ON TABLETS

healthier life. Within its roadmap, the Global Commission will also offer recommendations designed to address core barriers preventing timely diagnosis impacting all rare disease patients, of which approximately half are children. The Global Commission will bring together a group of technology innovators, patient advocates, healthcare providers, researchers, family members and other experts from around the world to tackle one of the most serious challenges within the rare disease space. Over the course of 2018, it will gather input from patients, their families, and other expert advisors to gain additional key insights to help speed up the rare disease diagnosis timeline.

ecipharm has signed a licensing agreement with Canadian drug development company Altus Formulation to allow its customers to access new drug delivery technologies and products. Under the terms of the agreement, Recipharm will co-develop new medicines for its customers utilising Altus’ patented INTELLITAB and FLEXITAB drug delivery technologies.

BREAST CANCER

Not NICE enough Halaven (eribulin) continues to be available for the treatment of adults with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have progressed after at least two chemotherapeutic regimens. This comes about even though recent guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is not recommending eribulin for use in an earlier setting. Eribulin emerged in 2011 but, more recently, NICE has been assessing eribulin for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer after one chemotherapy regimen. Approximately 55,200 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in England each year, of whom one third subsequently develop metastatic disease. Only 15% of women with metastatic breast cancer survive beyond five years. Gary Hendler, Chief Commercial Officer Eisai Oncology Business Group, Chairman and CEO Eisai EMEA, said:“As a company focused on making a positive difference to the lives of patients and their families, NICE’s decision concerns us greatly. Thankfully patients can still access eribulin in the third line.” The treatment is currently approved in 64 countries around the world including all of the European Union, Canada, United States, Russia, Switzerland, South Korea, Japan and Singapore.

INTELLITAB is a novel misuse and abuse deterrent technology that mitigates the dangers of over-exposure to opioids. The tablets are hardened to resist cutting, crushing and chewing, common methods to accelerate drug release, and spontaneously form hard, stable gels in a range of solvents, to deter injection. FLEXITAB is a commercially validated extended release technology enabling alcohol resistant tablets that maintain their performance after breaking

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to generate bio-equivalent lower strength tablets. The technology can be used to generate novel enhanced generic tablets and to increase the value of existing non-breakable extended release products. Bernard Pluta, President Development Services at Recipharm, said: “This collaboration enables us to bring innovative drug delivery technologies to our customers and develop novel, safer and costeffective new products.”

P f N E WS : B R IN G IN G YOU TH I S M O NTH ' S E SS ENTI A L H E A D LIN E S

LICENSING . AG R E E M E N T S

PHARMAMARVELLOUS

DEMENTIA

Time at the bar A study published in the Lancet Public Health has suggested that alcohol abuse addiction disorders are a major risk factor for dementia, specifically early onset dementia. Research from the Translational Health Economics Network in France studied 57,000 people with early-onset dementia in a database of hospital admissions. The research found that 39% of these people had dementia that was directly caused by an alcohol abuse disorder and a further 18% had a diagnosis of alcohol addiction alongside dementia. Dr Doug Brown, Chief Policy and Research Officer at Alzheimer’s Society said: “This study suggests that alcohol abuse disorders may be responsible for more cases of early-onset dementia than previously thought. “But because this study only looked at hospital admissions, and was based in France, we would need further research in other healthcare settings. This study in no way suggests that moderate alcohol intake could cause early-onset dementia.” Pf View: These are the painstaking steps necessary to understanding and reacting to a global epidemic. Importantly, experts outside the studies are striking the critical notes of caution and thus opening debate.

PharmaMar has announced the signing of an exclusive licensing agreement with Seattle Genetics under which the former receives exclusive worldwide rights to certain PharmaMar proprietary molecules for the development, manufacture and commercialisation of antibody-drug conjugates and other drug conjugates incorporating PharmaMar payloads. According to the terms of the agreement, PharmaMar receives an upfront payment of $5,000,000 on signing. In addition, the company is eligible for potential approval and sales milestones as well as royalties. Marine Payloads are new, structurally diverse molecules with novel mechanisms of action that provide a unique opportunity to develop next generation ADCs. These payloads are highly potent, with sub-nanomolar cytotoxic activity. ADCs are targeted cancer treatments designed to harness the specificity of antibodies to deliver cell-killing agents directly to cancer cells. Luis Mora, Managing Director of PharmaMar’s Oncology Business Unit, said: “We are glad to sign this license agreement with Seattle Genetics, because it allows us to work together in these cutting-edge cancer treatments.”

Quick doses N I C E issues final appraisal decision recommending reimbursement of E I S A I ’s Lenvima (lenvatinib) for treatment of progressive, locally advanced or metastatic, differentiated thyroid carcinoma, refractory to radioactive iodine. • A S TR A Z E N E C A & M S D announce granting of Orphan Drug Designation by FDA for selumetinib, a MEK 1/2 inhibitor, for the treatment of incurable genetic condition neurofibromatosis type 1. • E M A accepts Marketing Authorisation Variation for A S TR A Z E N E C A’s Forxiga (dapagliflozin) for use as an oral adjunct treatment to insulin in adults with type-1 diabetes.

A S TR A Z E N E C A & M E D I M M U N E announce FDA approval of Imfinzi for treatment of patients with unresectable Stage III non-small cell lung cancer whose disease has not progressed following concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy and radiation therapy. • New data demonstrate long-term skin clearance in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis treated with JA N S S E N ’s TREMFYA (guselkumab). • S COT TI S H M E D I C I N E S CO N S O R TI U M recommends restricted use of M E R C K’s MAVENCLAD as option for treating adults with highly active relapsing MS as defined by clinical or imaging features.

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 7

First in class

The Pf Awards have become a symbol of high ambition and the 2018 ceremony witnessed yet more dreams become a startling reality.

WORDS BY

John Pinching

or nearly two decades, pharma’s finest have made their way to London, hoping to get their hands on a sacred Pf Award and thus send a profound message to the world that they have truly arrived. For winners, the feeling of having their name announced stays with them forever. In many ways it represents the very point at which life changes and their destiny is rerouted for good. To look at the complete list of winners over the past decades is to look at careers which blossomed, ambitions that flourished and hundreds of promotions that were glitteringly achieved. For some, it was achievement enough to make it through the Assessment Day in one piece. For others, the only focus was to finish the night on a high – overcoming one last hurdle and seeing their name in lights. Dare they dream? At the Royal Lancaster Hotel – home of the Pf Awards for several years – there was the usual, unmistakable cocktail of nervous anticipation, the absolutely deafening sound of industry personnel catching up with one another and the sheer joy of being present at the undisputed number one event for recognising industry sales talent. Perhaps the biggest difference was the sheer size and scale this year. It was by far our grandest Pf Awards ever.

8 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

C E NTR E S TAG E Pf Awards host Hal Cruttenden, star of stand-up comedy and at least three dozen panel shows, revelled in his role and seemed very at home with the buoyant pharma crowd. It was gratifying to note that the resonating laughter came from a truly diverse pharma audience. This welcome shift was duly evidenced in the rollcall of winners and, very clearly, our industry is a much better place for it. As the victors picked up their awards it was also appropriate that on International Women’s Day, two women were double award winners. Meanwhile, so many of our champions represented the exuberance

of youth and the vitality of different backgrounds and different industries. Furthermore, the new breed of ‘pharmillennials’ have the confidence to demonstrate what they’ve got now – for them, the future is very much in the present. This is an industry we can be immensely proud of. We are inclusive, we are progressive, we are finally in every sense what we always claimed to be – a truly global industry. Hold onto your hats, folks, there has never been a greater time to work in pharma.

COVER STORY

Clockwise from top left: The biggest Pf Awards to date; the grand staircase at the Royal Lancaster Hotel; guests enjoying pre-dinner drinks in the Nine Kings Suite; Melanie Hamer, Director of the Pf Awards, launching the evening’s celebrations.

TO O G O O D TO M I S S : A J U D G E ’ S P E R S P E C TI V E Kathy Toogood is Director at Strengths Focused Leadership

R TE S TI N G TI M E S After months of preparation for the Assessment Day, one thing that no one could have envisaged arrived – ‘The Beast from the East’. The country was buried in a duvet of snow; 20 inches in some places, four-foot-high snow drifts in others. While many were just about able to dig their way to the venue, some were left, quite literally, stuck behind doors; jammed shut by the unforgiving ice. Mercifully, this is the era of multichannels in pharma, and the ‘r’ word came to the rescue. E4H’s Melanie Hamer, Director of the Pf Awards since their conception, explained: “This year my team and I were tested during the Pf Awards Assessment Day in Leicester, but despite the snowfall covering the UK, the occasion was a great success. For the first time, there were remote candidates and remote judges, combined with site-based candidates and judges, all participating in the rigorous assessment process.” Evidently, these days our candidates are as skilled from 100 miles away as they are from five yards.

emarkably, despite the sub-zero temperatures, lots of judges did arrive on the day. We waited with anticipation to hear which category we would be assessing, and if our candidates would be in the room or dialling in remotely. With expert organisation by E4H, and a highly positive attitude by all, every submission was assessed, whether virtually or in person. This was my first year as an assessor and I was extremely impressed by the professionalism demonstrated by every candidate. They all conducted their presentations confidently and seamlessly. The presentations evidenced the exceptional work pharma employees are doing to enhance people’s health and there was no mistaking that the patient was the core focus for every case study. The standard was consistently high, with everyone demonstrating outstanding achievements, so the assessment criteria were invaluable in ensuring that a fair, consistent and accurate assessment was made and that the award went to the most deserving team or individual. I also met some lovely people and have already followed up on some new contacts made. From listening to candidates it was fascinating to get further insights into the industry. I am already looking forward to next year!

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 9

2018 HONOURS BOARD Account Project Award

Learning & Development Award

Primary Care Specialist Award

Sponsored by Republic M! UK LTD

Steven Dailly, Republic-M!

Outstanding Performer Award Sponsored by Star

Catherine Pollard, AbbVie 10 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

COVER STORY

Left and below: Guests at the Pf Awards 2018 Above: Trophy for the Outstanding Performer Award 2018 For full coverage of the evening, subscribe to Pf Magazine to receive the official Post Awards Brochure at pharmafield.co.uk/subscribe

Coming soonâ&#x20AC;Ś Full coverage and photos from the Pf Awards 2018 will be in our official Post Awards Brochure, available in May. Subscribe to receive your free copy at P H A R M A F I E L D. C O. U K / S U B S C R I B E DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES? Are you ready to compete against the elite in your industry and come out on top? Enter next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awards. For more information visit P FAWA R D S . C O. U K @ p f _ a w a r d s

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 1 1

POLITICS

“For local health and social care policy the elections will have complex repercussions”

Hunting high & low Accountability in Health and Social Care, and the incredible unsinkable Health Secretary 1 2 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

WORDS BY

Vicky Whitehead

arlier this year, Jeremy Hunt somehow survived another Cabinet reshuffle. His ability to stay in post is becoming such an in-joke that even the infamously humourless Theresa May made light of it. The beleaguered PM quipped that even under a Corbyn Government “Jeremy Hunt would still be Health secretary, obviously”. Hunt was declared ‘unsinkable’ and ‘unsackable’ by the press because he didn’t just survive the reshuffle, he even managed to gain an extra element to his job title, becoming Minister of State for Social Care. The fact that social care has always technically been within the Department of Health’s portfolio is neither here nor there. What’s worth pointing out, however, is how little this extra title means, because social care has, in reality, been the day-to-day responsibility of local government since 2013. This is because in 2013 the Health and Social Care Act restructured the NHS, giving away much of the Department of Health’s responsibility to NHS England, Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and local government.

ONE DIRECTION OR A CHANGE OF DIRECTION?

A P R I L S H OW E R S : LO C A L E L E C T I O N S A N D LO C A L C O M M I S S I O N I N G

AC C O U N TA B I L I T Y I N H E A LT H C A R E

Next month, local elections will take place across England. Research suggests that only one third of registered voters will turn out, because they don’t think it will affect their lives. For local health and social care policy the elections will have complex repercussions. Local authorities control a myriad of services. In addition to social care they are responsible for public health. This means they run sexual health services, mental health services, drug and alcohol services and the NHS health check, to name but a few. And these services interact constantly with the wider NHS albatross. It is impossible to predict what the impact of local elections will be, because so much depends on the individual councillors and officers chosen in each vastly different locality. But it is a very simple fact that local elections can, and do, change health and social care services.

One impact that is a little more clear cut is that Labour are likely to make large gains across England. This will likely cause tension between Labour controlled local agendas and national Conservative-led plans. There has already been one recent tense showdown between the head of the Local Government Association, Lord Porter, and Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England. Local government were threatened with a loss of budget control, after there were national deteriorations in ‘bed blocking’ – transfer of care – rates. This effectively meant that patients were occupying hospital beds due to a lack of suitable care elsewhere. Simon Stevens declared it was clear that the current approach of the local government ‘wasn’t working’. This caused Lord Porter to produce data showing the delays were largely the fault of the NHS, and that local authorities had actually seen marked improvements in their transfer rates. Whatever else the outcome of the elections, if Labour secures their hold across local government these organisational conflicts may be inflamed further.

As mentioned, the 2013 Health and Social Care Act devolved much of the Department’s day-to-day power over the NHS. They were left holding the purse strings, but that was about it. In fact, if you write to the Department of Health these days – about almost any issue you care to mention – you will probably receive a stock response that the issue you are interested in does not fall under their responsibility. NHS England and CCGs are expert bodies, but they are not elected officials and they are less accountable to the public than the Department of Health was. With a Health Minister who seemingly cannot be fired, and distant bodies like CCGs and NHS England commissioning the majority of services, it is worth remembering the voice that local elections can give the general public in all areas of healthcare. Vicky Whitehead is Business Partner at Ogilvy Healthworld Market Access. Go to wpp.com

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ADVERTORIAL

HIRE UP: Evolve Selection’s Chris Anderson on how the industry can be more proactive in its approach to contract resourcing

WORDS BY

volve Selection is pleased to have recently launched its ContractSalesHub brand within the market. At the heart of the ContractSalesHub are people – highly skilled professionals who can make a real difference to organisations… quickly! In an increasingly complex NHS marketplace, the ContractSalesHub has been put together to bring a different perspective and a more proactive approach to the industry in terms of the utilisation of contract sales services. While the concept of outsourcing hasn’t radically changed over the years; what has changed is the market and the people who will consider such contract opportunities. Within certain sectors, we are seeing a diminishing number of specialist headcount opportunities available. The number of skilled individuals available for project work has however increased. The aim of ContractSalesHub is to bring these people to the forefront of the market. We give them the opportunities, tools and operational support to work effectively, in order to deliver a fast return on investment for companies looking to access on-demand professionals to meet a short or longer-term requirement in their business.

“ Our aim is to offer an expert resource for companies to go to when seeking exceptional individuals” 1 4 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

Chris Anderson

“ Enabling the success of a brand comes down to creating the right messages that will resonate effectively with key NHS payers and influencers” With an increasing number of commercial individuals with specialist skills becoming available within pharma and healthcare, our aim is to offer an expert resource for companies to go to when seeking exceptional individuals. The range of skillsets available within ContractSalesHub is by no means limited to sales professionals. Individuals with other expertise, which can ultimately influence and drive the sales of brands within the market, are also available. ContractSalesHub offers a diverse array of talent in areas such as Medical Science Liaison, Field Force Effectiveness, Marketing, Medical Affairs, Regulatory, Clinical and Engineering. As well as individuals, ContractSalesHub offers the provision of specialist teams. Typical examples include; KAM, MSL, primary care and mobile graduate teams. Contractors are fully pre-assessed and profiled based on a specific need, and are operationally prepared with the relevant company equipment in order to hit the ground running and to ensure the maximum return on investment. Enabling the success of a brand comes down to creating the right

messages that will resonate effectively with key NHS payers and influencers. From a recruitment perspective, it’s imperative to select the best people to fulfil this purpose. If your business has a clear and differentiated value proposition for the NHS; ContractSalesHub can provide the support of people with the knowledge to engage with payers and drive the uptake of your brands. Contact Evolve Selection to discuss your individual requirements and explore how ContractSalesHub can deliver a quick and effective solution for your business. Go to evolveselection.co.uk

aving the right medicine at the right time and administered in the right way can be the difference between that patient continuing their treatment or being transferred to an alternative option. Unfortunately, one of the biggest issues facing those of us working in pharmacy is the unavailability of medicines caused by supply chain issues. This results in anxiety, additional workload and cost for all involved. Explaining to patients that you cannot supply their medicine is frequently met with dismay, disbelief and anger. We do all we can to source the appropriate medicine, either from the wholesaler, direct from the manufacturer or by phoning around local pharmacies, but sometimes the patient is left without treatment. In many situations, we have no alternative but to ask the GP to prescribe an alternative; not good for the patient or a manufacturer. When we part-dispense with stock held in the pharmacy, we ask the patient to return for the remainder, resulting in touching a prescription more than once.

OPINION

WORDS BY

Deborah Evans

“ We do all we can to source the appropriate medicine, either from the wholesaler, direct from the manufacturer or by phoning around local pharmacies, but sometimes the patient is left without treatment.” All of this takes time and resource, and at £1.29 per item, it’s not something we are reimbursed for. Pharmacies are very busy places dispensing hundreds of items per day, and anything that interferes with the dispensing process can result in delays and increased risk of errors as we multi-task to keep the flow. When I ask pharmacist colleagues what causes the biggest frustration in their working day, supply chain and medicine cost issues are most commonly cited. Stock shortages can also have an adverse financial impact on pharmacies, including sourcing from an alternative wholesaler at a reduced discount. It’s not uncommon for a pharmacy to make a loss on a product in short supply when the reimbursement price is lower than the acquisition cost. Yet pharmacies will put the patient interest first. The generics market is particularly volatile and we are seeing high-value medicines affected including those for serious conditions including cancer, epilepsy and mental health. CAUSE OF SHORTAGE The supply chain can be impacted by a sudden or fluctuating demand, small stock sizes, globalisation, exchange rates, long delivery time and or complex production chains. It does seem, however, that something else is going on. The Government is promising to get to the bottom of shortages amid fears that the market is being manipulated to drive up prices. Until the situation is solved, patients will continue to suffer, and we will see lives lost. From our perspective as pharmacists, when we’re trying to source a medicine for a worried patient, we just want it sorted. Government, industry and those in the supply chain must take responsibility for rectifying the situation. Continuing as we are simply isn’t good enough. Deborah Evans is Managing Director of Pharmacy Complete, a specialist consultancy and training company working with pharmacy. Go to pharmacycomplete.org or email deborah@pharmacycomplete.org

Final frontier:

THE PHARMACIST AND THEIR TEAM ARE THE LAST STEP BETWEEN HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL AND PATIENT. M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 15

“ We can only respond to disasters because of the planning we undertake with the pharmaceutical industry”

Medical miracle: Adele Paterson and the team at International Health Partners are passionate about exporting medicines to the most desperate people in the world.

W INTERVIEW BY

John Pinching

hen we think about medicine our default considerations normally involve what they can do for us or our National Health Service. We don’t place pharmaceuticals in the epicentre of war zones, extreme poverty or dictatorships. My guest, Adele Paterson, CEO at International Health Partners (IHP) is here to explain how they offer a lifeline to global communities who cannot access even the most basic healthcare. Hi Adele. What is International Health Partners? IHP is a small organisation; there’s only 10 of us. Last year we were, however, able to deliver over two million treatments across 30 countries worldwide. We provide long-dated, quality healthcare products to a variety of conflict, disaster and resource-poor communities. We occupy the space in ‘the middle’ – the brokers between

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supply and need. We don’t carry out the healthcare or administer the treatment, but we manage the complicated process of dealing with regulation on both sides of the process. How do you manage to mobilise help as problems occur? While people may think we are simply responding to unfolding events, one of our main activities is to support long-term programming in anticipation of incidents happening. In reality, we can only respond to disasters because of the planning we undertake with the pharmaceutical industry. What does the preparation encompass? One of the main programmes involves providing essential health packs, which contain 800 treatments from 15 companies, and can be accessed by UK and European medics and international NGOs (nongovernmental organisations). We work with these pharma companies to ensure donations are made well in advance of a response, so packs are ready to go the moment they are needed. To be ready for January, for example, we are talking to them the previous April. That’s impressive organisation, Adele. One of the interesting statistics around what we do is that £1 of preparation is worth £7 once a disaster has started. With long-term programming and collaborations, we have already committed to deliver 400,000 treatments into South Sudan – an area of conflict and famine – this year alone. We are already planning 2019 because there are stakeholders who can only respond with a good lead-in time.

COFFEE BRE AK

What are the most essential medicines that people need? When large numbers of people are on the move, and suffering from poor shelter, small problems can quickly escalate. When they are not eating properly, not sleeping well and are under constant stress a large volume of antibiotics, anti-fungals and analgesics are required. In unpredictable situations a person’s supply of chronic medicines can dry up, so we also supply medicines for conditions such as diabetes. The donations are a remarkable humanitarian gesture from pharma that would surprise many. Companies producing, specifically to donate, results in far greater efficiency. It means the medicines go through the usual production process, get approved by quality managers and are signed off by the commercial side. They’re exactly the same products that you and I would receive – we’re regulated by the MHRA and only take European licensed products. That’s IHP’s unique selling point.

What happens when a crisis passes, and communities need to settle again? In Sierra Leone, once Ebola had been eradicated, we supported the local primary healthcare operation with vitamins and deworming programmes. But what people really needed was mental healthcare medicines to help them recover from the post-traumatic stress. That’s been a really interesting development for us as has the move to chronic medicines, which we’ve fed back to our pharma partners.

How do you maintain relationships with pharma companies? The companies we have the best relationships with completely buy in to what we do and why we are doing it. One of the continuing principles is our ongoing conversations with partners in which we often say, “thank you for offering this, but actually we need something else”. Thankfully, we have a growing number of companies that are very willing to engage at that level. They realise that in different environments you need to give people what they need, not what companies might want to give away. And we provide feedback that demonstrates impact – lives are saved by some of these medicines – and this encourages ongoing donations.

So, you still work in areas long after the news crews have left? Different levels of disaster and different time frames bring different medical challenges. Very rarely is a disaster done and dusted within a certain time frame, and many of our partners continue to stay. Nepal is a good example of a place we were involved in and where we continued to work two years after the earthquake. Recent disasters don’t have an end point, and that is particularly noticeable with the Syrian refugee crisis. Tell me about your personal journey to IHP. I studied economics and politics at university, and while lots of my peer group ended up in accountancy, I was

motivated to work in a public space. One of my tutors recommended that I apply for a parliamentary intern scheme. I was accepted and during that time I worked for a number of parliamentarians, but I was particularly struck and influenced by the MP, Stephen Timms, when I ran his office for a couple of years. How did that feed into your IHP role? He had this incredible vision when he was leader of Newham Council, in East London, and he completely believed in the possibilities of a united community. He was involved in something called East London Business Alliance, which drew companies together with the goal of working together for positive change. I really began to realise what a difference partnership could make to people’s lives. Which one record would you choose for the soundtrack of your life? ‘As’ by Stevie Wonder. Genius. It’s your last supper, what are you having? I want to invite my family, so something everyone enjoys – a great roast chicken. Bless you, Adele, no one has ever invited anyone else along. Goodbye. Bye John. Go to ihpuk.org

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 17

OPINION

TWO TAKES BAD HABITS – HELP OR HINDRANCE? In this month’s emotive opinion battle, we ask two healthcare professionals if we should be encouraging patients to evaluate their lifestyle choices, or are their bad habits relieving the NHS burden?

D R J U S TI N VA R N E Y National Lead for Adult Health and Wellbeing at Public Health England

s healthcare professionals our job is to support individuals to achieve their potential in life. Approximately 40% of preventable mortality and morbidity is the result of lifestyle risk factors like inactivity, smoking and diet. The Global Burden of Disease study demonstrated that lifestyle risk factors continue to drive the burden of years lived with health-related disability. Furthermore, as life expectancy expands in England so has the proportion of life lived with a health condition. As clinicians, we integrate prevention into routine clinical practice when producing a treatment and management plan. This prevention-focused approach is evidence-based and supported across NICE guidelines as being beneficial for patients on a short- and long-term basis. Work by the Richmond Group of Charities found that patients with long-term conditions need healthcare professionals to give them ‘permission’ to be physically active and reassure them that it will be beneficial. This reiterates other research which highlights that HCPs are key influencers for changing their lifestyles. At an economic level, integration of prevention into routine clinical care is fundamental to shifting the population burden of ill health and ensuring the financial sustainability of the NHS. At almost every stage of life, becoming more active, stopping smoking or eating healthily can improve quality and quantity of life, so why deny patients? Supporting patients to make lifestyle changes can be as simple as taking a brisk walk every day or receiving encouragement from an HCP. There is increasing evidence that when these nudges are integrated into clinical consultations they deliver real change for the patient and help them live healthier for longer.

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DR JOHN GILES Medical Director at Benenden Healthcare Society

alls for extra financial contributions or the rationing of care for smokers and drinkers are somewhat misplaced and usually come from those who abstain. This overlooks the much greater contribution smokers and drinkers make to the UK economy. Approximately £50 billion, around 30% of the total NHS budget, is raised from excise duties and, even after any increased costs relating to patient misuse, this produces a substantial net gain to the economy. Smokers are more likely to die prematurely, and relatively cheaply, from lung cancer or heart disease and, in so doing, are less likely to require other medical specialties, such as long-term dementia care. Similar arguments are now being deployed against the overweight and obese. There is little doubt that those considered obese (BMI >30) are more likely to incur above average healthcare spending as a result of associated conditions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. We are all living longer! Medical advances inevitably lead to increased costs overall. Every life ‘saved’ with a new drug or treatment will not result in any financial saving. Lives are never really saved – we all have to die sometime. We are simply prolonged. Improvements to lifestyle, reduced smoking rates and other preventive measures now mean fewer individuals die prematurely; they can expect to survive, requiring multiple interventions in later life – new joints, cataracts and probable cancer treatments. Half of us are now likely to be diagnosed with cancer during our lifetime. This improved longevity, while welcome, simply leads to greater expense as we age.

OPINION

Not who you say I am:

PHARMA COMPANIES NEED TO BE CLEAR WHO THEY’RE TALKING TO AND WHY THEY’RE TALKING TO THEM.

L WORDS BY

David Thorne

ast week a pharma account manager came to see me on a field visit, accompanied by their national boss. My unsolicited replies weren’t, apparently, as predicted, with the boss concluding that my replies were, “not what we normally expect from payers”. Now, I joined pharma 25 years ago in a team directed at these so-called ‘payers’, worked for a further two other companies and then for over a hundred as a consultant. My senior NHS roles covered hospitals, commissioning bodies and GP networks – and yet, I still don’t know what a payer is! We seem to use the term ‘payer’ for anyone influencing decisions around medicines who is not a clinician. We then make odd assumptions about them regarding logic, emotion and persona, as well as their level of scientific understanding. These encounters remind me of the well-intentioned but cringy interaction that adults around me used to have when the first Asian family moved into our street in the 1960s. The kids had no problem forming bonds, but the adults were so busy climbing over misconceptions they couldn’t build a rapport until they were eventually led by their children’s instinctive friendships. The importance of understanding and appreciating still resonates across industry and the NHS today.

K N OW I N G M E , K N OW I N G YO U The most impactful pharma training sessions I have seen in recent years have been those where NHS managers go through their role and practical challenges in a simple ‘day in the life way’. Just talking through a typical month’s diary is a positive revelation. You see the human behind the title and empathise with the challenges involved. In my experience, when NHS managers encounter pharma in the right way, they become intrigued and impressed. They see much in pharma to admire as competency frameworks, coaching, personal development, corporate values and use of technology tend to be far better developed in that world. They also learn about medicines and their positive value away from the typical cost commodity context of NHS budgets. Most NHS managers lack qualifications and training around clinical and scientific issues.

“ W hen NHS managers encounter pharma in the right way, they become intrigued and impressed” They are not trained in reading clinical papers or evaluating evidence and tend to exaggerate the cost of individual medicines. They do not realise the role of pharma in transforming our lives through, for example, immunisation, the closure of huge psychiatric hospitals, and safe contraception. What can you do about this? I see great examples from companies inviting NHS managers to head office, cycle meetings and symposia. I also see ‘buddy’ schemes, mentorships and exchanges. Bodies such as the NHS Confederation, National Association for Primary Care, and Healthcare Financial Management Association will engage and broker these relationships. In the past I have seen highly successful ‘medicine for managers’ sessions and excellent health economics training. All it needs is a little bit of guided curiosity and someone to make the first move. Well, it may as well be you. David Thorne is Chair, Washington Community Healthcare and Non-Executive Director, City and Vale GP Alliance. Go to blueriverconsulting.co.uk

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 19

ADVERTORIAL

DATA MATTERS: How can pharma harness the power of data to inform its scientific communications strategy?

avigating the fastchanging healthcare data landscape is becoming increasingly challenging for pharma, owing to issues such as the rapid growth of data sources and types, and the rate at which they are being shared across the globe. For example, around 60% of healthcare studies are now scattered across thousands of siloed or incomplete sources, and around 50% of historical scientific data is no longer publicly available. Furthermore, about half of all meetings data is being disseminated before it is even presented, and it is often in some form of public domain about 12-18 months ahead of appearing in relevant journals. This data would undoubtedly provide valuable information to cross-functional teams by giving them the full picture of what is happening in their disease or therapy area now, and providing crucial evidence that can optimise market access efforts. However, until recently, pharma has been unable to capitalise on big data in the way that many other industries – from retail giants to technology companies – have been doing for years. This is largely because the industry has lacked the tools required to view data in a comprehensive and joined up way, and then analyse it to obtain actionable insights in order to engage with stakeholders.

WORDS BY

Simon Mason

2 0 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

Medmeme has addressed this problem through the creation of the largest database of medical science literature in the world, which includes patents, grants, clinical trials, global science presentations, publications, treatment guidelines and labels. It has also developed analytics that can tell the story of a molecule from discovery to postmarket. The database works by applying technology, data science, medical dictionaries and proprietary algorithms to literature, thus enabling pharma to view and communicate the full scientific picture of any mechanism of action, therapeutic area, drug or disease.

“ A round 60% of healthcare studies are now scattered across thousands of siloed or incomplete sources”

“ Medmeme has addressed this problem through the creation of the largest database of medical science literature in the world”

S H A R E O F S C I E NTI F I C VO I C E A key innovation resulting from this process is Medmeme’s Share of Scientific Voice (SoSV). This measures the activity of any particular imperative around a product, such as the collective number of times a manufacturer’s drug or molecule is noted in scientific literature for any given topic, therapeutic area (TA) or mechanism of action (MOA). It enables pharma to assess not only its own SoSV, but that of its competitors. This helps companies to gauge how well they are doing competitively and where their scientific information can be best disseminated. Measuring SoSV is a powerful way to track global uptake on, and information about, how a therapeutic may improve quality of life for patients, how it is cost-effective, possible drug interactions and patient adherence, not to mention new discoveries, research trends and shifts in the marketplace, so that pharma can understand what is happening and adjust its future objectives and behaviours accordingly. For example, one global pharma company harnessed this approach to give it a competitive edge in the launch of a new product in a well-established therapeutic area. The company formed and adjusted its scientific imperatives so that each one was developed as a question, or search term, that could be asked repeatedly and then measured to determine SoSV. Using Share of Scientific Voice and its related technology, the product team

measured the uptake of its scientific imperatives across the globe, to find out which ones were commonly understood in the scientific community and identify opportunities. It also ran this analysis against its competitor’s drug. The team also found SoSV varied by region and country for each of its imperatives. This enabled global teams to work more effectively with regional and local ones, and achieve closer alignment with the sales, marketing and medical strategy. Since the data is updated daily, they continue to monitor uptake regularly and make strategic shifts when necessary. S H A R E O F S C I E NTI F I C I M PAC T In addition to SoSV, which can be thought of simplistically as a ‘quantity’ score, teams – particularly on the medical affairs side – are finding a ‘quality’ score, in the form of its Share of Scientific ImpactSM (SoSI) useful. SoSI not only looks at the mentions of any given product or imperative throughout the largest database of scientific dissemination in the world, it also measures the quality of those mentions by weighing them against an algorithmic, dynamic impact score assigned to every journal, meeting, institution or author. This allows publication planners and others an unbiased look at where to best place their submissions for greatest acceptance and broadest possible recognition.

LOOKING AHEAD Thanks to data integration, data mining and metrics analysis technologies, critical information that was once stored in silos can now be filtered, aggregated and analysed. This is enabling pharma to see the full picture of what is happening now in any relevant disease or therapy area as well as what may happen in the future. The ability to gather and analyse forward thinking data enables pharma to take a more informed communications approach, and better understand how it can fulfil patient and prescriber needs, now and in the longer term. Simon Mason is Chief Commercial Officer at Medmeme. Go to medmeme.com.

TRANSFORMING DATA INTO ACTIONABLE INSIGHT IN THE AGE OF MEDICAL AFFAIRS 2.0 Medmeme delivers a comprehensive suite of automated solutions that harvest, clean, filter, integrate and – most importantly – analyse an exhaustive array of accurately vetted global medical and scientific thought. Our analytic algorithms empower today’s medical affairs teams to maximise efforts and validate results.

info@medmeme.com medmeme.com

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 2 1

Common Cause It’s the second biggest killer in the UK – what hope is there for bowel cancer patients? WORDS BY

Amy Schofield

EARLY LY DETECTION D CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE

very 15 minutes in the UK someone is diagnosed with bowel cancer. Although there has been great progress in improving the lives of people affected by bowel cancer over recent years, it remains the fourth most common cancer in the UK, after breast, prostate and lung. The disease claims 16,200 lives a year – equivalent to more than 44 people every day.

2 2 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

S C R E E N TI M E Bowel cancer is treatable and curable, particularly if it is diagnosed early. Almost everyone diagnosed at the earliest stage will survive, but chances drop significantly as the disease develops. Screening is one of the best ways to diagnose early stage bowel cancer, and it can save lives. “Screening is a way of testing healthy people to see if they show any early signs of cancer, when treatment has the best chance of working,” explains Dr Lisa Wilde, Director of Research & External Affairs, Bowel Cancer UK. “The test can also detect polyps (non-cancerous growths), which might develop into cancer if not removed.” Although no screening test is 100% accurate, and bowel cancer can develop between screening, research has shown that taking part in bowel cancer screening using the home test can reduce the risk of dying from this disease by 25%.

F E AT U R E

TR E ATM E NT J O U R N E Y R E S E A R C H M AT TE R S Lives can be saved if people are diagnosed earlier, if new and more effective treatments are developed – including improvements to surgery – and if people, irrespective of where they live, can access high quality care. As Lisa explains: “The major advances in saving lives from bowel cancer in the past 20 years have all come from research. Through strategic investment in targeted research, Bowel Cancer UK will deliver improvements in bowel cancer survival in our lifetime.” Although the most common bowel cancer treatment is surgery, very few clinical trials in the UK focus on this area. “We want to ensure all bowel cancer patients have access to clinical trials and receive the best possible surgical treatment,” says Lisa. “Without these trials, technological advances will be adopted more slowly, and less consistently, which could impact patient lives. This presents a major limiting factor in improving surgical care for patients.” In partnership with the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the charity has announced £500,000 of funding for bowel cancer surgical research to establish the UK’s first Colorectal Cancer Surgical Research Chair and to establish a network of the charity’s Colorectal Cancer Surgical Research Fellows.

FUTURE PROMISE? “By 2028, we want to see the number of people surviving at least five years increase from 60% to 75%,” says Lisa. “This will bring us closer to achieving our long-term goal of preventing death from bowel cancer by 2050.” To address this, the charity is focusing on four key areas, shown right. “Through strategic investment in targeted research, we will deliver improvements in bowel cancer survival in our lifetime,” adds Lisa. “Research is the key to finding the cure.”

“ T he sooner bowel cancer is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat,” says Lisa. “Patients may have surgery together with radiotherapy or chemotherapy to make the cancer easier to remove or if there is a risk of the cancer coming back. Doctors give chemotherapy as a course of treatment – made up of several treatment cycles – usually for up to six months.” T H E M O S T CO M M O N C H EM OT H ER A PY D R U G S A R E : Fluorouracil (5FU): One of the most commonly prescribed chemotherapy drugs in the UK and worldwide. Patients usually have 5FU together with a drug called folinic acid (leucovorin), which makes the chemotherapy work better. It can be taken as an injection or by intravenous (IV) drip. Doctors use 5FU before or after surgery and to treat bowel cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Capecitabine (Xeloda): Taken as a tablet twice a day. The body absorbs the drug and converts it to 5FU. Patients may take capecitabine before or after surgery or to treat bowel cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin): Doctors use oxaliplatin together with 5FU and folinic acid, in a combination called FOLFOX. Alternatively, patients may have oxaliplatin together with capecitabine (XELOX), taken either as an injection or IV drip. They may have oxaliplatin after surgery or to treat bowel cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Irinotecan (Campto): Irinotecan is taken as an injection or IV drip, and is usually administered with 5FU and folinic acid in a combination called FOLFIRI. This drug treats bowel cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

“ Some patients might have another type of treatment called biological or targeted therapy, which works by blocking messages that tell cancer cells to grow,” adds Lisa. “Testing the cancer cells for mutations will help decide if this sort of treatment is suitable, as it won’t work for everyone.”

To improve the prevention, early detection and treatment of bowel cancer.

To enable patients to influence and shape the future of bowel cancer research.

To assist and facilitate high quality bowel cancer research.

To facilitate collaboration and cooperation across the bowel cancer research community.

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 2 3

F E AT U R E

THE FACTS PE RSO NAL S TO RY:

EVERY

30 MINUTES IN THE UK someone dies from bowel cancer.

AROUND

268,000 PEOPLE LIVING IN THE UK TODAY HAVE BEEN

DIAGNOSED with bowel cancer.

1MEN in 14 and 1WOMEN in 19

will be diagnosed with

BOWEL CANCER during their lifetime. Source: bowelcanceruk.org.uk

2 4 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

Jackie Mifflin, 62, from Yeovil

was 61-years-old when I was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer. In April 2016, I read an article in the Daily Mail entitled, ‘Is it piles or something sinister?’ This article detailed how people confuse the symptoms of haemorrhoids for those of bowel cancer and after reading it several times, I kept thinking about how the symptoms applied to me. The article said that people dismiss rectal bleeding as a symptom of piles, and I had done this too. I made an appointment to see my GP and told him I’d had blood in my stools for about two to three months. He later told me that, as soon as I mentioned this, he knew I had bowel cancer. He didn’t give me a cancer diagnosis at the time, probably not wanting to alarm me, but also because I had not had a colorectal examination. My GP immediately referred me to Yeovil Hospital for a flexi-sigmoidoscopy. After the procedure my consultant told me the news wasn’t good and that I had bowel cancer. I don’t remember anything else about our conversation because I just went into shock. The rest of the day was a complete haze. Over the next few weeks I had a CT and an MRI scan to determine the size and location of my tumour. I then began a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy which lasted six weeks. Once the medication was out of my system I underwent colorectal surgery and my consultant, who had originally diagnosed my cancer, successfully removed my tumour.

“ My consultant told me that the news wasn’t good and that I had bowel cancer. I don’t remember anything else about our conversation because I just went into ‘shock’ mode.”

I also had a stoma fitted during this procedure in November 2016. The stoma team made sure I was able to measure and fit a new stoma pouch before leaving hospital. I went home 12 days after my surgery having had all the care and support I could have wished for. I then had further chemotherapy treatment to ensure all cancer cells were destroyed. Once I completed my treatment, I had another CT scan to make sure all the cancer was gone, and exactly 15 months from the date of my diagnosis, in July 2017, I was given the all clear by my doctor. I was completely elated and relieved to have come through my treatment, and to have almost reached the end of my journey. My stoma was reversed in September 2017 and I wasn’t nervous about this, as I had been given all the information I needed and had all my questions answered by my consultant. Living with a stoma was not an unpleasant experience for me. Jackie is now a health promotion volunteer for Bowel Cancer UK.

ADVERTORIAL

WORDS BY

Empowering healthcare professionals to improve bowel care The Bowel Interest Group (BIG) is dedicated to the education, and support, of healthcare professionals (HCPs) across the UK caring for patients with bowel disease. Created and managed by E4H, the BIG faculty is made up of primary and secondary healthcare professionals – along with experts from healthcare and industry – who have a specialist knowledge or interest in bowel management. The group came together to explore how best to improve the support of healthcare professionals with an interest in bowel management, and work alongside other patient and professional groups to raise awareness and drive positive change.

“ The group came together to explore how best to improve the support of healthcare professionals”

I N D U S TRY PA R TN E R S H I P S

BIG works in collaboration with organisations which share its aims to improve bowel care. Coloplast currently supports BIG, providing funding and collaborating on ways to educate healthcare professionals in order to improve the outcomes of patients with bowel conditions. V I R T UA L E V E NT S

BIG’s first webinar, ‘Faecal Incontinence’, was delivered by Dr Anton Emmanuel of University College London in 2017, and was supported and funded by Coloplast. Key learning outcomes for attendees included identifying patients with faecal incontinence and when to refer them on to specialist care, as well as a live Q&A for audience questions. The webinar has been made available for members to watch on demand. Ben Disney is a Consultant Gastroenterologist, @DisneyBen. Go to bowelinterestgroup.co.uk

Ben Disney

TH E B I G S U RVE Y In 2017, BIG conducted a healthcare professional survey, delivered by E4H to its database of healthcare professionals. 245 HCPs responded: largely GPs, nurses and other healthcare providers in primary care • Constipation was found to be the most commonly treated bowel disorder • 190 HCPs regularly treat patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) • Biggest concerns are knowing when to refer patients to secondary care, patient quality of life, symptom control • Need for guidelines and patient information for HCPs. AC C E S S T H E S U RV E Y R E P O R T

bowelinterestgroup.co.uk @thebowelgroup S U P P O R T E D BY

Patients are at the heart of everything we do. E4H manages several therapy area interest groups, covering bowel health, women’s health and atrial fibrillation, bringing together industry, healthcare professionals and patient groups. Want to discuss your next project? enquiries@e4h.co.uk or call 01462 476120

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 2 5

ADVERTORIAL

PEOPLE POWER: Consilient Health’s Ian Sampson on the importance of traditional sales skills in an evolving digital landscape.

“We sometimes make the mistake of believing that the whole healthcare system has become automated”

2 6 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

ore than ever, we are adopting new and innovative ways to communicate, and pharma is no different. Whilst traditional sales skills are just as relevant as they once were, it’s increasingly important for industry to strike the right balance between new technologies and customer needs. Maintaining its strong focus on partnerships and sales teams, we talk to Consilient Health about how they are driving innovative solutions for patients.

Ian, tell us a little about what you do and who Consilient Health are? I am the UK Bone Health Franchise Manager which means that I look after all of the products that we either market or are in development within the therapeutic area of Bone Health. I joined Consilient Health five years ago to set up the Bone Health franchise during which time the company has grown from around 30 people to well over 100. The bone health franchise has gone from pre-launch to delivering revenues of over £3M this year which has been driven by having a clear and relevant proposition for our products, supported by a multi-faceted sales team. Consilient Health are focused on commercialising products that deliver value to the NHS.

Is the traditional role of the salesperson still relevant? Absolutely it is still relevant. We sometimes make the mistake of believing that the whole healthcare system has become automated and overlook the fact that individual prescribers are discrete decision makers that operate within a healthcare system structure. Whilst the role of the salesperson has definitely changed and evolved over the years, there is still a place for the salesperson as long as they can deliver value to the customer through their interactions. That value can take many different forms, whether it be providing clinical information about a product or simply making a customer aware of changes to local guidance. How do you balance traditional sales skills with evolving technology and customer needs? The only way of ensuring that you achieve the right balance is to ensure that first and foremost, you are delivering an interaction that is of value to the customer. Customer needs haven’t changed as much as we might think, in that mainly what they are looking for is reliable, trusted information to enable them to make informed prescribing choices. What has changed is how they access that information. Technology provides different ways of facilitating that interaction that means that the sales person does not always need to be in the same building or there at all. How are you investing in your sales teams? Our sales team is still our single biggest investment in our promotional mix. As part of the ambitious growth plans at Consilient Health, and to ensure that we are not just match fit for today but ready for the future, we have recently undertaken a major project focussing on our people. This will ensure that not only

“Whilst the role of the salesperson has definitely changed and evolved over the years, there is still a place for the salesperson”

“We have ambitious growth plans and have made significant investments recently in our business development teams”

are our people provided with the skills training to perform at the highest level but have a clear development pathway that fits within the core Consilient Health values framework. How do partnerships help you to build on creating innovative solutions for patient health? Strong partnerships are the core of our business. If we are going to commercialise a product effectively then we need to have strong partnerships with our suppliers, so that not only can we ensure a consistent supply chain but that the suppliers trust us with their products. Partnerships with our customers enable us to gain a greater insight and understanding as to what the current and future market needs are. This then allows us to work in partnership with current and future developers and suppliers to develop new and innovative solutions for patient health. Our partnerships are built on trust and transparency and ultimately by us delivering on our promises. What does the future hold for Consilient Health? We have ambitious growth plans and have made significant investments recently in our business development teams to ensure that we can deliver on those plans. Being focused on commercialising products means that we are not tied in to a long research and development pipeline where the needs of the market have changed by the time a product is ready for launch. That agility means we have to be open-minded, quick to analyse and react, which ensures that we are delivering the right products to our customers. As you would expect we have a number of products in that process at the moment which we are very excited about; watch this space... Ian Sampson is Franchise Manager at Consilient Health. Go to consilienthealth.com

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 2 7

HAPPY W DAYS

hat is a week in pharma? According to Raheel Mirza, it’s the opportunity to get something done, to change the game and to make the future a better, brighter place. Raheel takes us through five days of seed-to-fruition action in the life of the modern pharma professional. WORDS BY

Pf Award winner Raheel Mirza takes us on a week-long tour of life in modern pharma.

John Pinching

MONDAY TR AI N TI M E S

It’s the beginning of the week and the perfect time to reflect on conversations from the past few weeks and to establish what initiatives will take priority this week. Today, I am meeting with our regional business managers and some of their team members to gain more insight into what their training needs are and how they can ‘sharpen their swords’. As it’s Monday I also repeat, out loud, the words that have become my mantra: “If we’re not engaging, we’re not retaining.” This seems to be even more pertinent in the ‘modern pharma age’ and it is my learning and development (L&D) equivalent of ‘if we’re not seeing, we’re not selling’, which is, of course, the call to medical representatives to engage impactfully with their key customers. So how do I help each individual achieve that and become the best they can be? Well one thing is for certain, in this modern age the outlook of ‘millennials’ towards career progression is very different compared to what I encountered when I joined the industry 20 years ago. This next generation needs development and they need it now. I start to hatch plans, and this is where the excitement starts.

RAH E E L MIRZ A is Head of Learning & Development at Thornton & Ross and winner of the Pf Awards 2016 Learning and Development Initiative.

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F E AT U R E

TUESDAY

PA S S I O N RO OTS

On Tuesday my focus shifts to engaging with other parts of the business. The solution is a consistent framework that people can relate to, understand and work with – owning their development is the key. All I can do is give them the tools to do this – engagement is ongoing, not just one moment in time. Being transparent about what they can achieve and how they can get there is vital, but I must underpin it with the most important question: What do they actually aspire to do? I meet with members of the Senior Leadership Team from some of the other business divisions to try to understand their motivations, and how I can ensure a consistent company-wide framework – one they can all relate to in order to develop their careers. Although this will be different for everyone, I can coach them to identify what they want. With that direction of travel established, they can proactively self-critique.

WEDNESDAY M I LLE N N IAL S R I S E

There has been a significant change in the past two decades with regards to how the NHS and its employees approach their work, and the pressures that have been placed on them. This has brought a weighty change in how the NHS engages with the pharmaceutical industry over that period, which has made things somewhat more challenging but, then again, what have we done to provide innovative solutions to enhance that engagement? Midweek is a good time to focus on this conundrum. It is an ongoing challenge for me as an L&D professional. Not only do I have to upskill our team members on generic selling and other soft skills, but I also have to consider how I upskill them in other ways. The telephone has always been important for sales people – allowing a multichannel approach to engaging with our customers. Utilising the internet as a platform for digital interactions is also key and inevitably this will increasingly become part of my role.

The web has been around now for just under 30 years but, as an industry, we’re only just finding ways to harness the digital space. People want things faster because that is what they are used to. This gets me thinking about how savvy we can become in our offerings to the NHS. We have many touchpoints we could utilise with our customers, but we don’t always do that. The internet and social media provide us with that platform. So, I get a focus group together and put some plans into action – now I’m engaging with those millennials who completely understand the digital space.

“ If we’re not engaging, then we’re not retaining, and that applies Monday to Friday.”

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

If you ask most people whether they feel valued and looked after then they will show you loyalty as an employee. Not everyone can get the promotion they are after, and some don’t necessarily want it; they are happy doing what they are doing, in which case we need to ensure they are fulfilled in their roles and feel valued in other ways. Towards the end of the week I work on creating a solid training plan for the year, with input from the team. It’s about getting them involved in training sessions and workshops, as well as sharing their successes and best practice. This is starting to create an environment of mutual recognition and people trying new things to further their business as well as their development. The cross-functional team working is progressing well, and individuals are demonstrating behaviours that show genuine engagement. I want them to be recognised, not just within our organisation but from people outside, who will see what a great place this is to work. We have Pf Awards coming up soon – I’ll do all I can to ensure our candidates are ready to perform to their best abilities. They’ve all done great jobs all year so deserve the recognition they get.

It’s been a busy week and the theme has been about growth, potential and embracing change. Friday is a good time to look at the bigger picture. I want to continue growing the L&D team, so we can start to offer more in the way of development and training for the wider organisation. This will provide an opportunity for people who aspire to operate in an L&D role to get vital insights into what it is all about from the other side of the fence, while realising the possibility of creating some field training roles. If we can retain people within the business, then those opportunities will arise for them. Engaging them from day one is the key, and that’s what I aim to do. There are a lot of things to juggle and always new ideas to bring to the table, so let’s see how it goes. After all, if we’re not engaging, then we’re not retaining, and that applies Monday to Friday. At the end of the day, this still feels like the greatest industry on the planet. We’re going places.

E N G AG E M E NT PART Y

TI M E I S N OW

“ I want individuals to be recognised not just within our organisation but from people outside” M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 2 9

THE PLACE WHERE WE LIVE

THE KING’S FUND’S monitoring report showed:

28%

of trust finance directors were very or fairly confident about meeting the commitment to return A&E performance to the

95%

standard by March 2018, with one saying:

“We have a snowball’s chance in hell.” Only

4% OF CCGS were very or fairly confident that their local trusts would achieve the required standard.

NHS Trusts are failing in certain geographies, but who’s to blame?

efore 2018 had even begun, we were faced with reports that at least 21 trusts – many responsible for multiple hospitals – had been placed on black alert (aka OPEL 4). Hospitals do not make these announcements lightly, because it is an admission that they have been forced into a position where they can no longer guarantee patient safety or provide their full range of services. More trusts reported problems but refused to disclose their alert level; NHS guidelines mean they are no longer obliged to do so. Other trusts reported being under pressure, although not yet at black alert level. Dire news – for the NHS, for hospital staff, and for patients. NHS England, however, is no longer publishing which hospital trusts are on alert, so patients remain unaware. Campaigning community ‘38 Degrees’ dug deeper, using national and local news reports to find 27 failing hospital trusts as of 5 January 2018, and according to the data they span the country, from Cornwall to Kent and from the Isle of Wight to the Wye Valley.

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R O O M FO R I M P R OV E M E NT Latest ‘NHS Improvement’ data, published in February, showed that NHS deficits are expected to be in the region of £1bn this year. For the seventh year in a row, NHS trusts have been asked to save 4% of their costs – double what the Government had been advised is possible. According to the The King’s Fund’s new quarterly monitoring report, produced in November 2017, 51% of NHS trust finance directors think patient care in their area has got worse over the last year, while just 6% said it has improved. The report brings together publicly available data on NHS performance measures and the results of an online survey of views from NHS trust finance directors and CCG finance leads, to explore how well the NHS is performing against its set of ambitions.

43% of NHS trust finance directors forecasted that their trust will end the year in

FINANCIAL DEFICIT.

NHS TRUSTS are resorting to a range of actions to maintain an appropriate cash balance, including

DELAYING PAYMENTS TO SUPPLIERS & TAKING OUT LOANS from the Department of Health for interim financial support.

THE REPORT CONCLUDED:

“ Latest ‘NHS Improvement’ data showed that NHS deficits are expected to be in the region of £1bn this year.”

‘As a result, patients are waiting longer for both routine and urgent treatment, and CCGs are facing troubling decisions on restricting access to some services.’

F E AT U R E

“ We need transparency and intelligent discussion using the consistent lessons of systemic failures”

PATIENTS PLEASE

ccording to David Thorne, Pf Magazine columnist and Managing Director of Blue River Consulting, the NHS has always failed certain communities, but not necessarily in a way that is easy to classify: “The best NHS services tend to be in areas of higher social deprivation, near to good medical schools and in which GPs want to stay where they trained,” he explains. “They also have higher per capita funding, lower housing costs and higher qualified nurse ratios. “What worries me are the moves to drive copay and self-pay, like restricting prescription of over-the-counter medicines. It’s obvious who that will hit most, but in NHS terms it will save an insignificant amount.”

The blame for a lack of beds, a culture of overwork, under-staffing and the impact of this on patients cannot be simply put down to insufficient funding or problems at the top, says David; none of it will improve without a comprehensive culture change within the NHS. “It is not directly a resource issue and it needs some honesty. Management needs modernising but so does the attitude, teamwork and professionalism of too many staff members. No-one likes to say this outside the staff room or canteen but it’s true.” Improving standards may be seen as a matter for government – but it’s gone beyond that, insists David: “The Government isn’t managing the NHS and has abdicated that to Simon Stevens.”

It’s time for an honest debate about what the NHS actually is, and it’s time for patients to take matters into their own hands, beginning with clarity about their expectations of the health service. “Improving standards needs to come from the public becoming better informed and empowered,” David says. “Their expectations need to drive improvement and that will also take a proper debate of what the NHS is, and isn’t, for. “We need transparency and intelligent discussion using the consistent lessons of systemic failures from Normansfield to Morecambe Bay,” he concludes. “We could start by having elected leadership of local NHS bodies – which may come if social care integration happens.”

EROSION OF TRUSTS December 2017

February 2018

March 2018

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London put into special measures amid ‘serious concerns’ about its deficit, a day after its chairman resigned in protest over government funding.

A report seen by BBC News showed that patients at Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust suffered ‘unnecessary harm’ because a senior leadership team was ‘out of its depth’.

Inspection of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust noted 11 ‘never events’ – incidents that should not happen if proper measures are in place.

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 3 1

eDETAILING:

Where are we in 2018?

etailing remains a core part of any pharmaceutical company’s sales approach and has become a large part of their promotional spend. Due to the fact that it has become more difficult for pharma to access healthcare professionals – a recent survey showed that 49% of healthcare professionals are placing moderate to severe access restrictions (up from 45% in 20131) – the development of eDetailing in the late 1990s began with the early physician interactive model of a scripted online e-Detail. The access situation continues to get worse because of factors such as healthcare professionals simply having less time or being part of a larger integrated healthcare group, the Affordable Care Act shifting away from a fee-for-service to a value/ outcomes model, and physician convenience.

THIS IDENTIFIES:

In the past five years eDetailing has come a lot further than traditional closed-poop marketing (CLM) eDetailing. Now the use of artificial intelligence technologies allows powerful customised detailing to individual healthcare professionals for their specific needs. Although there is a lot of data about healthcare professionals that can now be accessed (the CRM call notes, prescribing data, social media data, physician browsing data, claims data and a whole lot more), most reps lack time to make sense of it all and the fact that much is hidden within big data (social media data, claims data etc), means reps do not have the resources to access and analyse it. Traditional CLM eDetailing is not able to take these external data points into account. In addition, the doctor’s data and views get modified with every interaction they make, so the vast amount of data surrounding each physician is frequently ignored as it is

• Which physician is the highest priority for a rep this week • Which physician is more likely to accept appointments that week (or at short notice) • Who is showing signs of moving away from your brand, or away from another brand (creating an opportunity for your brand) • Which sales messages that individual physician needs to hear next in order to move them to higher prescribing of your brand

3 2 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

overwhelming for any system that does not use artificial intelligence to analyse it. A healthcare professional’s priorities can change and with a unified big data view, sales reps can stay up to date on what that individual physician needs. In recent years, Eularis have been doing numerous pharma engagements that combine all this big and small data in real time. We have created artificial intelligence powered algorithms for specific combinations of data that allow pharma sales reps to have access – in either a stand-alone app, or in their CRM system itself – to up-to-the-minute intelligence on every physician. This means the synthesis and analysis of all the data is done automatically for the rep so they can look up their priority targets from the system (the system has identified the healthcare professionals the sales rep needs to see that week, and even whether they are likely to accept an appointment on short notice).

• What channels, in what frequency and sequence, are going to move a specific physician (and the optimal balance of eDetail and face-to-face detail by individual physician) • Timings by physician of when to see that physician, how many times that month, and how to integrate the face-to-face visit with the eDetails

• The system can also trigger automated eDetails at the right time with the right message that work in harmony with the sales rep for maximum prescribing impact by physician • Allow the sales rep and eDetailing systems to work in harmony by individual physician • Synthesise all this data in one unified format for the sales rep.

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Numerous things can be identified that can create strong physician targeting and detailing results. For example, the system can predict ‘Which doctor has the most potential to write a script for a patient appropriate for our brand, today?’ and to help the rep understand ‘What should be the priority, based on the most recent data, to gain more scripts of our brand from this physician?’ and ‘What messages and channels and sales and marketing actions will enhance that outcome?’. In addition, with appropriate patient data we can also identify maximum share per physician based on their patient population. The approach takes all the data accessible (and much not typically accessible to sales reps), and combines these big data sources with the smaller data sources (call notes etc), to provide a unified view of each physician, analysed in real time.

“ The use of artificial intelligence technologies allows powerful customised detailing to individual physicians for their specific needs” These integrated approaches using big data and artificial intelligence allow full integration between eDetailing in whatever form the physician prefers, with face-to-face detailing where appropriate.

zs.com/Publications/Articles/AccessMonitor-2014-Executive-Summary

harma sales reps have an increasingly difficult time. Whether their brand is a new launch, or there are competitor brands providing intense competition, or generic competition, the sales reps need to be armed with as much information on their therapy area and customers than ever before. The reps need the best information on everything possible, including predictions about their customers’ needs and behaviours.

TH E C L I E NT • Large, but older, brand in decline • New brands with new treatment paradigms • Generic competition • Sales representatives felt they could not compete any more • Sales director wanted to see if AI could give the representatives a competitive edge.

Then as an addition to the base system outlined, to maximise the efficiency and integration of the eDetails and the face-to-face details, a system was created to identify the perfect balance of these by individual physician each month, to bring about maximum engagement and sales results by physician.

TH E S O LU TI O N • R ich individual physician-level data within the CRM system • O nline data that could be linked to specific healthcare professionals • Combined all data available into a uniform format, plus temporal sequencing • Used AI techniques, thereafter, to create tools that provided actionable insights • Physician switch warning behaviours sent to sales rep • Bespoke sales message suggestion engine for individual healthcare professionals • Bespoke detail aids for each physician created in the doctor’s office.

TH E O U TCO M E • 43% increase in sales for reps using the system compared with the reps not using the system • Was then rolled out to integrate into CRM system for numerous brands • O verall incremental sales growth across all brands was $937 million.

CO N C LU S I O N By continuing to target and message a one-size-fits-all detail as before means that valuable scripts are being lost, and it is not necessary to lose them in today’s age of big data and AI. The sales call (both traditional and ‘e’) are areas made for big data and AI to optimise both and enhance your sales and marketing results. For information on how you can utilise predictive physician detailing optimisation, contact us at Eularis. Go to eularis.com/contact

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 3 3

OPINION

Outside looking in:

Finding yourself back on the job market after years can be daunting. How can recruiters work with seasoned pharma professionals to offer them a future? WORDS BY

Andy Dussroth

fter 30 years of successful employment, I am back on the job market. It’s a bit bewildering, but I am eager to get back, and with my experience I’ve still got a lot to offer. Redundancy was a shock to my system, but I’m gradually adapting to the digital recruitment process. I remember in the Eighties, trying to get into the pharmaceutical industry was relatively straightforward. On Thursdays, I’d refer to the appointments section of the Daily Telegraph, which included a wealth of vacancies and recruitment agencies. I would pick up the phone, talk to someone on the other end and arrange to meet them. The

agent would then go over my CV with a fine toothcomb and soon I would find myself with a number of opportunities. How things have changed, and competition for places is far greater. Over the last four months, I have signed up online with loads of agencies and applied for several roles. There is no doubt that the instant nature of digital has its advantages – you can apply at the touch of a button and view a host of positions in one place. I need to adapt, however, as there isn’t always the level of human contact in the process that I would expect. Also, at the other end of the process, when I receive feedback, I seem to come up against the same ‘self-inflicted’ barrier – being overqualified for the role. My message is clear –

3 4 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

Ensure you are fully up to date with current NHS news and insights, especially those that are relevant to the types of vacancies you are applying for.

Update your CV to reflect your time out of the industry, in order to explain your reasons for any gaps.

Utilise previous colleagues, friends and customers in order to share best practice to assist you in your job search.

Make sure you are up to speed with any changes in the pharma industry which may have happened since you left; especially those relevant to roles you are looking to move back into.

Work closely with a respected recruiter to keep up to date on the latest available vacancies and ensure that you practise your interviewing techniques with other industry professionals or your chosen recruiter.

Be realistic! Don’t think you will necessarily walk back into a role similar to the one you had before. You may need to lower your expectations to regain a position and have a realistic perspective regarding the package on offer.

R E I N V I G O R ATE YO U R S E A R C H Top tips for successful re-entry into the pharma jobs market, from Andy Boyd, Recruitment Account Manager at Evolve Selection

I’m here, I’m ready and don’t assume that certain roles are ‘below me’. I don’t want to watch any more episodes of Cash in the Attic – I want to work. We hear in the media almost every day that there is a skills shortage in the UK. In the pharma space, there is an abundance of skills and, if used wisely, we still can reinforce that this is the most exciting industry in the world. I hope that I, and all talented people out there, get the chance they need. I for one, will embrace the new system of applications, become more tuned in to the digital landscape and, who knows, next time I write to you, I might have renewed purpose and a new job title. adussroth@andydconsultancy.co.uk

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SMOOTH OPERATORS: Making the transition from medical sales to marketing Many of the candidates we’ve placed into medical sales positions over the years have had ambitions to move into a marketing role. Making this happen can be challenging but we have some essential tips for those making the leap.

H I T T I N G YO U R S A L E S TA R G E T S

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Having a solid foundation and track record in sales is definitely a great place to start when it comes to moving into a marketing career. First of all, you’ll be able to understand the role of the sales representative and the challenges they face every day with much greater clarity. This will also give you credibility throughout the organisation.

This is a really compelling way to get more experience and to be seen as being actively interested in marketing. Typical projects which a sales person could quickly add value to might include; sales material development, market research, advisory boards, conferences and even national level speaker meetings. As a respected member of the sales team your insights, energy and experience can play a pivotal role in helping the marketing team get things right in terms of the messaging and materials for a specific brand, as well as helping them to influence the rest of the sales team to sell in line with global brand expectations. With consistently more Permanent

Embarking on a programme of self-development is a really useful step. This could be formal learning, like getting a post-graduate marketing qualification, or by immersing yourself in online tutorials and wider reading around the subject of marketing. This will increase your self-confidence and impress those who will make internal selection decisions. Make sure your manager is supportive of why you’re doing this and align it with your development plan.

and Contract jobs than anyone else*, a fantastic range of clients and market leading service levels, the smartest way to develop your Pharmaceutical or Healthcare career is with Pf’s CSO of the Year 2017/18. Get in touch today to find out

more about our Sales, Marketing or Market Access roles.

Networking will play an important role in helping marketing team members to get to know you and feel comfortable working with you. You might even be able to gain a marketing ally or two, who will support your claim for joining the team. You should also share your longer-term goals, ask their advice about what they did to get into marketing and subtly let them know this is the direction you’re heading in.

0131 553 6644 | chasepeople.com *www.pharmafield.co.uk/jobs

Huw Nicholas is Executive Solutions Lead at Chase. If you’re interested in looking at marketing positions, or simply wish to discuss your career options, please call 0131 553 6644 or email connect@chasepeople.com

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 3 5

P H A R M ATA L E N T

MOVERS & SHAKERS

PHARMA

JORDI CASALS Amryt Pharma has announced the appointment of Jordi Casals as Head of Europe. He will be responsible for leading and developing Amryt’s European operations. Prior to this, Casals worked for eight years at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, latterly as Vice President Commercial Operations, Western Europe.

AG E N CY.

JA M E S M A R C H  Havas SO has announced the appointment of James March as Director of SO Creative Advertising and Digital. March joins the agency from Hive, where he was Client Services Director.

H E A LT H C A R E .

A NTE K L E J K Antek Lejk has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. Mr Lejk, who has worked at director and board level with NHS organisations for more than 20 years, will be joining the trust in the spring.

PHARMA .

ANDREW WITT Y

WHO’S GOING WHERE AND WHY THEY’RE GOING THERE. WORDS BY

Rachel Cresswell

3 6 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

Former GlaxoSmithKline Chief Executive Andrew Witty has been announced as the new head of UnitedHealth’s pharmacy benefit manager Optum. Witty will take on the role from July 1. UnitedHealth CEO David Wichmann said in a statement that Witty “has deep experience with how data and analytics and new technologies can be used to improve patient outcomes, better serve consumers, lower costs and drive value across the system – which is at the heart of Optum’s work to shape health care for the better”.

AG E N CY

CAROLINE GOSLING Caroline Gosling, formerly Global Head of Executive Communications and Engagement Strategy at GSK, has joined Rubica Change and Analytics as Director of Culture and Engagement. Caroline spent just under five years at GSK in a range of business leadership roles across communications, employee engagement, multichannel marketing, government affairs and health policy.

We’ve got the recruitment package for you. PharmaJobs offers bespoke recruitment solutions to suit your requirements. Whether you’re looking for a single job posting, or access to our CV bank. AG E N CY

G AV I N J O N E S

PHARMA

JA M I E M AC D O N A L D Parexel has appointed Jamie Macdonald as Chief Executive Officer. He succeeds co-founder Josef von Rickenbach. Macdonald previously led INC Research, now known as Syneos Health, for several years, first as CEO and most recently as Vice Chairman. He has also served as senior vice president and head of global project management at Quintiles, now IQVIA.

Open Health has appointed Gavin Jones to the newly formed role of Director of Rare Diseases. Jones joins the agency with 20 years’ biopharmaceutical industry experience with expertise in market access, therapy launch and patient-centric services.

Talk to us today about helping you reach the right candidates. Call us on 01462 476119 or email rachel@pharmafield.co.uk

PHARMAJOBS.CO.UK

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 3 7

P H A R M ATA L E N T

WOMEN OF PHARMA

Bayer’s Head of Strategic Marketing in TA Pulmonology, Tracey Huddy, is thriving in Germany as she embraces new opportunities, curious cultural phenomena and a language she is determined to speak fluently. INTERVIEW BY

John Pinching

ow has 2018 been for you so far, Tracey? Even though we are only two months into 2018, it is proving to be a very exciting year for me both personally and professionally. Quite apart from the excitement here at Bayer, in Germany, I am watching from afar as my three daughters start out with new chapters of their own lives, back in the UK. What projects are you most excited about in the year ahead? I am particularly energised by looking at how we will embrace new technologies and different ways of working, as the company looks to shape the business of the future. In the current Brexit ‘no man’s land’ pharma seems to be thriving, while other industries are complaining – why do you think that is? Pharmaceuticals is a global business and a relatively stable industry. It is hard to see how the evolving situation with Brexit will affect us, until actual decisions are made about the ongoing relationships with the EU. What we do know is that pharma is more than just commerce – all players will work together to ensure patients with medical requirements are able to get

3 8 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

treatments they need. That sets us apart, and helps to provide a bit more stability in our industry compared to some others. At last the gender balance debate is front page news, how do you think our industry is addressing it? The Marketing Leadership Team I belong to is 50% female, so in many ways we are already on track. I have always believed that our society depends on diversity. Although gender is one aspect of this, we must ensure that we build teams and companies that draw on all parts of society. It is this very richness that is the key to success. In pharma, do you think you have always had equal opportunities? Yes, I have always been fortunate enough to work for equal opportunity employers. I have also worked with truly inspirational people who recognise passion and skills over anything else.

“ Pharma is more than just commerce – all players will work together to ensure patients are able to get treatments”

You’ve had a really successful career – tell me about what it’s been like to move up in pharma. Over my career, I have been lucky enough to work on some remarkable medicines, with several fantastic teams. It is that experience, from success and failures, which has given me a degree of insight into pharmaceuticals. This, in turn, has led to opportunities to share those insights in larger and more complex roles. I cannot say I have had a true career plan, but simply have grasped opportunities when they arose.

I’m really interested to know whether there is a distinction between German and British culture in pharma? Culturally, the move to Bayer has been relatively easy as the business is so multicultural. The people have been exceptionally welcoming and the ‘onboarding’ was well planned. I have found, however, that some things here in Germany are a little different, and I am slowly adapting to life in Berlin. I have really enjoyed meeting so many new colleagues and love the German system of arranging ‘lunch dates’ to improve communication and networking.

Why is Bayer a great place to work? The Bayer culture is exceptionally positive and always open to trying out new, innovative ideas. In addition, I believe all colleagues share the same passion to use ‘science for a better life’ while genuinely making a difference to people’s lives with our products.

That sounds like quite a challenge for a British person. When I first arrived, it was a little surprising to see colleagues waiting for me by the entrance to their dining room. In the UK the usual working practice is either to eat a sandwich at your desk or go to lunch in large groups. These interactions are really positive and make a big difference in moving

the business forward, although your diary does become congested very quickly! How would you promote industry to a young person thinking about a career in pharma? Pharma offers a fabulous combination of being in a worthwhile industry and making a difference to people’s lives all over the world. Furthermore, we are leading the way in cutting edge science and taking on fabulous business challenges. Health will always remain a priority topic. You’ve done so much already, Tracey, but what ambitions remain on the horizon for you? I remain excited about how we will shape the industry of the future, embracing technologies and improving the overall health of individuals on a daily basis. I also have the ambition to be fluent in German, but progress is slow! Go to bayer.com

M AG A ZI N E | A PR I L 2018 | 3 9

P H A R M ATA L E N T

WHAT TO E XPECT WORDS BY

Amy Schofield K E L LY DAV I S , Executive Recruitment Consultant; Bucks, Berks, Oxon, South West, South Wales; CHASE, says: “Every company will have their own approach to running the day, however, there are certain exercises that may be included.” These are:

CASE STUDY A fictitious case study about a company or brand with a specific business challenge that needs to be addressed.

HOW T O M A K E A N I M PR E S SION AT A N

AS SES SMENT CENTRE T he pharmaceutical industry’s recruitment processes are notoriously rigorous. They’re looking for the best of the best and there are many ways they have of rooting out elite applicants. “The assessment centre is designed to assess your suitability for the role outside of the formal interview process,” says Sam Grove, Commercial Director, Oberoi Consulting. “This is done through a number of different exercises.”

The process is intense, taking anything from an afternoon to two days. You need to stand out from the crowd – you’ll be in the company of six to eight other applicants and competition is fierce. “Competency-based interview questions are designed to target specific competencies pivotal to the role,” says Sam. “Where possible, use the S.T.A.R. format when answering: situation, task, action, result.”

WHAT WILL I B E JUD G ED ON? “Sprinkled throughout the content of the case study and wider assessment will be competencies you are being measured against that the employer will regard as critical to perform in the role,” says Kelly. “Regardless of the chosen topic, the number one piece of advice I give to all my candidates is to try to research and prepare yourself in advance of the day,” she advises. Whatever the outcome, feel proud of how far you’ve come. “The assessment centre is the final stage of the recruitment process. Getting this far is an achievement – this is your opportunity to ask questions,” counsels Sam. “Above all, be yourself. Don’t forget to ask for feedback, whether you are successful or not.”

4 0 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

Sales and marketingbased role judging criteria could include: • Strategic thinking • Problem solving • Planning and organising • Customer service focus • Influencing others • Delivering results • Working together.

PRE-PREPARED PRESENTATION To demonstrate a clear line of thinking addressing challenges, objectives, consideration of options, recommendation, pros and cons, stakeholders, timed plan of action. GROUP EXERCISE The company is looking at how you can you interact with colleagues and go about resolving challenges. PSYCHOMETRIC TESTING To profile your personality type to ensure that there is a good cultural fit between you and the company. ROLE PLAY EXERCISE Looking at your style of sales technique and how you interact with customers. COMPETENCY BASED INTERVIEW The company is looking to get to know you and how you have demonstrated certain competencies in previous roles and situations.

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Open for Open for MARKET more ACCESS jobs. more jobs.

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0131 553 6644 | connect@chasepeople.com | chasepeople.com *www.pharmafield.co.uk/jobs