March 2017 PHARMAFI E LD.CO.U K
2017
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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 ART DIRECTOR
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@events4healthcare.com P f AWA R D S
Melanie Hamer melanie@events4healthcare.com PUBLISHER
Karl Hamer karl@events4healthcare.com pharmafield.co.uk events4healthcare.com @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. Events 4 Healthcare 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 (Events 4 Healthcare) 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.
T
Letter from the Editor
here are so many questions throughout the ‘civilised’ world right now. We’re living in strange and worrying times – things we once took for granted, are rapidly changing form. In response, Pf Magazine is bringing it back home – we’re keeping real. We’re dragging our communal gaze away from Europe, America and North Korea. For half-an-hour, at any rate. Indeed, what could be more real than our curious readers asking questions about our beloved NHS? What could be more satisfying than getting answers to those questions, from the great and the good at the top of our healthcare service. Check out our unforgettable head-to-head in this very issue. We’re now a safe distance from 2016, and George Michael’s journey to the great Club Tropicana in the sky has seemingly brought an end to a weird chapter of time, where cool human beings seemed to be dying at will. Anyway, what George left behind was perhaps even more remarkable. He was a true philanthropist and a mystery one at that. In this edition we look back at his spontaneous acts of stunning generosity, while also taking a magical mystery tour among other notable benefactors from across show business. We’ve also got candid, controversial and compelling opinion from our procession of columnists, while our political correspondent wonders what will emerge from the ashes of the European Medicines Agency. Meanwhile, exclusive interviews, our first webinar report and the usual marching band of regulars complete a formidable line-up. It’s going to be a lot of fun, folks. Enjoy the mag, and tell us what you think on Twitter @pharmafield
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CORREC TION: February 2017 Contents page should have read ‘Boehringer Ingelheim Director of Sales Lee Gittings’.
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HAVE AN OPINION ON SOMETHING YOU ' VE RE AD IN P f MAGA ZINE? @Pharmafield
M AG A ZI N E | M A RCH 2017 | 1
CONTENTS MAGAZINE
N E WS
Bringing you this month’s essential headlines C OV E R S TO RY
A tour of fame, fortune and philanthropy OPINION
Dr Anne Connolly on saving the NHS OPINION
David Thorne’s back with a warning to pharma F E AT U R E
Don’t believe the hype: health headlines dissected POLITICS
Alex Ledger wrestles with the EMA dilemma COFFEE BREAK
Eric Low on his dedication to myeloma OPINION
Niamh McMillan checks out two cool new vaccines EVENTS & CONFERENCES
Parallel Learning webinar F E AT U R E
NHS answers your critical questions P H A R M ATA L E N T
Movers & Shakers from across healthcare P H A R M ATA L E N T
Big data guru Hassan Chaudhury inspires
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March READER’S VOICE: “I read February’s Pf Magazine cover story with interest. It’s heartening to see that the NHS is open to joint-working initiatives with pharma, in much more integrated ways. The article correctly refers to one of the things that often holds up progress – multi-party negotiations that take place before any agreement. There is a fundamental need for each party to consider the other’s regulatory framework. The NHS and any third-party healthcare provider must deliver within the Care Quality Commission guidelines, while pharma has to ensure that all partnerships remain within the boundaries of the ABPI. Having a third party that understands the entire equation should result in quicker agreements.” Marcus Ineson, Director, govENHANCE
HAVE YOUR SAY: How will the modern patient shape pharma’s future? Are you having conversations with NHS colleagues that they really want? Is dementia the biggest threat to mankind? We’ll be covering these issues in the next Pf Magazine – tell us what you think. GET IN TOUCH: hello@pharmafield.co.uk @pharmafield
@pharmajobsuk
Pf Magazine
BE IN THE KNOW. 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, pharma talent and thought-provoking features please email hello@pharmafield.co.uk. This and all past issues of Pf Magazine can be viewed online at issuu.com/pfmagazine
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
NHS
Holiday over Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced new regulations requiring all hospitals to check upfront whether patients are eligible for free NHS treatment. The measure bids to halt so-called ‘health tourism’ and recoup up to £500 million per year for the NHS. The regulations will be in place within months, under plans to recover the cost of health treatments provided to patients not ordinarily resident in the UK. Legal changes will require all hospitals to establish whether patients are eligible for free treatment. If patients are found to be ineligible, they will be charged upfront for any non-urgent care. Under the new law – which will change from April this year – hospitals and NHS bodies will also be required to flag a patient’s chargeable status, so that other parts of the NHS can more easily recoup costs from overseas visitors. No one will be denied urgent or immediately necessary healthcare. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “We have no problem with overseas visitors using our NHS – as long as they make a fair contribution, just as the British taxpayer does.”
ANTIMICROBIAL . R E S I S TA N C E .
Bacteria future
A woman in the United States has become the first person to die as a result of antimicrobial resistance. It is thought the woman caught the resistant bacteria while she was being treated for a broken leg in an Indian hospital. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that the woman – who died in Washington State last August – was infected with Klebsiella bacteria that was resistant to 26 different antibiotics.
Pf View: This seems like a sensible move. Treating people in emergencies, regardless of nationality, is in the spirit of our NHS ethos – people seeking cosmetic surgery while they’re on holiday is just taking the… concept for granted.
Antibiotics misuse worldwide is contributing to rising levels of antimicrobial resistance. If the woman had been in Europe, she may have survived, as another treatment – Fosfomycin – is licensed in Europe, but not in the US. Fosfomycin is an old medicine that was replaced by cephalosporins in the 1980s, but now researchers are attempting to resurrect it, along with others, in cases where newer ones fail to effectively treat bacterial infections.
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BAC K T WE ET THE WORD ON CYBER STREET SOMETHING TO SAY? @Pharmafield
PublicHealthEngland @PHE_UK
Students returning to uni: Get the #MenACWY vaccine and protect against an aggressive deadly strain of Meningitis Parallel Learning @parallellearn
Now on-demand – watch Peter Rowe, Deputy Chairman of East Lancashire NHS Trust, discuss NHS Devolution James Illman @Jamesillman
Stevens tells @NHSEngland meeting: March #5YFV delivery plan “will signal that STPs are here to stay” more formalisation of STPs to come
PA R T N E R S H I P S
Pharma love-in
T
he Milner Therapeutics Institute has added Pfizer as a partner to the Milner Therapeutics Consortium. Dr Ron Newbold – Vice President, External R&D Innovation at Pfizer – will join the Milner Innovation Board alongside representatives from Astex, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Shionogi, MedImmune, University of Cambridge, Babraham Institute and Sanger Institute. The consortium acts as a ‘matchmaking’ service between pharmaceutical companies and researchers, and allocates funds for partnering opportunities in Cambridge. It has been specifically modelled to help facilitate the speedy exchange of resources and information between partners through a pre-signed agreement. Dr Newbold said: “The UK has a very strong academic and biotech community, and we anticipate working with many world-class scientists that will be supported and inspired by the work of the Milner Institute in the coming years.”
Pf View: Pharma companies collaborating closely was once a barely believable fantasy. Now they seem to be actively seeking each other’s company in new and interesting ways.
Emma Watson @EmmaWatson
@gatesfoundation: “Contraceptives are one of the greatest antipoverty innovations in history” Dr Christian Jessen @DoctorChristian
#HIV caused a hideous past. This is the present. I fervently hope that it has no future. #endthestigma #Science Paul Chapman @Paul_Choman09
Raising the profile of GP nurses essential workforce to deliver healthcare with other key primary care professionals @NHS_HealthEdEng NICE @NICEcomms
Our final guidance means patients with multiple myeloma will be able to get pomalidomide on the NHS within 3 months QuintilesIMS @QuintilesIMS
#Technology and #data will greatly influence the future of #healthcare & #pharma R&D, says Dr Naniah of QuintilesIMS. #iscrindia
C O M PA N Y. N E WS .
REACH FOR THE STARS
U
K-based purification specialist Reach Separations has marked its fifth anniversary with a record year of growth, following a surge in demand for its small molecule synthesis capabilities. The company – headquartered at BioCity in Nottingham – has grown by one third since 2015 and is now working with most of the world’s big pharma firms. The growth has been put down to export, with a three-fold increase in activity outside the UK during 2016, following significant investment in analytical equipment. The company’s technical group is headed by Director, Phil Abbott. Abbott said: “I believe our growth has been fuelled by our reputation to simply deliver a high-quality purification and analysis service in a dependable manner.”
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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
N EU R O LO G I C A L . DISEASES.
THE LIFE OF BRAIN
Scientists at the University of Bristol and University of Central Lancashire have discovered a new mechanism that controls the way nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other in order to regulate our long-term memory. The discovery could improve our understanding of how the brain works and what causes neurodegenerative disorders such as epilepsy and dementia. The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, will have far-reaching implications in many aspects of neuroscience. The researchers – led by Professor Jeremy Henley – reveal a new type of long-term potentiation (LTP) process that is controlled by kainate receptors. LTP increases the strength of information flow across synapses in the human brain, intensifying the connectivity of the cells in the network and making information transfer more efficient. The discovery raises the possibility of targeting this new pathway to develop therapeutic strategies for diseases like dementia. Dr Milos Petrovic – co-author of the study, and Reader in Neuroscience at the University of Central Lancashire – added: “Untangling the interactions between the signal receptors in the brain provides a practical insight into what happens when we form new memories. If we can preserve these signals it may help protect against brain diseases. This is an extremely exciting discovery.” Pf View: The dementia dichotomy is the new puzzle of pharma’s own making. People are living longer because of industry innovation, and it is industry that must find solutions.
E J O B LO S S E S
Blues for R&D
li Lilly is planning to cut 200 R&D positions across the world. The jobs will be eliminated through a ‘voluntary reallocation program’ which the company says will affect less than 3% of its global R&D workforce. Last month, Lilly announced plans to cut the jobs of 485 field-based employees at its Integrated Health Partners/Cardiovascular Account Specialists organisation within the company’s U.S. Bio-Medicines Business Unit.
Quick doses JA N S S E N U K is “disappointed” with the Scottish Medicines Consortium’s decision not to recommend Darzalex – a multiple myeloma treatment – for use across NHS Scotland. Scientists at the LU X E M B O U R G C E NTR E FO R SYS TE M S B I O M E D I C I N E have identified a gene that may develop treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. TA K E DA P H A R M AC E U TI C A L is co-developing its rare paediatric epilepsy candidate TAK-935 through a collaboration with OV I D TH E R A P E U TI C S . The Scottish Medicines Consortium has published advice accepting S E RV I E R ’s Lonsurf – a treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer. E WO P H A R M A has signed a distribution agreement to market Biogen’s anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor biosimilars. It will bring BENEPALI and FLIXABI to Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The European Medicines Agency has granted accelerated assessment for A B BV I E ’s hep C therapy, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir.
The company blamed the cuts on the failure of its candidate, solanezumab, in the Phase III EXPEDITION3 clinical trial, as well as a decision to end the promotion of unspecified medications. In a statement about the decision, the company said: “Lilly is focussing its investment in new R&D capabilities to ensure portfolio sustainability. We plan to increase our investment and hire in strategic areas, including molecule-making capabilities, immunology, and Alzheimer’s disease.”
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M E R G E R S & AC Q U I S I T I O N S
PA R T N E R S H I P. WO R K I N G .
R&D IN TEAM
P
harmaceutical companies are increasingly working in partnership with other firms, academia and catapults, through collaborative models, according to a report from the ABPI. The publication, ‘Open for Innovation: UK Biopharma R&D Sourcebook 2016’, reveals how this step-change towards collaborative working and open innovation – a contrast to the older model of closed corporate research and development labs – supports the UK economy. It also shows that the pharmaceutical industry in the UK invested £4.2bn in 2015 – equal to a fifth of all UK business R&D spending – making it the highest spending business sector on R&D. Pharmaceutical organisations have increased their absolute level of investment in collaborative and outsourced drug discovery in the UK over the last five years, particularly in oncology and rheumatology.
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE .
PURE MAGNETISM
Injection of strength Ethypharm has signed an agreement to acquire Martindale Pharma, a UK-based company providing essential medicines all over the world. The company specialises in the field of opioid addiction, emergency care and sterile injectables. The combined group will have a broader geographical reach and strengthen its manufacturing capabilities – including solid dose and oral liquids – creating a group with revenues of more than €300 million. Michael Harris, CEO of Martindale Pharma said: “The combination of Ethypharm and Martindale enables us to create a leading company in the fields of emergency care, pain and addiction.” Hugues Lecat, CEO of Ethypharm, added: “I am delighted to welcome the Martindale Pharma team. The combined group will benefit from Martindale’s expertise, to accelerate international growth.”
A breakthrough magnetic brain-training technique – created by scientists in Israel and the US – has proved more effective than any drug in treating people with Alzheimer’s disease. According to the researchers, ‘NeuroAD’ could be an effective alternative and may even halt progression of the disease. The six-week procedure performed well in trials, with three-quarters of patients reporting stabilisation or improvement in their symptoms. Some trial participants continued to improve for two years. The £6000 treatment – which works by boosting the brain’s ability to recall and reason using electromagnetic stimulation – is now being rolled out at private practices in London, Manchester, Chester, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. Marwan Sabbagh, Director of the Alzheimer’s and memory disorders programme at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Arizona, said: “Some patients
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have better communication and interaction with their families and some are able to solve crossword puzzles again, can paint, or simply be more alive.” Dr Doug Brown, Director of Research and Development at Alzheimer’s Society, was more cautious. He stated: “There isn’t enough evidence to be certain that this approach will improve thinking skills for people with Alzheimer’s disease and we encourage the company to produce further evidence. The treatment is likely to be expensive, so people need to consider the costs and potential benefits.”
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
A P P R OVA L S .
Agreeable tof
P
fizer has announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion of XELJANZ® (tofacitinib citrate). The CHMP’s verdict will now be sent to the European Commission for a final decision. If approved, tofacitinib citrate, in combination with methotrexate (MTX), will be indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adult patients who have responded inadequately to other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. More than 2.9 million people are currently living with moderate to severe RA in Europe. Tofacitinib citrate is part of the Janus kinase inhibitor class of medications and can be given as monotherapy, in case of intolerance to MTX, or when treatment with MTX is inappropriate.
NO SALE
COPD
Daxas buyers snub AstraZeneca’s chronic obstructive pulmonary disease therapy, Daxas (roflumilast), has been turned down in draft guidance by NICE. AstraZeneca had submitted roflumilast to be considered in adult patients with chronic bronchitis, as an effective oral treatment for adults, when combined with current bronchodilator treatment options. At £18,774, AstraZeneca calculated the drug’s price per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) far lower than NICE’s calculation, which, using different data, came out at £71,365. NICE therefore deemed Daxas as too expensive to be viable for widespread use on the NHS.
ANNIVERSARIES
A P P R OVA L S
PEN is MIGHTIER The European Commission has granted marketing authorisation, in Europe, for SuliquaTM. The therapy is Sanofi’s once-daily combination of basal insulin and GLP-1 receptor agonist, lixisenatide, for treating type 2 diabetes. Suliqua is authorised for use, in combination with metformin, to improve glycaemic control where metformin alone, metformin combined with another oral glucose-lowering product or basal insulin have failed. It will be delivered in two pre-filled SoloSTAR® pens, providing different dosing options, which may solve individual patient needs. The decision to grant marketing authorisation in Europe for Suliqua was based on data from two Phase III studies – LixiLan-O and LixiLan-L. The trials enrolled more than 1900 adults with type 2 diabetes worldwide, evaluating the efficacy and safety of the fixed-ratio combination. Elias Zerhouni, President, Global R&D, Sanofi, said: “Sanofi has a long history of elevating care for people with diabetes, and we believe Suliqua will make it easier for patients with inadequately controlled diabetes to reach their treatment goals.”
Ashfield celebrates 20 years at the top Ashfield – part of UDG Healthcare plc – is celebrating its twentieth anniversary. The company was founded by Chris and Samantha Corbin in 1997. Ashfield was acquired by UDG Healthcare in 2000, and went on to acquire 19 companies, allowing it to expand existing services. The company supports clients in over 50 countries and provides many services including contract sales teams, customer service reps, medical science liaison officers, remote detailing, nurse educators and healthcare communications. It employs over 6000 people across 22 countries. Chris Corbin said: “I am very proud of the journey Ashfield has been on. Providing an exceptional environment to work in, where people can develop, has always been extremely important to me. Employees have and always will be at the centre of our organisation.”
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Gotta have faith Following George Michael’s untimely death, stories of his generous donations to charitable causes surfaced. Which other celebrities have shared their good fortune?
George Michael
W
hen George Michael died on Christmas Day, we were left with an incredible legacy of music and, of course, ‘Last Christmas’ echoing tragically in our ears. But then, in the following days, anecdotes of extraordinary and highly secretive generosity began to emerge. These weren’t ‘careless whispers’, but real stories about real people. In typically classy style, George had not only donated millions to countless charities throughout his life, but had also covertly helped strangers in ways that brought fresh tears to eyes already bleary with sadness.
COVER STORY H E R E ’ S H OW G E O R G E B R I G HTE N E D L I V E S B E YO N D H I S D U LC E T TO N E S : The Terence Higgins Trust: The former Wham star lost his partner, Anselmo Feleppa, to AIDS in 1993, and for many years donated experiences and gifts to the charity, enabling it to raise funds and help support people living with HIV. He also donated the royalties from ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me’, his 1991 duet with Elton John. Head of Major Gifts and Special Events at the organisation, Jane Barron, said: “His donations contributed to a vision of a world where people living with HIV live healthy lives, free from prejudice and discrimination.”
W O R D S B Y Amy Schofield I L L U S T R A T I O N B Y Alex Buccheri
C A M P S I G H T:
M I N D C R A F T:
Sport Relief: George pledged thousands to David Walliams, when the comic swam the English Channel in 2006. After George died, the comedian tweeted: “There are lots of stories about #GeorgeMichael’s legendary generosity emerging today. When I swam the Channel he gave @sportrelief £50,000.”
Chat show host and comedian Alan Carr spreads not only laughter, but also goodwill to many charitable causes. Last year Carr became a patron of Neuroblastoma UK, which supports research to find new, more effective and kinder treatments for children diagnosed with this aggressive childhood cancer. He also supports children’s charity Variety, providing his trademark irreverent humour to their events, while also playing a significant role in raising the charity’s profile in important funding bids.
Self-confessed ‘poster girl for mental illness’ Ruby Wax is a advocate for mental health, having suffered from crippling depression for many years. As an ambassador for mental health charity, Mind, she has been vocal about her history of depression. Ruby's one-woman stage show, Losing It, toured mental health hospitals for free. She also created the ‘Black Dog Tribe’, working with the charity SANE to create a safe community for people suffering from depression in which they could share experiences.
MONEY SPINNER:
P OT T E R G O L D :
The big-hearted TV, film and Broadway star, who began his rise to fame with Gavin and Stacey and can currently be seen hosting The Late Late Show, in the US, has never shied away from sharing his good fortune. The long-time host of the BRIT Awards once gave his £50,000 presenting fee to Comic Relief and – along with other celebrities – provided the sound of himself breathing over a backing track for a music video created by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. It would also be fitting to remember Corden’s unforgettable Comic Relief appearance, as his Gavin and Stacey creation, Smithy, in a beat-up Volvo, singing along to George Michael, accompanied by the man himself. The skit was the precursor to the now world-famous ‘Carpool Karaoke’ segment on Corden’s show and yet another reminder that George Michael was not just an incredible singer, but a quite remarkable human being.
“You have a moral responsibility when you’ve been given far more than you need, to do wise things with it and give intelligently.” JK Rowling
Childline: Childline founder, Dame Esther Rantzen, revealed how George generously gifted the royalties from his 1996 hit ‘Jesus to a Child’ to the charity, which amounted to just a portion of the millions he donated. Childline recently unveiled plans to hold a star-studded performance in 2017, honouring George’s generosity, and coinciding with the charity’s 30th anniversary. Esther Rantzen said: “George helped us reach out to hundreds of thousands of children through his generosity.” P E R S O N A L D O N ATI O N S Pointless presenter Richard Osman told the story of how – when he was working on Noel Edmond’s Deal or No Deal – a contestant told them she needed £15,000 for IVF treatment. “George Michael secretly phoned the next day and gave her the £15k,” Richard recalled.
PLAYED A FREE CHRISTMAS CONCERT IN
HONOUR of the NURSES
who cared for his dying mother SENT 1000 FREE CONCERT TICKETS TO
HOSPITAL WORKERS who treated him for pneumonia SET UP A TRUST WHICH GAVE GRANTS TO
SUPPORT THE RIGHTS OF DISABLED CHILDREN & ADULTS
Alan Carr
James Corden
Ruby Wax
JK Rowling
JK Rowling’s legendary charitable nature once led to her being knocked off the Forbes World's Billionaires list. Rowling has donated millions to a number of causes through her charitable trust, ‘Volant’, which supports causes such as the Catie Hoch Foundation, Children with AIDS, Dyslexia Action, the Make A Child Smile Appeal and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. The creator of the Harry Potter books, who used to write in an Edinburgh café with her baby daughter, to escape her poverty, once said: “You have a moral responsibility when you’ve been given far more than you need, to do wise things with it and give intelligently.”
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COVER STORY
N E T WO R T H :
Cristiano Ronaldo
Elton John
I
n response to watching many friends – including Freddie Mercury – suffer and die from HIV/AIDS, George Michael’s dear pal Elton John set up the Elton John Aids Foundation (EJAF) in the US, in 1992, and the UK in 1993. The organisation has grown into one of the largest, most respected and dynamic charities in the field. Elton ceaselessly champions the cause through leveraging his fame to raise awareness and funds – holding post-Grammy and Oscar parties as fundraisers, and opening his home to legions of celebrities every year for the famed ‘White Tie and Tiara’ ball. In 2016, the EJAF offered to finance HIV testing in the London borough of Lambeth, which is the UK local authority with the highest rate of HIV. He also gives large amounts of his personal fortune to charity.
READY FOR LOVE: THE ELTON JOHN FOUNDATION IN NUMBERS
£122
MILLION RAISED 1049 projects supported SEVENTH LARGEST
PHILANTHROPIC FUNDER OF HIV 10 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K
“Ronaldo’s been onside when it comes to sharing his estimated £120 million fortune with those less fortunate than himself.”
He may be better known for his ball skills and giant ego, but footballer Ronaldo has a considerable heart too. He’s always been onside when it comes to sharing his estimated £120 million fortune with those less fortunate than himself. Notable examples include paying for experimental drugs for nine-year-old Real Madrid fan, Nuhazet Guillen, who was suffering from cancer of the spine. Meanwhile, he also responded to a plea from the parents of a 10-month-old baby boy, Erik Ortiz Cruz, who needed a life-saving brain operation. They asked him to donate a football shirt and boots to an auction, in order to raise funds for the £50,000 operation. Ronaldo paid for the operation and the further treatment.
Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys is an ambassador for Keep A Child Alive – a charity which provides life-saving anti-retroviral treatment to children and their families with HIV/AIDS in Africa and the developing world. She regularly visits Africa to speak with children who have lost their parents to AIDS and has also played at the New Jersey Live Earth, the Philadelphia Live 8 concerts and in events held for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
SWEET DREAMS:
AC C O U N T S O F F I C E :
Annie Lennox “When Annie Lennox heard Nelson Mandela describe the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa as a ‘genocide’, she became an activist for the cause.” Since amassing a fortune with 80s chart-busters Eurythmics, and later as a solo artist, singing superstar Annie Lennox has changed lives with her ceaseless altruism. When she heard Nelson Mandela describe the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa as a ‘genocide’, she became an activist for the cause. She went on to found the Annie Lennox Foundation and was honoured with the British Red Cross’ Services to Humanity Award in 2008. She is most well-known for her tireless work to raise awareness of the deadly impact of HIV/ AIDS in Africa. In 2007, she created the SING campaign, which raises global awareness about the impact of HIV on women and children, in particular in South Africa, Malawi and the UK. She has also been appointed UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador.
THE KEY OF LIFE:
Alicia Keys
Ricky Gervais Ricky Gervais is a passionate supporter of animal rights, as well as giving generously to cancer charity Macmillan Cancer Support – raising around £1million for the charity by donating the profits from a series of warm-up shows. He likes a laugh and famously donated £1000 to Great Ormond Street Hospital after daring Gary Lineker – in a tweet – to use the football cliché, ‘it was a game of two halves’, during Match of the Day coverage of a quarter-final clash between the Czech Republic and Portugal. Lineker sportingly obliged. He is also an avid supporter of many other causes, including the Teenage Cancer Trust, Prostate Cancer UK and the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, as well as Comic Relief, for which he filmed a spoof African appeal for ‘Red Nose Day’ and brought back The Office legend David Brent, who was seen strumming a guitar to Brent’s protest song, Equality Street.
“Ricky Gervais famously donated £1000 after daring Gary Lineker to use the football cliché, ‘it was a game of two halves’.”
OPINION
S P E C I A L G U E S T C O L U M N I S T:
Dr Anne Connolly
Happy ending? Our beloved NHS is old and in intensive care – we must look after it.
T
he NHS is the envy of the world, but is creaking under severe and mounting pressures. It must make changes in order to survive. While spending by local authorities has been slashed, an increasingly complex aging population – with multiple co-morbidities – requires expensive medications and procedures. Furthermore, the rising demand for access to healthcare professionals makes the existing provision of healthcare unsustainable. The pressure is on all sectors of the system. GPs are struggling to provide sufficient access, resulting in an unbearable strain on out-of-hours providers and emergency departments. Meanwhile, reduced in-patient bed capacity and delayed discharges means the system is hopelessly grid-locked. The government is also demanding seven-day services, with minimal “There are opportunities, evidence that providing extra cover to make the unwieldy would improve quality or efficiency. These concerns – alongside system more effective, but ‘Brexit uncertainty’ – have been the this requires a clear plan.” catalyst for our young workforce disappearing to ‘greener pastures’, and a dramatic reduction in clinicians who want work in the NHS. There are opportunities, however, to make the unwieldy system more effective, but this requires a clear plan, without the threat of competition. Integrating service delivery across the system and delivering health and social care, in the right place, at the right time, by the right person, can make efficiencies. No amount of restructuring will deliver the savings without a change in public expectation. The UK population is becoming more physically unhealthy, with high rates of smoking, alcohol use and obesity, while more are becoming psychologically unwell due to financial concerns, unemployment and social isolation. Ultimately, responsibility for health does lie with the individual, but empowerment and support is required to make positive change. Self-help schemes require the development of online resources, use of social media and improved access to social prescribing. Understanding the risks of poor diet, lack of exercise and other life choices is an essential piece of that jigsaw. The NHS must survive – it is our national treasure and many of us are proud to work for it – but it cannot continue in its current state.
STEP CHANGE How the NHS can save itself
Implementation of JOINTLY COMMISSIONED CARE PATHWAYS , between local
authorities and CCGs, to reduce duplication from fragmented commissioning responsibilities. The establishment of ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANISATIONS to deliver new
care models that integrate services previously provided separately. This would allow the sharing of expertise in multi-disciplinary team working, delivering a holistic, life-course approach to care with appropriate payment mechanisms. A FEDER ATION OF G P PR ACTICES to reduce management
costs and allow the development of primary care enhanced services, with contracts tendered for services such as dermatology and musculo-skeletal medicine. CCG QUALIT Y, INNOVATION , PRODUCTIVIT Y AND PREVENTION PL ANS (QIPP)
for tough decisions about medicine optimisation, stopping procedures of limited clinical value and restricting procedures because of risk factors, including high BMI or smoking.
Dr Anne Connolly is a GP in Bradford and Chair of the Primary Care Women’s Health Forum.
M AG A ZI N E | M A RCH 2017 | 1 1
OPINION
Mind your language David urges a new approach to communicating with NHS folk. WORDS BY
David Thorne
Context corner NHS Gateway 06300: Simon Stevens’ and Jim Mackey’s lesser-spotted letter to STP leads on next steps. Themes include togetherness, planning, expenditure, pride and delivering optimum care. QALY: ‘Quality-adjusted life-years’ is a unit used to determine the currency of a patient’s existence under the burden of disease, while also establishing how it could be improved with medical intervention.
S
o, how was your company conference? Great, you can now get on with implementing the 60-page territory plans that the field guys spent the winter writing – the plans that link to the marketing strategy agreed with the bosses in Tokyo/Chicago/Paris/Copenhagen. Needless to say, 40 of those 200 marketing slides involved setting out a PEST analysis of the new NHS, so that now you’re confident of a winning approach. Ha! Sure. Most people I meet are struggling with two slight issues regarding the NHS. They don’t understand what’s going on and they can’t communicate with the people who manage it. A bit harsh, but if the guys in the field were better able to relate to NHS managers then those people would open up, tell them what is going on, build a rapport and be more amenable to the desired product messages. Having the right questions to trigger the holy grail of openness will gradually reveal the hooks on which to hang a value proposition. By managers I mean commissioners, CCG lead GPs, GP practice managers, clinical directors and operational service managers in hospitals and community services.
“Most people I meet are struggling with two slight issues regarding the NHS. They don’t understand what’s going on and they can’t communicate with the people who manage it.” There have to be simpler ways of equipping the guys with things to ask about, rather than things to tell. I haven’t met anyone who is aware of a key letter that went out on 12th December – whack ‘NHS Gateway 06300’ into a search engine and you’ll find it. It’s the first hit! This is an extremely significant letter signalling future NHS ways of working. Senior folk in the field should be able to translate its multiple nuances, but anyone opening a conversation with an NHS manager, by asking their interpretation of its content, would demonstrate a refreshingly alert approach and may get some revelatory responses. NHS managers often have no clinical or scientific training. They don’t read clinical papers and they don’t understand basic pharmacology. They are unfamiliar with QALYs, prices, half-life, posology and relative risk reduction. Furthermore, they don’t look at the NICE website. This is a big opportunity for you to simplify, place into context and explain, using their language, what matters to them – especially with relevant local NHS facts thrown in. But only after using guided open questions to understand their position! Did you practice that at conference? Or did you spend the whole afternoon of day two role playing how to use a complex chart that only a handful of clinicians could ever understand? It’s time to get real. David Thorne is Chair, Washington Community Healthcare and Non-Executive Director, City and Vale GP Alliance. Go to blueriverconsulting.co.uk
David Thorne presents ‘Accountable Care Organisations: Are these the future of healthcare?’ alongside expert speaker Michael Sobanja, for the upcoming Parallel Learning webinar. See page 23 for more information and how to register.
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F E AT U R E WORDS BY
Amy Schofield
Could your beloved mog cause Alzheimer’s? Don’t believe the hype: health headlines dissected TH E S TO RY
TH E R E S U LT S
You’re either a ‘cat person’ or you’re not, but those who aren’t have another reason to mistrust our feline friends. News has emerged that a toxic parasite, found in cat faeces, could be responsible for causing Alzheimer’s disease in humans. According to the headlines, being careless with hygiene after handling your cat’s litter may put people at risk of developing the degenerative brain disease. Has this story got legs or is it just a tall tail?
The researchers found that mice infected with the parasite demonstrated impairments to their learning and memory, consistent with the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. The T.gondii infection was also found to alter the mice’s brain chemistry and increased their chances of developing Alzheimer’s. The authors concluded that the parasite induced pathological progression of the disease in the mice’s brains, both directly and indirectly.
TH E R E S E A RC H
TH E D E A L
New research, published in the Journal of Parasitology, warned that infection with a parasite found in cat faeces – Toxoplasma gondii (T.gondii) – can lead to changes in the brain’s chemistry. Cat owners who don’t wash their hands properly after changing cat litter are among those who are at risk of contracting this chronic infection. Once infection occurs, the parasite moves to the brain and symptoms vary, with some people showing none, while others demonstrate behavioural and bodychemical changes that mimic Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia or mood disorders. The researchers set out to test the hypothesis that T.gondii infection could actually be a cause of these conditions – as opposed to mimicking the signs of such illnesses. The researchers experimented on mice, infecting some with the parasite, and altering others to show symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s. They subsequently tested the mice for behavioural and molecular changes.
There are many risk factors involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, and plenty of research is currently underway. Building on the results of previous studies that revealed a link between T.gondii infection – and an increased risk of brain cancer, anxiety and schizophrenia – the results of this latest study show that one way of reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s is to avoid cat litter. If the cat still insists on doing its ‘business’ inside, owners should wash their hands thoroughly.
W HAT TH E PR E S S SA I D : “Could your CAT give you Alzheimer’s?” Daily Mail; “UK’s ten million moggies could be source of Alzheimer’s disease” The Sun “Could your CAT’s poop give you Alzheimer’s?” Healthmedicinet.com
HEAD STATS IN THE UK OVER
40,000 people under 65 have
DEMENTIA THERE ARE CURRENTLY
NO TREATMENTS THAT SLOW OR STOP
the progression of
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASES PEOPLE CAN PICK UP FROM CATS INCLUDE
RABIES, CAT SCRATCH DISEASE, SALMONELLA, ROUNDWORM AND
RINGWORM
THERE IS NO CONCLUSIVE PROOF THAT CATS HAVE
NINE LIVES
M AG A ZI N E | M A RCH 2017 | 13
Joy division? WORDS BY
Alex Ledger
EMA
IN NUMBERS LICENSES MEDICINES IN
28 EU STATES
25% Equates to
OF THE WORLD’S TOTAL
DRUG MARKET SERVES A COMBINED POPULATION OF
500 MILLION
PEOPLE THE UK ON ITS OWN
IS ABOUT 3% of the GLOBAL MARKET
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Alex considers our future as we bid farewell to the EMA.
W
ill the loss of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) result in slower drug access for UK patients? It will according to Sir Alasdair Breckenridge – former chair of the The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) – and it might do more than that. Several countries are vying to give a home to Europe’s medicines licensing agency. Barcelona, Milan, Lyon, Dublin, Amsterdam, Stockholm and Budapest have all apparently submitted their interest. All offer sensible prospects, however, the stakes are high. An EMA staff survey, recently reported in the FT, has been presented to the agency’s governing board, which showed that about 50% of employees would leave in the event of relocation to an undesirable city. Even losing a fraction of this number would dramatically restrict the EMA’s work programme, slowing down the rate of evaluations and, ultimately, approvals. All European patients would suffer. The EMA relocated to large headquarters in London’s Canary Wharf two years ago. In those modern facilities, 890 medics, scientists and bureaucrats determine the licensing and monitoring decisions for medicines throughout the European Union. Additionally, the agency coordinates 36,000 national regulators and scientists each year, from across the continent, who approve the safety and efficacy of drugs. To accompany this, a specialist regulatory industry has blossomed in and around
“Securing a good deal for medicines regulation is fast becoming a high-profile feature of the proposed Brexit negotiations.”
London, supporting companies through the EMA’s processes. Relocation of the agency means the potential loss of highly-skilled professionals who will, inevitably, take their skills, taxes and expense budgets elsewhere. Naturally, concern has also been raised in Parliament. During Prime Minister’s Questions SNP MP Philippa Whitford – member of the health select committee – raised a probing question, inquiring as to the Government’s plans to tackle the departure of the EMA. Theresa May’s retort was devoid of detail other than to say it was ‘looking into the matter’. Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth MP, has publicly stated that he has written to Jeremy Hunt, characterising the Government's handling as “reckless”, carrying with it a “damaging loss of jobs and wealth”. Securing a good deal for medicines regulation is fast becoming a high-profile feature of the proposed Brexit negotiations. Any agreement will need to reassure industry that the UK will not represent a substantial hurdle to secure access. Achieving this is a tough demand.
POLITICS
“A single, integrated agency responsible for an end-to-end value assessment of new technologies could speed up regulatory decisions and reimbursement.”
NEW ORDER
S
hould Breckenridge’s views cause concern – would the impact of Brexit create a two-tier regulatory system in the UK? EMA as the major market, and the MHRA – or a succeeding body – as the second. If so, pharma could be deterred from launching in the UK early, particularly if it came with additional costs.
“The EMA has been clearly marked out as not featuring in the Government’s post-Brexit plans.”
A
n option to avoid disruption and cost would be an agreement for the UK to continue participating in the EMA and its regulatory system. There is precedent for this. Norway, Iceland and some smaller European countries are members and subject to its rulings. To achieve this, however, those countries had agreed to be members of the single market and, as part of this, accepted core EU principles such as free movement of people, goods, capital and services. There is no appetite within the Government to entertain such a ‘soft’ Brexit. Another suggestion would be to automatically adopt post-Brexit EMA rulings by uniting the MHRA and NICE to make them a more appealing prospect to industry. A single, integrated agency responsible for an end-to-end value assessment of new technologies could speed up regulatory decisions and reimbursement. This would be a positive development. Nevertheless, both bodies have prominent independent reputations – both domestically and internationally – and will be keen to protect their respective
territories. NICE operates an international consulting arm, and the MHRA uses its expertise to conduct reviews on behalf of the EMA – it currently approves about 25% of all medicines in the EU. To duplicate the EMA’s work would entail a substantial uplift in resource and cost. It is hard to see how Government would finance this without passing some cost onto industry. MHRA already charges and NICE has proposed new fees for its own assessments. These latter reforms have sensibly been paused for the time being, in light of Brexit, and will await publication of the Government’s industrial strategy in the coming months. Somewhere the risks of European departure for the future of the life sciences sector are being listened to, but worryingly there remains little convincing detail about proposed solutions.
Theresa May’s government has suggested that much of EU regulation is readily adoptable and can be quickly ‘copy and pasted’ into UK law. Industry figures have been quick to endorse this, suggesting that a system of mutual recognition with the EMA might offer a workable solution. Some legislative experts, however, have been more sceptical. There are suggestions that, because a sizeable proportion of EU regulation is considered to refer directly to European institutions or other EU legislation, it cannot be easily transferred. The EMA – an agency subject to the European court system – has been clearly marked out as not featuring in the Government’s post-Brexit plans. Indeed, it was the judgements of this court which fuelled much of ‘Team Leave’s’ messages in the run up to the referendum. One of their core arguments was the cutting of the overly constrictive regulatory order to ensure the UK was not subject to decisions from the European Court of Justice after Brexit. It would be an Olympic effort to row back on that one.
Alex Ledger is Deputy Managing Director at Decideum – the views expressed here are entirely his own. Go to decideum.com
M AG A ZI N E | M A RCH 2017 | 15
INTERVIEW BY
John Pinching
LOW & BEHOLD JP doffs his cap to Eric Low, a man who epitomises dedication.
here aren’t many people in this business who can say they have focussed their entire career on a single cause, helping to change the lives of people in one particular area. Eric Low take a bow, and then let’s have a chat. What is Myeloma UK? Myeloma UK is the only organisation in the UK dealing exclusively with myeloma – a bone marrow cancer for which there is no cure. Our strategic plan is to rapidly address and remove the critical barriers that are slowing down or preventing the development of – and access to – new effective treatments. We provide a broad and innovative range of programmes and services, covering every aspect of myeloma – from providing information and support, to improving standards of treatment and care through funding research and raising awareness.
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What have you been up to in the early part of 2017? We have been working hard to complete the contracting process on three trials that we will open in our Clinical Trial Network over the next few months. We will also be taking part in various heath technology assessment appraisals and endeavouring to ensure access to a number of new and much-needed myeloma treatments. There is absolutely never a dull moment and our entire team is working very hard every day on behalf of patients and their families. What projects are you most excited about? I am excited about everything we are doing because we only do the things that will make a difference. If I was to pick one project it would be the work we are doing in partnership with the European Medicines Agency and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, developing tools to elucidate patient preferences. The only true value of any new treatment is the extent to which patients value it. They normally do this by making trade-offs between the potential benefits and risks of any given treatment. It’s shocking to me that this data has never been available and, yet, industry and academic researchers talk about ‘meeting unmet needs’ and ‘delivering value for patients’.
How did your career at Myeloma UK begin? I started working at the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), in Los Angeles, while I was on a gap year, having graduated from university. I was incredibly inspired by what they were doing to meet the significant unmet needs of patients and support research. Back then, there were very few treatments and survival was measured in weeks or months. I was shocked by this and, indeed, my own ignorance about the impact that cancer had on people and their families. Recognising there must also be unmet needs everywhere, I embarked on a plan – with the help and support of the IMF – to set up a similar organisation in the UK. What were the early challenges? The biggest challenge was myeloma itself and it still is. There were many other challenges at the beginning, as it was an alien concept that patients and their families could get access to information and support from anybody other than a doctor. Doctors were very wary about what we were trying to do and it took about a year for them to feel like we were on their side. You can imagine what we went through to set up our Clinical Trial Network a few years later.
COFFEE BRE AK
“The only true value of any new treatment is the extent to which patients value it.”
Tell me about your career. My entire career has been Myeloma UK. I started in my early twenties and have been working in the field of myeloma for more than half my life now. Having started the organisation from scratch, it feels like I have had about 10 careers in one! You’ve been a very long servant – what keeps you motivated? Patients. No doubt about that. I have been 100% committed to patients every minute of the last 20 years. Also, the incredible progress of understanding the genetics and biology of myeloma, and the approval of several new treatments, definitely helps to keep you motivated. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? The knowledge that what we do has a positive, often transformational, impact on the lives of patients and their families. There is no greater reward in life than knowing you have helped someone at a very difficult time in their lives.
What have been the biggest milestones of the last two decades in this field? The introduction of thalidomide as a treatment for myeloma and, subsequently, its derivative – lenalidomide – which has transformed the treatment landscape. We shouldn’t forget that without the support of the thalidomide victims groups, we may not even have had access to it. I will be forever grateful to them for their support and willingness to effectively reintroduce the widespread use of thalidomide. More recently, the introduction of the monoclonal antibody, daratumumab, is likely to be another treatment game-changer. Hopefully patients will get access to it in the UK.
Was it always your intention to work in this area? It was never my intention, but I knew instantly after meeting a myeloma patient for the first time that I had to be involved in some way.
Which therapy gives patients most reason for optimism? The vast majority of treatments will give patients a lift, although not at any cost. Most will have limits about the potential benefits and risks of treatment. As a non-patient looking in, I would imagine the promise of immunotherapy would probably give most patients reasons to be optimistic.
It’s your last supper, Eric – what are you having? Caesar salad and steak frites, followed by vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.
What is your great hope for the next decade? That we will find ways to cure myeloma by optimising treatment combinations. Away from work, how do you escape? I absolutely love spending time with my kids. What single record would you choose for the soundtrack of your life? Neil Young’s Out on the Weekend.
Consider it done. So long, Eric. Bye John. Go to myeloma.org.uk
M AG A ZI N E | M A RCH 2017 | 17
F E AT U R E
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18 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K
Disease area focus:
MYELOMA Current treatments can extend lives by 10 years. W O R D S B Y John Pinching
M
yeloma is a cancer that arises from plasma cells – a type of white blood cell. Normal plasma cells produce different antibodies to fight infection but, in myeloma, large numbers of abnormal plasma cells interfere with the production of other types of blood cell in the bone marrow, releasing one type of antibody – paraprotein. This has no useful function or has an abnormal level of free light chains; the proteins produced by plasma cells. It’s a difficult disease to detect because symptoms, such as tiredness, are not specific to myeloma. Blood and urine tests can detect paraproteins, though, and a bone marrow biopsy will confirm the presence of abnormal plasma cells. Myeloma accounts for only 1–2% of all cancers. The exact cause is unknown, but risk increases with age, family history of the disease, radiation exposure and obesity. It is also more common in men and people of African and African Caribbean descent. It affects multiple sites in the body – hence ‘multiple myeloma’ – causing kidney, bone and nerve damage, blood clotting problems, anaemia, raised calcium levels and infections. Current treatments are very effective, but the disease returns. Research is progressing on many fronts, while advanced imaging techniques and detection of minimal residual disease are improving diagnosis. New treatments in development include monoclonal antibodies, histone deacetylase inhibitors and cell cycle inhibitors. Go to myeloma.org
TR E ATI N G M Y E LO M A Modern treatments can control the disease for long periods: One in three patients now live for 10 years or more. Initial therapy uses a combination of drugs. • Chemotherapy stops cancerous cells from dividing • Biological therapy targets proteins inside or on the surface of cancer cells, blocking their growth and limiting damage to healthy cells • Steroids help to kill myeloma cells and increase the effects of chemotherapy or biological drugs. • Some patients also receive autologous stem cell transplantation.
Normal, healthy plasma cells
Myeloma cells
Normal antibody production
Abnormal antibody (paraprotein) and/or free light chain production
OPINION
E
ven though the appropriate vaccinations do exist, the NHS doesn’t always provide them – leaving some groups vulnerable. At Superdrug we will be launching a chickenpox and shingles vaccine from the middle of March, building on our current portfolio of travel, sexual health, flu and pneumonia services. The culture of self-care among patients has begun and it is gaining momentum. Chickenpox – the highly contagious ‘old school’ virus, caused by varicella zoster – affects both adults and children. The virus spreads very easily to individuals who haven’t had it before, while people who have previously contracted chickenpox are usually immune for life. The chickenpox vaccine is not part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule in the UK and is currently only offered, by the NHS, to people in close contact with those at high risk, such as non-immune healthcare workers and people who have weakened immune systems through illnesses such as HIV, or treatments, like chemotherapy. Meanwhile, shingles – also known as herpes zoster – is an infection of a specific nerve and the skin around it. Like chickenpox it is caused by the varicella zoster virus and it is estimated that around one in every four people will have at least one episode of shingles during their life.
Needle work Niamh is on the case as two more vaccines hit the high street. WORDS BY
Niamh McMillan
“We are realising that the NHS cannot provide everything to everyone, and this is causing a shift in how people perceive their own health.” The shingles vaccine – Zostavax – is indicated for anyone over the age of 50. At the moment it is only available, through the NHS, to very specific people in their 70s, but not to anyone aged 80 or over. Shingles is fatal for around one in 1000 over-70s who develop it and, under current stipulations, many people will be left unprotected. It’s difficult to be precise, but research suggests the shingles vaccine will provide protection for at least five years so, with the population living longer, those approaching 80 would be well advised to get the vaccine. Public Health England data describes how a single dose schedule of Zostavax was assessed in clinical trials using 17,775 adults, aged 70 years and older. The study demonstrated that the vaccine reduced the incidence of shingles by 38%. For those immunised with Zostavax, but who later developed shingles, the vaccine significantly reduced the burden of illness by 55%. As a population, we are realising that the NHS cannot provide everything to everyone, and this is causing a shift in how people perceive their own health. These days we are more likely to take matters in our own hands – and that could mean heading for the high street, rather than the surgery. Niamh is Clinical Development Manager at Superdrug. Please note, these are Niamh’s personal views and do not necessarily reflect those of the Superdrug business. Go to superdrug.com
M AG A ZI N E | M A RCH 2017 | 19
WORDS BY
John Pinching
New hope against an old enemy Meningitis hasn’t gone away and awareness must continue.
I
n order to highlight the dangers of meningitis, Pf Magazine spoke to the Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF).
What is meningitis and what are the different types? Bacterial meningitis is the inflammation of lining around the brain and spinal cord, while septicaemia is the blood poisoning form of the disease. Meningococcal disease is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis among young people in the UK. Who is currently being protected? In the UK vaccines are available as part of the immunisation schedule for five types of infection (A, B, C, W and Y). The meningococcal group C (MenC) vaccine – introduced in 1999 – has now reduced cases to just a handful each year. It is given to babies at one, and boosted at 14. Around one in four teenagers carry meningococcal bacteria, and it’s one in 10 for the rest of the population.
preventing disease in this vulnerable group. Meanwhile, the Department of Health has called for a national study to evaluate the effect of the MenB vaccine in preventing adolescents from carrying meningococcal B bacteria. If it is found to be the case, vaccinating teenagers could be key to protecting everyone. How should you react if you display symptoms? If someone gets a rash or spots, the ‘tumbler test’ can be used, and it’s very important to seek urgent medical help if it does not fade under glass. Trust your instincts – don’t wait for a rash. Someone who has meningitis or septicaemia could become seriously ill very quickly and medical help should be sought immediately – it’s a race against time. What treatments are available? If diagnosed early, bacterial meningitis or septicaemia can be treated with IV antibiotics.
Have there been any further developments? In 2015 the teenage MenC vaccine was upgraded to MenACWY, providing additional protection, after a dramatic increase in the UK. The MenB vaccine was also introduced for all babies in 2015 and results show that it is successfully
What is your main aim for the future? MRF’s vision is a world free from meningitis and septicaemia. They are deadly diseases that can strike without warning – killing one in ten – and leaving a quarter of survivors with life-altering conditions, such as deafness, brain damage and loss of limbs. Babies, toddlers and young adults are most at risk, however, it can strike anyone, of any age, at any time. For help, advice and support, go to meningitis.org, call the helpline on 0808 800 3344 or email helpline@meningitis.org
In Memory of Adam Tolfree, 2 April 2000–7 January 2017. Adam passed away as a result of sepsis caused by Meningitis B.
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K N OW TH E SYM P TO M S Meningitis (M) and septicaemia (S) can be hard to recognise at first. Symptoms can appear in any order, but the first symptoms are usually fever, vomiting, headache and feeling unwell, just like many mild illnesses. White crosses show symptoms that are more specific to meningitis and septicaemia, and less common in milder illnesses. Limb pain, cold hands and cold feet often appear earlier than a rash, neck stiffness, photophobia and confusion. Not everyone gets all these symptoms. Septicaemia can occur with or without meningitis. In some cases of meningitis, a rash may not appear at all. S M Fever and/or vomiting
x
x x
Severe headache Limb/joint/muscle pain
x
Cold hands and feet/ shivering
x
Pale or mottled skin
x
Breathing fast/breathless
x
Rash
x
x
Stiff neck
x
Dislike of bright lights
x
Very sleepy/vacant/ difficult to wake
x
x
Confused/delirious
x
x
Seizures (fits) may also be seen
x
F E AT U R E
SCO RE TO S E T TLE
Aaron Phipps, the former Great Britain wheelchair rugby player and London 2012 Paralympic athlete, tells us about how meningitis shaped his life.
“As I got higher up the mountain, my off-road wheelchair could no longer deal with the rough terrain, so I trekked for four days on my hands and knees.”
A
s a teenager, I was really interested in extreme sports, including rollerblading, skateboarding and BMXing, as well as fast competitive sports, like basketball. In 1999, when I was 15, I contracted meningitis C and meningococcal septicaemia. In 12 hours, this deadly disease developed from seemingly harmless flulike symptoms, to being on a life support machine. I was in a coma for two weeks. By March, both of my legs and most of my fingers had to be amputated due to septicaemia. Overall, I spent a year in hospital recovering and rehabilitating, as I adapted to the life-changing situation thrown at me. Eight months after being discharged, I enrolled at Totton College to study for my A-levels, as my life returned to a kind of normality. In 2007 I participated in the Totton 10km wheelchair race to raise money for MRF – the charity that has supported me and my family since I became ill. Having developed a taste for racing, I contacted the British Wheelchair Association who gave me a racing chair. Equipped with this, I started to compete in races on a regular basis, including two London Marathons. During the second in 2009, I finished as the fourth highestplaced UK male, in a time of 1hr 59mins. I was then introduced to the GB Wheelchair Rugby squad and soon became an established member of the team, participating in a number of major tournaments. I channelled all my energy into training and, in 2011, attended the ‘Florida Project’ – a 10-week intensive training camp to help me compete on the international stage. Soon I was classified as a 3.5 player – the highest in the GB wheelchair rugby squad. The hard work paid off when I was selected as part of the wheelchair rugby team, representing Great Britain, in the London 2012 Paralympic Games. During the tournament I scored over half the team’s overall points. In 2016 I set myself the ultimate challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro – the highest
mountain in Africa – to raise money for MRF. As I got higher up the mountain, my off-road wheelchair could no longer deal with the rough terrain, so I trekked for four days on my hands and knees. It was a real test of my endurance, but I was determined to reach the summit. It was the first time a disabled British person had climbed Kilimanjaro without assistance and, over the years, I have raised over £250,000 for MRF. I now work for Roma Sport on innovation and development within its sports and active wheelchair portfolio. I am also an athlete mentor for Sky Academy, a motivational speaker and Chancellor of the New Forest and Southampton Children’s University. Aaron lives with wife, Vicky, and daughters, Emma and Chloe, in his hometown of Totton, Southampton .
“Over the years, I have raised over £250,000 for the Meningitis Research Foundation.”
Image courtesy of New Forest National Park Authority.
M AG A ZI N E | M A RCH 2017 | 2 1
E VENTS & CONFERENCES
The great DEVOLUTION? The first Parallel Learning webinar examines the future of healthcare spending WORDS BY
Amy Schofield
F
eaturing a live Q&A between experts and key opinion leaders, the first ‘Parallel Learning’ webinar hosted delegates from the pharma and healthcare industries. They convened to discuss the future of healthcare spending, prompted by the example of Greater Manchester (GM) – the first English region to gain control of health spending. Chair Michael Sobanja opened by explaining how this “immense” devolution project took us back to a deal struck in Manchester, during February 2015. It involved 10 boroughs, 12 CCGs, and 15 NHS Trusts – with a budget of around £6bn. George Osborne had referred to it as “part of his Northern Powerhouse project”, while Andy Burnham – Shadow Health Secretary at the time, said that it had the potential to create a “two–tier NHS”. Michael asked, “Is it ambitious rhetoric, or a real opportunity to improve health?” Speaker Peter Rowe – Deputy Chairman of East Lancashire NHS Trust –shared an insightful presentation on how the Greater
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Manchester Strategic Partnership has gone from signing the devolution deal, in February 2015, to taking charge of health and social care spending in April 2016. “There is a lot of trust between the people here, and the bureaucracy that supports it is slick and efficient. The speed at which decisions are being taken and implemented is quite astonishing. Things are moving very rapidly,” said Peter. The webinar also explored what is happening on the ground in Manchester, how it will affect pharma’s customer relationships at a local level and how this will affect the establishment of similar organisations elsewhere. “We’re seeing a real potential shift in political power, so that central Government will have much less influence over what actually happens on the ground,” explained Peter. “Local politicians, together with local health leaders, will be held to account by their populations through the ballot box and local elections.”
“We’re seeing a real potential shift in political power, so that central Government will have much less influence over what actually happens on the ground.” Peter Rowe – Deputy Chairman of East Lancashire NHS Trust
W HAT N OW FO R PHA R MA?
P
eter set about explaining how Greater Manchester is intending to engage with pharma companies. During the live Q&A, he explained how the GM devo team, the ABPI, EMIG and various other bodies in the pharma industry, have signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’, which will answer many questions that industry has. “This is probably the place in England where medicines optimisation has the best chance of success,” Peter explained. “Potentially GM could really be the test bed for things that you’ve wanted to do for years, which is to improve the value of your medicines, and prove the case that innovative use of medicines can make a difference to health outputs in the real world.” In answer to a question regarding the Carter Review plans that will affect pharmacy, and whether they are on target, Peter said: “In the next few weeks, pharma colleagues should be able to see what is proposed in GM and the rest of the country. We shall see the manifestation of Lord Carter’s proposal in hospitals across the whole of the UK, not just in GM.” On the issue of medicines optimisation, Peter referred to how there may have been too much focus on the use of low cost drugs: “There will be a sincere approach whereby it is seen that an innovative new medicine or an existing medicine, which might cost more, can genuinely change the way that either the healthcare system works, or whether the patient can be returned to work, or can have a quality of life that will reduce their demand on social services.”
E YE S O N TH E FUT U R E ?
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ho is accountable if GM “goes wrong?” asked another delegate. “GM want to set their own performance standards and it is likely that you will see a real shift in where accountability really lies,” replied Peter. When asked by another delegate whether devolution can be applied everywhere, Michael Sobanja cited the possible effect of Brexit in slowing progress: “I don’t think devolution is going to go very quickly, or as quickly as we might have thought, had Cameron and Osborne still been around. Devolution has to have willing and competent partners.” Is it likely that the model emerging in GM will form the basis for future sustainability and transformation plans (STPs)? “The truth is, it’s a big experiment,” said Peter. “The government, Department of Health and everybody else will watch it very closely. There will be many parts of it that will be used to inform STPs and the way they work.” Peter said that speaking at the first webinar had been “a new experience, and very enjoyable. The presentation flowed well and the interaction with the Chairman and audience during questions was effective and positive.” He also praised the concept behind Parallel Learning: “It’s a great way to share information and to interact with busy people.” Go to parallellearning.co.uk
2 7 M A R C H 2 017
Accountable Care Organisations: Are these the future of healthcare? Join David Thorne as he discusses how ACOs are shaping the future of healthcare in England.
Live Q&A with David Thorne & Michael Sobanja
PRAISE FROM
DELEGATES: “Peter’s discussion was
EXCELLENT & RELEVANT.” “I THOUGHT THE EVENT WAS THE MOST INFORMATIVE AND RELEVANT WEBINAR I HAVE ATTENDED IN A VERY LONG TIME. IT WAS MANAGED WELL AND THE OVERALL EVENT WAS ” .
EXCELLENT
“THE PRESENTER WAS EVEN-PACED,
EASY TO UNDERSTAND
ADVANCE YOUR THINKING ACOs are a response to growing financial and service pressures as they integrate once separate services. They take many different forms, ranging from fully integrated systems to looser alliances and networks of hospitals, medical groups and other providers.
This webinar introduces the key ideas around ACOs, which are currently under active development in several areas in England and reviews the risks, challenges and opportunities for pharma companies.
Book your place to gain expert insight into how ACOs are currently being implemented and how they might have an impact on your organisation or role. Pf Magazine readers can claim an extra 20% discount with the code PfMag20.
AND WELL-REHEARSED.”
parallelle arning.co.uk Brought to you by Events4Healthcare
M AG A ZI N E | M A RCH 2017 | 2 3
At your service
SIMON STEVENS
KEITH RIDGE
B R U C E WA R N E R
Chief Executive of NHS England
Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, NHS England
Deputy Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, NHS England
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EY OU
ld
VOICE
V HA
We gave our readers the opportunity to ask NHS England and Department of Health leaders their critical questions. W O R D S B Y John Pinching
READER’S
R S AY @phar
ma
Sarah Pinch, Managing Director, Pinch Point Communications:
Q: Is the advertising ban on sugary
foods going to help with the emerging diabetes and obesity problem?
Richard Cobourne, Medical Communications Consultant, Cobourne Limited:
Q: How do European Commission marketing authorisation decisions affect NHS prescribing decisions – or is NICE the authority? Department of Health spokesperson: A: NHS prescribers may prescribe any drug that has received a marketing authorisation, subject to some national restrictions and local funding policies. NICE issues guidance to the NHS on whether licensed medicines represent a clinically and cost effective use of resources. NHS England spokesperson: A: Granting marketing authorisations for biotechnology products falls under the authority of the European Medicines Agency, and the European Commission, within the European Union.
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“Obesity now affects one in five children, causes one in five cancer deaths, and already costs the NHS £5 billion a year – so obesity is the new smoking.” Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England
Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England: A: This bold and welcome action will send a powerful signal, and incentivise soft drinks companies to act on the health consequences of their products. It is a major first step in what must be a comprehensive childhood obesity strategy that will help us shed pounds off our waistlines, and save pounds on future NHS costs. While no child needs a daily dose of sugary fizzy water, sadly soft drinks are now our children’s largest single source of diabetesinducing, teeth-rotting excess sugar. And since poorer children are twice as likely to be obese than better off children, these measures should also cut child health inequalities. Obesity now affects one in five children, causes one in five cancer deaths, and already costs the NHS £5 billion a year – so obesity is the new ‘smoking’.
F E AT U R E
Dr Anne Connolly, GP and Chair of the Primary Care Women’s Health Forum:
“The review aims to make the UK a world-leader in healthcare innovation, with an NHS that embraces new drugs and technologies that patients need, and supports work with local areas to develop solutions to specific healthcare requirements.” Keith Ridge, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, NHS England
Q: How can the NHS improve access to psychological support, self-empowerment and self-care?
Siân Boisseau, Executive Director, Golin:
Department of Health spokesperson: A: For people living with depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions, having someone to talk to can be a real lifeline and help them manage their conditions. Talking therapies make a real difference to many people with mental health problems – that’s why we introduced the first waiting times and standards. More than four million people have received treatment so far, and targets have been exceeded, with 90% being seen within six weeks – but we are striving to improve further.
Keith Ridge, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, NHS England: A: There has always been a strong relationship, but July 2016 saw the introduction of the ABPI’s ‘Disclosure’ UK database, which is designed to promote transparency. In response to this launch, an NHS England spokesperson said: “The ABPI publication is an important step forward, in terms of transparency, but is not yet the complete solution. Voluntary disclosure does not go far enough, and all companies should follow industry leaders in refusing to fund individuals who decline to be transparent about their payments.”
Simon Nicholson, Market Access Director, MSD:
Q: How does the NHS plan to scale up commercial capabilities and how will this align with the new commercial director role at the DH? Department of Health spokesperson: A: The new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) will support the Department in its responsibilities for the overall PPRS regime and whatever arrangements may follow. As part of our development of commercial capability across the NHS we are creating a ‘Network of Professions’ to link up commercial teams across the healthcare system, and get them working together to provide a modern and efficient service. The CCO will oversee the work which, day-to-day, will be handled by the Department.
Q: In recent years has the relationship between pharma and the NHS improved?
Graham Hawthorn, Managing Director, Chase:
Q: What is the most successful initiative you have seen from the pharma industry in the past few years and why was it a success? Keith Ridge, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, NHS England: A: The blossoming biosimilars sector is a growing success story. A biosimilar medicine is similar to another biological medicine, which is already licensed for use, and will not have any clinically meaningful differences from the originator, in terms of quality, safety and efficacy. These biosimilar medicines are not considered generic equivalents to their originator biological medicine, because the two products are similar, but not identical. Lydia Owen, Client Services Director, OSP Healthcare:
Q: What is being done to ensure that innovative new medicines get to the patients that need them most? Keith Ridge, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, NHS England: A: A lot of work is being carried out in this field. The Accelerated Access Review report – published last year – was commissioned by the government and led by an independent chair. The review aims to make the UK a world-leader in healthcare innovation, with an NHS that embraces the new drugs and technologies patients need, while supporting work with local areas to develop solutions to specific healthcare requirements. Medicines optimisation, reducing unwarranted variation and increasing value through medicines optimisation are crucial elements of NHS RightCare’s innovation work.
M AG A ZI N E | M A RCH 2017 | 2 5
F E AT U R E
Deborah Evans, Pharmacist, Managing Director, Pharmacy Complete:
Q: With all the challenges, in terms of managing demand in hospitals and GP surgeries, will community pharmacy be taken seriously in relieving these significant pressures?
Cara Bunce, Client Relationship Manager, Big Pink:
Q: What opportunities will there be for pharma to work with the NHS, now and in the future? Bruce Warner, Deputy Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, NHS England: A: NHS England is committed to working with the pharmaceutical industry for the benefit of patients and the taxpayer. Working together within appropriate governance frameworks and policies, NHS England and industry can make a real difference to patients by utilising innovation. It is also about ensuring products, developed by the industry, are used in the most effective way possible, through adopting the principles of medicines optimisation.
Bruce Warner, Deputy Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, NHS England: A: Absolutely – in September 2016 NHS England delivered its first report on enhancing the quality of care, and improving access to seven day pharmacy services, for patients in hospital. ‘Transformation of Seven Day Clinical Pharmacy Services in Acute Hospitals’ sets out a vision where hospital pharmacy services could operate more efficiently and safely, with 13 key recommendations of how clinical pharmacy services in hospitals can be strengthened. In October 2016, NHS England announced a £42m Pharmacy Integration Fund (PhIF). This will support community pharmacy to transform its services across the NHS, while developing new clinical services, working practices and digital platforms.
Malcolm Skingle, Director, Academic Liaison, GSK:
Q: What opportunities are there for the NHS in post-Brexit Britain and what work is underway to ensure the NHS encourages investment in the UK?
“Ensuring patients have timely access to safe, effective medicines is, and always will be a priority for this government– in fact, Brexit brings opportunities in this area.” Department of Health spokesperson
Department of Health spokesperson: A: Ensuring patients have timely access to safe, effective medicines is, and always will be, a priority for this government. In fact, Brexit brings opportunities in this area, and we will be focussed on whether we can secure even faster access to the latest innovations for British patients. The Government has separately shown its commitment to supporting the industry by commissioning the Accelerated Access Review, which suggests a number of ways we can make sure that innovative new treatments get to patients quicker.
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John Pinching, Editor, Pf Magazine:
Q: How is technology and
‘digital’ impacting on the delivery of NHS services and how will it shape the modern health service? Bruce Warner, Deputy Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, NHS England: A: The implementation of ePrescribing – the electronic prescription service – is complex, and an area in which expertise and specific tools are required; both of which NHSE continue to support. ePrescribing is a key priority, as evidenced by its inclusion in the recent ‘Carter’ report, and it will be a vital part of local ‘digital road maps’. Any future funding is likely to be based on priorities identified within these. The Independent Review of Community Pharmacy Clinical Services, which was commissioned by the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer of England, stated that: “To unlock the full potential of community pharmacy requires greater digital maturity and interconnectivity – allowing pharmacy staff to share clinical information about patient care with clinical records held by other healthcare professionals.” NHS England will consider these recommendations in due course. Department of health spokesperson: A: Technology is at the heart of this government’s drive to make the NHS the safest and most transparent healthcare system in the world. Over the last five years we have invested around £5 billion in health research, leading to new life-saving treatments for cancer, and earlier diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. Through the National Institute for Health Research we continue to invest over £1bn per year for vaccine development, clinical trials, medical devices, DNA sequencing and new technologies.
P H A R M ATA L E N T
W
ho were you working for at the time? Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
What award did you win? The Pf Key Account Manager Award, 2001.
AWA R D W I N N E R S :
Where are they now? JP catches up with Jagdish Kalaar – a Pf Award Winner from the original 2001 vintage. INTERVIEW BY
John Pinching
What are your recollections of that evening? The dinner and event was held at the NEC, in Birmingham, and was the first year of the awards. It had an exciting atmosphere and there was an element of unexpected anticipation among the entrants. Hearing my category being announced led to butterflies, and hearing my name was just unbelievable, and a brilliant memory. How did you celebrate? With celebratory drinks and dancing the night away. I like my music and moves, although these days it’s more like ‘dad dancing’. Once the champagne had settled, how did you change? It made me reflect on the vast number of talented individuals that work within the pharma industry. As these awards are independently assessed by various senior industry and NHS professionals, it made me feel really good about my range of skills and attributes.
“As these awards are independently assessed by various senior industry and NHS professionals, it made me feel really good about my range of skills and attributes.”
How did it impact on your career? At the time I was a Z/E specialist within Wyeth, which involved working with secondary care specialists in gastroenterology and psychiatry. I was promoting two famous brands – Zoton and Efexor XL – which both went on to excel in their respective disease areas. What was your next position? On the back of winning this award I was promoted at Wyeth. I then joined Pfizer in 2006, working in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease team, before joining the oncology team in 2008. The patient case studies from clinicians really make you stop and think – some of these people would not be alive today if it wasn’t for Pfizer developing these medicines. The teams work seamlessly to bring them from bench to bedside, often in record time. Where are you now? I am National Account Manager in haematology at Pfizer. Haematology is a fast-moving disease area with new targeted treatments for a number of blood cancers. Although the reach of these medicines is small, as healthcare clinicians become more experienced these treatments are rapidly moving from lifesaving therapies to the chronic disease management category. Do you think winning an award was a trigger for your further success? It gave me a lot of recognition as well as exposure to working in differing roles and work streams within Wyeth and Pfizer. Do you still look back fondly on your win? Yes – the glass winning plaque is placed firmly on my bookshelf. It was definitely a high point, and also arrived a week after our eldest son, Govind, was born. He is now 15 and doing his GCSEs. Time flies when you’re having fun! Go to pfawards.co.uk
And the 2017 Pf Award winners are... Thank you to everyone who took part in the 2017 awards evening, it was our biggest yet! Congratulations to all the finalists and award winners. For full coverage of the night, follow us on social media and see the April issue of Pf Magazine with special Pf Awards 2017 post-awards brochure. # P FAWA R D S 2 017 @ P H A R M A F I E L D
M AG A ZI N E | M A RCH 2017 | 2 7
P H A R M ATA L E N T
Hassan Chaudhury, Chief Commercial Officer at Health iQ Limited, on the value of drive, resilience and a lifelong love of learning. Q What do you do? I’m Chief Commercial Officer and a co-founder at Health iQ. The company specialises in real world evidence for market access. We focus on insight; based on our heritage with healthcare data. The landscape is constantly changing, which means I’m constantly on the lookout for real world data assets and partnerships, which will support our clients in life sciences to better engage with healthcare professionals and payers around value, effectiveness, health outcomes and burden. Q How did you get where you are today? Most of my career has been in health and social care within NHS informatics, public health, commissioning and commissioning support. I began my career co-located between social work and primary care, and then became an NHS data analyst. I ended up on major pan-London digital health projects on
2 8 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K
acute contract monitoring and quality metrics, before compiling a definitive list of registries and clinical databases, in the UK, for the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership. It was only after we set up Health iQ, in 2011, that I began working alongside pharma. This, fortunately, was also when real world evidence, for market access, was becoming prominent. I spent a few years travelling to pharma companies up and down the UK, meeting market access professionals face-to-face in order to understand their commercial challenges and discuss how real world data can help. Since then I have been part of a working group on health information at the ABPI and am now a Committee Member of the PM Society. Q What are your career highs and milestones? I’m lucky to have had many career highs. Helping Health iQ become number one in our space is something I’m so proud of. Most recently I’ve been awarded an Honorary Research position at Imperial College, London, for my work developing data science courses for their Global eHealth Unit. Q What drives you? I’m driven by wanting to do my best, simply because I take pride in that. Being internally motivated is important for resilience. Q What’s the best piece of careers advice you’ve ever been given? Work hard because talent alone is never enough. Q How do you turn challenges into opportunities? I think it’s all about perception and I’ve found it is easiest to take it in two stages. Firstly, I have the confidence that I can learn from any situation, particularly challenging ones – I genuinely don’t think it’s possible to be successful in a senior role and not love learning. Secondly, the fact that I’m still learning is no reflection on me and my strengths. I don’t take it personally – I just try to put it into practice and come back fighting. Q What is the current state of the pharma industry and where can it go from here? The value of innovative
“Pharma has to take the initiative for there to be independent assessments of value, based on how effective their treatments and interventions are.”
treatment is being scrutinised like never before, not least because of the perilous state of the NHS, and it will get worse. With public finances so strained there’s more attention on the pharma industry, particularly on treatment cost. This is leading to a downward pressure on how much healthcare systems are willing to pay, and data from industry-led clinical trials alone simply isn’t persuasive enough to halt the trend. This means the industry is at a crossroads. Pharma has to take the initiative for there to be independent assessments of value, based on how effective their treatments and interventions are – or are likely to be – in routine clinical practice. We’ve already seen this with the Salford Lung Study, by GSK and North West e-Health. I think we will see more – eventually utilising data from patients’ homes and wearable devices across the internet of things. Q Where would you like to be five years from now? I’d like to have led world-leading research in machine learning and artificial intelligence for healthcare at Imperial and also to have found a commercial output for it. Q What advice would you give to someone entering the pharma sales industry? Take time to understand the challenges. It is so important to realise that successful pharma sales often depend upon the interplay of multiple factors, from the clinical trial data for health technology approval to the clinical arguments needed to win over key opinion leaders. There also needs to be an appreciation of the financial incentives of providers to redesign services, enabling the use of one innovation over another. Go to healthiq.co.uk
M AG A ZI N E | M A RCH 2017 | 2 9
P H A R M ATA L E N T
MOVERS & SHAKERS
NIALL DICKSON
CHRISTOPHE MARÉCHAL
The NHS Confederation has appointed Niall Dickson as its new Chief Executive. Dickson worked as Chief Executive of the King’s Fund from 2004 to 2009, before being appointed Chief Executive and Registrar of the General Medical Council in January 2010.
Mithra Pharmaceuticals have appointed Christophe Maréchal as Chief Financial Officer, with effect from 23 February 2017. Mr Maréchal is currently Director, Group Treasury and Credit Risk Management, at Hamon Group. He has more than 20 years of financial experience in various industries.
PETER WHEATLEY PRICE
Takeda UK and Ireland has appointed Peter Wheatley Price as Market Access Director. He joins Takeda from GlaxoSmithKline, where he was a Global Market Access and Pricing Director. He succeeds Ross Selby, who has moved to the US as Takeda’s new Head of Global Pricing, Market Access and Health Economics, Oncology.
Pf’S GRADUATE OF THE MONTH In this new series, we feature an outstanding graduate who is making their mark in the industry. NAME: Jack Worts COMPANY: Working for CHASE on contract to
WHO’S GOING WHERE AND WHY THEY’RE GOING THERE. WORDS BY
a leading, blue-chip pharmaceutical company ROLE: Medical Representative, since May 2016 UNIVERSITY DEGREE: Coventry University – Medical and Pharmacological Sciences BSc (2:1) JACK SAYS: “I love the role of being a medical representative – each day I’m faced with a new challenge and I can guarantee that no day is ever the same. Undertaking this role gives you a real sense of pride, responsibility and purpose, as you can genuinely make a difference. Understanding the positive results that can be achieved due to your actions is a truly rewarding experience.”
Amy Schofield
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KNOW A RISING STAR WHO DESERVES A MENTION? RACHEL@PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
KATHLEEN TREGONING
Sanofi has announced the appointment of Kathleen Tregoning as a member of the Executive Committee. Tregoning joins Sanofi from Biogen, where she served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs. She will lead Sanofi’s External Affairs organisation which includes Market Access, Public Affairs and Corporate Communications.
LET YOUR
CAREER
BLOOM with PharmaJobs.
DR ARNDT SCHOTTELIUS
Human monoclonal antibody biopharmaceutical group Kymab has announced the appointment of Dr Arndt Schottelius as its first Executive Vice President Research & Development. Dr Schottelius joins Kymab from MorphoSys AG, where he served as the first Chief Development Officer from 2008. He will lead Kymab’s R&D activities.
LUKE MIELS
Luke Miels joins GSK as President, Global Pharmaceuticals. He will be responsible for a portfolio of medicines and vaccines, with annual sales of more than £15 billion, and operations. Miels – currently Executive Vice President of AstraZeneca’s European business – will report to CEO Designate Emma Walmsley, who is due to become CEO in April 2017. Walmsley said: “Luke will bring a strong new voice to the decisions we will have to make for our pharmaceuticals business.”
IN BRIEF WENDY KANE has
been appointed Value Demonstration & Access Manager UK at Shire – she joins from Sanofi.
All the best jobs and recruiters in one place. Find your next role, get career advice and gain industry insights. Branch out today!
ROB DRURY-DRYDEN
takes up the role of Oncology Business Unit Director at AstraZeneca, where he was previously Head of Lynparza.
PHARMA JOBS.CO.UK
EMMA WARING continues
her long career at Pfizer as she embarks on a new role as Haemophilia Country Brand Lead.
W H E R E TA L E N T G R O W S
M AG A ZI N E | M A RCH 2017 | 3 1
E VENTS & CONFERENCES
DEAR DIARY
Up-and-coming pharma events for your diary VENUE OF THE MONTH
14 -16 M A RC H 2 017
2 7 M A RC H 2 017
etc.venues County Hall
DON'T MISS: eyeforpharma Barcelona 2017
Accountable Care Organisations – Are these the future of healthcare?
etc.venues is a leading provider of non-residential venues in London and Birmingham. There are currently 15 venues, 14 of which are in Central London. The group has over 250 rooms and specialises in the conference, meetings and event market. Newly opened in January 2017, etc.venues County Hall offers 43,000 square feet of meeting, events and conference space on the fourth floor at County Hall. The venue boasts a large multi-purpose interconnecting space including two suites for groups of up to 900, who can enjoy stunning views across The Thames towards ‘Big Ben’. The venue at a glance: • 43,000 square feet of event space over a single floor • 20 rooms, largest conference room capacity of 400 • Thames and County Suites for event groups of up to 900. WHERE: County Hall,
Belvedere Road, London, SE1 7PB INFO: etcvenues.co.uk CONTACT: 020 3735 4200 or countyhall@etcvenues.co.uk WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR VENUE FE ATURED? R ACHEL@PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
3 2 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K
15th annual eyeforpharma Barcelona 2017 is Europe’s largest commercial pharma meeting of 1000+ industry leaders focused on commercial innovation, engagement strategy, patient centricity and stakeholder collaboration. 1000+ delegates, 80+ senior level speakers, 3 tracks. Register your place today, to avoid missing out. WHO: eyeforpharma
Join David Thorne, Chair, Washington Community Healthcare, as he discusses how ACOs are shaping the future of healthcare in England. Gain expert insight into how ACOs are being implemented and how they might have an impact on your organisation or role. Featuring a live Q&A chaired by NHS consultant Michael Sobanja.
INFO: eyeforpharma.com/barcelona
WHERE: Online webinar
CONTACT: 0207 375 7236 or
WHO: Parallel Learning
hdunn@eyeforpharma.com
INFO : parallellearning.co.uk
WHERE: Barcelona
CONTACT: 01462 476120 or
enquiries@parallellearning.co.uk
17 M A RC H 2 017
5 A P R I L 2 017
NHS Improvement – the New Framework
Sustainability and Transformation Plans
Jim Mackey, Chief Executive of NHS Improvement, leads this meeting for pharma and healthcare professionals for a discussion on NHS Improvement and its impact on the future of the NHS.
The scope of Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) is extensive, covering all aspects of NHS spending. Denis Gizzi, Managing Director of CCG Oldham leads the discussion on what STPs involve and how they are being implemented.
WHERE: The Marriott Hotel,
Gosforth Park WHO: Morph Consultancy INFO : morphconsultancy.co.uk CONTACT: 01905 612789 or claire@morphconsultancy.co.uk
WHERE: Manchester venue TBC WHO: Morph Consultancy INFO : morphconsultancy.co.uk CONTACT: 01905 612789 or
claire@morphconsultancy.co.uk UPCOMING E VENT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? R ACHEL@PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
Are you looking to reduce your online recruitment costs? Sign up to PharmaJobs, it’s easy. We offer a cost-effective solution that uses a flexible pricing structure, to ensure your recruitment cost always stay low. From the finest graduates, to senior pharma professionals, PharmaJobs brings you the best and brightest from the pharma industry.
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