Pf Magazine November 2017

R I S E of the D I G I TA L D O C T O R

November 2017 PHARMAFI E LD.CO.U K

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W H E R E TA L E N T G R O W S

WELCOME

EDITOR

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

Amy Schofield amy@pharmafield.co.uk 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@e4h.co.uk P f AWA R D S

Melanie Hamer melanie@e4h.co.uk PUBLISHER

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

Spirella Building Bridge Road Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 4ET United Kingdom Cover illustration by Alex Buccheri alexbuccheri.com The content of and information contained in this magazine are the opinions of the contributors and/or the authors of such content and/or information. Events4Healthcare accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss, cost, claim or expense arising from any reliance on such content or information. Users should independently verify such content or information before relying on it. The Publisher (Events4Healthcare) and its Directors shall not be responsible for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies within the publication, or within other sources that are referred to within the magazine.

The Publisher provides the features and advertisements on an ‘as is’ basis, without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability or fi tness for a particular purpose, other than those warranties that are implied by and capable of exclusion, restriction, or modification under the laws applicable to this agreement.

E

Letter from the Editor

very minute of every day we are staring at screens – as we do our shopping, arrange our music, talk to friends and take unappetising photos of pre-consumed food.

One thing that has remained sacred, even old-fashioned, is the act of physically going to the doctor, but even this rite of passage is starting to seep into the digital universe.

As our cover story so emphatically underlines, we are at the frontier of a cultural shift in how we interact with healthcare professionals, but will on-screen appointments with our GPs become the norm?

Talking of the future, I have an intriguing Coffee Break with a Cambridge-based trio who have created a revolutionary app which is set to hand back control of medicines management to patients and bring much-maligned pharmacies on to the frontline.

We have also been immersed in the grandeur of Parliament, as previous Pf Award winners convened for a very special evening of celebrations, recalling the day their name was read out and life duly changed forever. Meanwhile, special guest at the Westminster gathering, Bonita Norris, provided inspiration with tales of Everest and unfortunate spillages.

This month’s therapy area focuses on the incredible advances in treating neurological diseases, and why continued progress in this area is so vital, as we all get older and older. Meanwhile, in Marketing Focus we look at why industry needs to start taking a modern approach to interpreting big data.

In addition, our columnists hold the sword to politics, pharmacy and the NHS, while a host of enticing regular items ponder the hype behind the headlines, the pharma folk that are moving up and some of the more curious developments unfolding across our great industry.

Have a splendid day, everybody,

No copying, distribution, adaptation, extraction, reutilisation or other exploitation (whether in electronic or other format and whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes) may take place except with the express permission of the Publisher and the copyright owner (if other than the Publisher).

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

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

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M AG A ZI N E | N OV EM B ER 2017 | 1

CONTENTS

03 08 11 12 14 16 19 21 22 28 31 32 34 36

MAGAZINE

N E WS

Bringing you this month’s essential headlines C OV E R S TO RY

Could digital doctors replace traditional GPs?

November READER’S VOICE:

OPINION

I enjoyed reading October’s issue of Pf Magazine and found John’s interview with CoppaFeel! founder Kris Hallenga, truly remarkable. With experience in patient engagement and creative communications, I was inspired by her bravery and how impactfully she told her story for the benefit of other young people. Through the CoppaFeel! site and campaigns, Kris has raised awareness, brought comfort and engaged a previously under-reached group.

Personal narratives provide an important perspective for patients. They help those who do not have trust in the system, those who find it difficult to understand formal health information or those who struggle with silent, rare or personal conditions. At Edelman, our job is to help clients tell their stories with integrity and Kris’s work with CoppaFeel! is a powerful example to us all.

Lizzie Howard is an Account Manager at Edelman.

David Thorne bids farewell to hospitals OPINION

Claudia Rubin on why pharma should flex COFFEE BREAK

Three app wizards from Cambridge Uni MARKETING

Industry must learn how to read data OPINION

Deborah Evans on futuristic pharmacy F E AT U R E

Could porridge hold the answer to our prayers?

P F AWA R D S

Past Pf Award winners at the House of Commons

HAVE YOUR SAY: What are your pharma and healthcare highlights for 2017?

Should the NHS be privatised? Have you got experience of a heart condition?

We’ll be covering these issues in the next Pf Magazine – want to contribute?

GET IN TOUCH: hello@pharmafield.co.uk

F E AT U R E

The current climate for neurological diseases

@pharmafield

@pharmajobsuk

Pf Magazine

P H A R M ATA L E N T

Five essential steps to pharma career glory P H A R M ATA L E N T

Finding out who’s going where and why P H A R M ATA L E N T

From classroom to pharma champion O N YO U R R A DA R

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, Pharmatalent and thought-provoking features, visit pharmafield.co.uk/subscribe This issue and all past issues of Pf Magazine can be viewed online at issuu.com/pfmagazine

Cool meds, campaigns and curiosities

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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

A N T I M I C R O B I A L R E S I S TA N C E

FIP FOR PURPOSE T

he International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has recommended that a ‘One Health’ approach, which recognises that the health of humans, animals and ecosystems are interconnected, should be applied to measures that control antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

An updated Statement of Policy has made a number of new recommendations to governments and pharmacists.

They include a suggestion that governments should ‘demonstrate political will’ by mobilising relevant national departments to improve the capacities of their national systems in addressing AMR in the ‘One Health’ context.

They should also develop, fund, implement, monitor and evaluate national action plans to contain AMR, formally involving all key stakeholders, including pharmacists.

In addition, FIP calls on governments to ensure all antibiotics listed in the World Health Organization ‘Essential Medicines Lists’ are available at all times. It also recommends developing a strategy for ensuring the sustainable production and registration of old antibiotics, which may help address AMR. Pharmacists are also encouraged to implement immunisation and health education campaigns, for prescribers, patients and the veterinary and agriculture sectors, on the importance of protecting the effectiveness of antibiotics. Also included is a focus on disposal, urging governments to develop ‘return and disposal’ programmes for unused or expired antimicrobials.

Pf View: For several years Pf Magazine has highlighted the ‘antibiotic apocalypse’ and its consequences, therefore it is encouraging to see proactivity from influential organisations. Expect, however, to see gentle recommendations becoming non-negotiable regulations in years to come.

A P P R OVA L S

Scottish independence party Janssen has welcomed the Scottish Medicines Consortium’s (SMC) decision recommending Darzalex (daratumumab) for restricted use as a monotherapy when treating adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.

Criteria also includes a prior therapy involving a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent and the demonstration of disease progression on the last therapy.

The decision follows previous guidance from the SMC and NICE, which did not recommend the use of daratumumab in this indication. It is restricted for use as a fourth line treatment option only.

The SMC recommendation is based on the results of phase II part-randomised and phase I/II dose-escalation studies. The SMC also considered the benefits of Janssen’s Patient Access Scheme, which supported the cost-effectiveness of daratumumab.

Around 5500 new cases of myeloma are diagnosed in the UK every year, with 438 new cases diagnosed in Scotland in 2014 alone.

In 2015, there were over 270 deaths from myeloma in Scotland; 60% were men and 40% were women. 76% of people diagnosed with myeloma survive the disease for one year or more, while 48% survive for five years or more.

Daratumumab attaches to the CD38 protein found on the surface of myeloma cells, enabling the immune system to target and destroy it.

Rosemarie Finley, Chief Executive, Myeloma UK, said: “We are delighted at today’s news and that a vital new treatment option can now be accessed by myeloma patients in Scotland.”

Pf View: How many times do we see this – Scotland stealing a march on the old enemy, when it comes to pushing life-changing treatments through. If I were Nicola Sturgeon I’d see this area as a really compelling argument for independence.

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C O M PA N Y N E WS .

Dynamic duo

A

bbVie and Bristol-Myers Squibb have announced a clinical research collaboration to evaluate a therapeutic regimen in advanced solid tumours.

The companies will evaluate the combination of AbbVie’s investigational antibody drug conjugate, ABBV-399, and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s immunotherapy, Opdivo (nivolumab), for treating c-Met overexpressing non-small cell lung cancer.

A Phase Ib clinical study is underway that includes evaluating the potential of

combining Opdivo, which is designed to alleviate immune suppression, with ABBV-399, which explores the tolerability and potential efficacy of the combination in subjects who failed one prior line of chemotherapy.

Dr Tom Hudson, VP, Oncology Early Discovery and Development at AbbVie, said: “Therapeutic advances continue to be achieved every day and we are committed to exploring the potential of our investigational compounds with other approved treatments.”

Quick doses A S TR A Z E N E C A announces results from the EXSCEL trial, showing cardiovascular safety with Bydureon in patients with type 2 diabetes.

• Data from a phase III study shows benefits of L I L LY ’s Verzenio in combination with an NSAI when treating advanced breast cancer compared to a single therapy.

• TA K E DA enters a partnership with the K A R O L I N S K A I N S TIT U TE and the S TR U C T U R A L G E N O M I C S CO N S O R TI U M to discover new intervention points for treatment of IBD. • CHMP of the EMA issues positive opinion of B O E H R I N G E R I N G E L H E I M ’s Pradaxa® (dabigatran etexilate) for treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation.

• M Y L A N gets FDA approval of first generic for TE VA’s Copaxone, indicated for the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.

• M Y E LO M A U K launches ‘MUK nine’, the first UK-wide molecularly stratified myeloma trial.

It aims to identify the best treatment options for high-risk patients.

SOCIAL CARE

System malfunction The findings of a survey about social workers provides evidence of how the social care system in England is declining.

The survey of 469 social workers by Community Care Magazine, supported by the Care and Support Alliance, reveals the effect of social care funding cuts.

The responses from across England showed that nearly 7 in 10 (68%) felt expected to reduce care packages because of cost pressures in their local authority, more than 1 in 3 (37%) said they believed they couldn’t get people the care they needed and more than 1 in 4 (28%) were not confident that reduced packages were ‘fair and safe’. 4 in 5 respondents (81%) said family and friends are being expected to provide more support to ‘fill in’ where care has been reduced.

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive at Alzheimer’s Society, responded to the survey findings: “What we cannot forget is the human price of this bargain-basement care system. People with dementia are at the mercy of a system on its knees. It’s vital that the Government urgently plugs the cavernous hole in funding, and ends the needless suffering of people with dementia.”

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C O L L A B O R AT I O N S

GROUP THERAPY The Milner Therapeutics Institute at the University of Cambridge has gathered 65 organisations to be part of their global therapeutic alliance.

It includes seven pharmaceutical companies and three Cambridge academic institutions, all of whom have signed a consortium agreement, with associated funding, to engage in collaborative research in Cambridge.

The latest pharmaceutical company to join the consortium is Janssen Biotech, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. This arrangement was facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation.

In addition to the three academic institutions in Cambridge, there are now 14 affiliated academic institutions from around the world including in Spain, USA, Australia and South Korea. The Milner Therapeutics Institute will connect and enable collaborative research between the affiliated institutions within the alliance.

There are 39 affiliated companies, such as product and service providers and SMEs, who have joined since March 2016 to accelerate ideas into therapies. Two venture partners, Amadeus Capital and Cambridge Innovation Capital, provide mentoring and potential funding opportunities.

Dr. Richard Mason, Head of Johnson & Johnson Innovation in London, said: “Collaborative research with Cambridge scientists will help us to better understand disease processes and identify new drug targets.”

A P P R OVA L S .

RARE VICTORY

N

ICE has recommended Imbruvica® (ibrutinib), within its marketing authorisation, for use on the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) as an option for treating Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia (WM), in adults who have had at least one prior therapy.

The positive final appraisal determination means patients in England can now access ibrutinib via the CDF for the first time.

WM is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and, although rare, around 400 patients are likely to be diagnosed each year in the UK. Prior to ibrutinib, there was no established standard of care and no licensed novel agents specifically for treating WM. The recommendation from NICE was based on clinical evidence from a phase II single-arm, open-label trial in the US. The regulator concluded, however, that further outcomes data would be needed before the treatment was recommended for routine use on the NHS. Roger Brown, WM UK Chair said: “With this decision, patients now have access to a targeted alternative to chemotherapy, which will be welcome news for people with a condition that desperately needs new treatment options.”

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T YPE 2. .DIABETES.

SUPER MODEL

WO M E N ’ S H E A LT H

KaNDY store KaNDy Therapeutics has been launched to maximise the value of NT-814, a potential non-hormonal medicine breakthrough for the treatment of debilitating women’s health conditions.

The company is backed by life sciences investors including Advent Life Sciences, Fountain Healthcare Partners, Forbion Capital Partners and OrbiMed Advisors, and is based at the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst in Hertfordshire.

NT-814 is a once-daily, dual mechanism neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist. The medicine is being developed as a non-hormonal alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the treatment of postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms.

The treatment has been spun out of NeRRe Therapeutics Holdings Ltd, into KaNDy Therapeutics Ltd, a separate entity. All formulation, pre-clinical and clinical safety, efficacy data and intellectual property associated with NT-814 have been transferred to the new company.

Led by Managing Director Mary Kerr and chaired by Iain Dukes, Venture Partner at OrbiMed Advisors, KaNDy Therapeutics will advance the development of NT-814 into phase IIb, while also exploring its potential in other women’s health conditions.

G

eisinger and Boehringer Ingelheim – on behalf of its diabetes alliance with Eli Lilly – have announced a major collaboration to create a predictive model which helps improve health outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes who are at the greatest risk of serious long-term complications.

The companies will develop a risk-prediction model for three critical health outcomes commonly associated with long-term impact and cost-of-care implications including cardiovascular death, kidney failure and hospitalisation for heart failure.

The new model will allow healthcare professionals to predict which adults with type 2 diabetes are most at risk of developing serious health consequences. It will be created using Geisinger de-identified electronic health record data, such as demographics, vital signs, medical history, current medications and laboratory tests.

Research published in the medical journal, Neurology, found that women who developed high blood pressure in their thirties and forties were 73% more likely to develop dementia than women who had stable, normal blood pressure throughout these years.

7238 people within the Kaiser Permanente Northern California healthcare system participated in the study.

Dr Doug Brown, Director of Research at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “It is a well-established fact that high blood pressure in midlife can increase our chances of developing dementia in later life.

“We should be mindful that this study tested the blood pressure of people in a particular health-scheme in Northern California in the 1960s and 70s. Since then there have been advances in how blood pressure is treated – so it’s not clear how relevant the findings of this study are to the present UK population.”

Dr Brown added that the Lancet Commission on dementia suggested there is good evidence that treatment of hypertension reduces the chances of developing the condition.

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DEMENTIA

MID-LIFE CRISIS

N E WS FO CUS Looking at a notable story in sharp focus

Is the NHS ready to dive into the ‘data lake’?

M

aking more use of electronic Summary Care Records (SCRs) could make a big impact on improving patient care, NHS Digital Executive Director, Eve Roodhouse, said in a keynote speech at the UK Health Show in London. Roodhouse argued that progress in using Summary Care Records is a vital part of bringing health and social care together. She also stressed the importance of investing in digital technology to ensure care settings are linked up and able to properly communicate with each other.

“Every five seconds a clinician accesses an electronic SCR, which can be accessed by an authorised clinician anywhere in the country if they are directly involved in that patient’s care,” said Roodhouse. “We are also approaching universal coverage of pharmacies, with 96% of pharmacies now live with SCR.” Roodhouse focused on the need for organisations to reinforce partnerships to make technology and data work for both frontline staff and patients. She also highlighted the need for a continuous dialogue between all parts of the system, from local to national organisations.

Roodhouse said: “It makes sense that services like Spine, the Electronic Prescription Service, e-referrals and NHS Mail, which are massively important in connecting health and care professionals, are delivered centrally as standardised, secure products.”

She also noted the amount of paper-based communications still used in the NHS: “The NHS spends more on postage nationally than it would take to fund more than 2000 extra nurses.”

E X P E R T A N A LYS I S

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

PAU L M I D G L E Y Director of NHS Insight at Wilmington Healthcare While other industries such as retail have successfully harnessed big data for years, the NHS has struggled to capitalise on complex data. This is largely because primary and secondary care data has been stored in silos.

The NHS, however, is gradually addressing this problem. SCRs, which contain crucial but very limited patient information, tend to be used in emergencies where, for example, a patient is unconscious and no relatives are present.

SCRs are a prelude to the NHS’s ambition to create more sophisticated joined-up patient data systems in the form of regional data hubs and a national data lake.

In many individual areas, patient records are already being joined up.

This is happening through ‘medical interoperability gateways’, which give healthcare professionals (HCPs) comprehensive access to a patient’s GP record.

There are also many local systems that enable the rapid transfer of test results from the laboratory to the clinician and then patient. For example, in Nottingham, they use a system called Lab Links, which allows patients to access their health test results online.

There is still a huge gap between its data gathering, integration and interpretation capacity, and where it needs to be, but the NHS is clearly making progress in its digital transformation journey.

Go to wilmingtonhealthcare.com

“ SCRs are a prelude to the NHS’s ambition to create more sophisticated joined-up patient data systems” M AG A ZI N E | N OV EM B ER 2017 | 7

DOCTOR WHO? Patient 2.0 is turning to futuristic ‘digital doctor’ services for the appointments that traditional GPs are unable to provide.

WORDS BY

Amy Schofield |

A

I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y

s the NHS prepares for a severe flu outbreak this winter, a GP shortage, recruitment crisis and surgeries closing have resulted in patients not being able to get an appointment with their doctor.

No wonder technology has stepped in, offering frustrated patients another option.

‘Digital doctor’ services such as Push Doctor, ZoomDoc and MedicSpot, where, for a fee, patients are guaranteed to quickly see a real doctor, are on the rise. But what does this mean for patients, the NHS and the future of healthcare?

Dr Zubair Ahmed, Founder and CEO of MedicSpot, says that our expectation of quick and easy access to just about anything we want is partly behind the growing success of digital doctor services: “Latest figures show that 11.3% of patients were unable to get an appointment with their GP when they last tried. Patients who are used to convenience through other non-health services are now also demanding this level of access for their healthcare needs. Digital

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Alex Buccheri

doctor services fulfil this need pretty well.”

Dr Kenny Livingstone, GP and founder of app ZoomDoc, believes that digital doctor services answer the needs of both patients and GPs: “Patients are increasingly frustrated with waiting times at their surgeries and when they are finally able to get through the gatekeepers, such as the admin or online appointment systems, they’re only able to see their GP for about 10 minutes,” he explains. “From the GP point-of-view, more doctors are looking for flexible working times and trying to work in both private and public sectors to support their schedules. This drive towards the private sector has been almost catapulted by NHS workloads.”

London GP Dr Adrian Wayne says that access to ‘digital doctors’ is an inevitable consequence of the increasing difficulty in getting an appointment to see a doctor: “Digital doctor services which enable patients to have a face-to-face GP consultation on their laptop, tablet or mobile, seven days a week, are filling a gap in the market for patients who are prepared to pay to access GP services quickly or at their own convenience.”

COVER STORY WA ITI N G RO O M R E B E LLI O N As the NHS struggles to keep up with patient demand, the advent of digital doctor services could have positive knock-on effects for speedier diagnosis and treatment: “It’s a chicken-and-egg situation because demand by patients is shaping these services just as these services are simultaneously altering people’s behaviours around health. Apps and technology are regularly reinterpreting our perceptions of luxury,” says Dr Livingstone.

“Historically, a person would never think to visit a private GP, but the modern time-poor consumer now understands the value of two to three private visits a year that could potentially expedite referrals and provide access to consultants and medication.”

Traditionalists may be concerned that a health service provided in this way may compromise patient care and safety, but any fears that a ‘digital doctor’ is a poor imitation of a ‘real’ GP are unfounded, says Dr Ahmed: “Our doctors also work for the NHS, but

choose to work for MedicSpot on their days off. We know that the average NHS GP works 3.7 days a week and MedicSpot aims to make use of these extra hours to increase capacity in the health system.”

ZoomDoc’s doctors are all GMC registered, UK-trained GPs. “They mostly work within the NHS, but also within the private sector.

All of our doctors are tightly regulated, monitored and fully insured. They all undergo regular appraisal and revalidation,” says Dr Livingstone.

It is this expertise, coupled with convenience, that makes digital doctors so appealing to the 21st Century patient.

“Patients are learning the value of paying for a private visit and the access it gives them to quick referrals, much-needed medication and most importantly, a sense of comfort in knowing a doctor can be at their door in an hour, or on video, in fifteen minutes,” says Dr Livingstone.

“ This drive towards the private sector has been almost catapulted

by NHS workloads”

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COVER STORY

CO NTI N U IT Y MAT TE RS

O PP O RTU N IT Y K N O C K S

TI M E TR AVE L

Dr Wayne says that while digital doctor services have their advantages, in certain situations they also have their limitations: “Telephone helplines and online consultations are fine for dealing with patients who have simple problems; for example, a patient who has clear symptoms of a food allergy. I do think that controlled drugs, sleeping tablets and psychoactive drugs should be prescribed through the patient’s NHS surgery,” he says.

“Telephone triages are, of course, commonplace in NHS GP surgeries, and evidence from our own practice shows that they can reduce the number of face-to-face appointments required. Making diagnoses over the phone or online, however, requires a high-level of competence and digital doctor services are disadvantaged as they do not have access to the patient’s medical notes.”

Dr Ahmed agrees that a more joined-up system needs to be developed to ensure that patients get the care they need: “To take full advantage of digital health, we need a better infrastructure to improve continuity of care between services. There is still a great deal of fragmentation in patient care with online services, but the providers who can tackle this will thrive.”

The rise of digital doctor services provides an opportunity for the NHS to collaborate with them to streamline current GP services and benefit the NHS as a whole, according to Dr Wayne: “Provided there is appropriate governance, and prescribing is in accordance with the Care Quality Commission, there is definitely a place for digital doctor services. Furthermore, I believe there is an opportunity for Clinical Commissioning Groups to enter into contracts with these companies to provide telephone consultations, with NHS GPs and out of hours services,” he explains. “These services, which could be accessed more easily than usual NHS services, might be charged back to health insurance companies. If they were signposted, then overseas and non-eligible patients may not present to the NHS directly and, therefore, use fewer NHS resources.”

If more patients are turning to digital doctors for appointments, could this ultimately relieve pressure on an NHS which is currently buckling under the strain?

“Patients are now becoming more aware that these kind of services do exist and can be a viable alternative for their healthcare needs. We will see more conditions being remotely managed efficiently, which will improve capacity in the health system,” says Dr Ahmed. “We are already finding that patients choose to use MedicSpot rather than attending NHS walk-in centres or trying to make an appointment with their own GPs, so early evidence of relieving pressure on the NHS is promising.” Dr Livingstone agrees that the opportunity for patients to get diagnosed earlier can reduce the pressure on acute care services too: “In many ways, these apps are relieving the pressure from the NHS as well as A&Es, where many of the patients in queues don’t actually need emergency assistance.”

The nostalgic idea of ‘our NHS’, which can continue to provide the solutions to our healthcare needs, free, at the point of care, is rapidly fading. Digital doctor services provide an alternative, but is it one that is open to all? “As much as we value the UK’s universal healthcare system and the necessity of having an NHS, we need to understand and accept that there is a significant portion of patients who pay insurance already and would more than happily pay for a doctor to come to their door,” says Dr Livingstone.

The digital-savvy patient, used to having their needs met at a tap, swipe or click, now has a new way to look after their health. The founders of digital doctor services know that, and at the moment it’s a race to the top, which will have inevitable casualties as the market develops. “The market is heavily saturated with different players offering slightly different propositions. I think telemedicine can only grow with the advent of web 2.0, faster broadband and the ever-increasing number of digital consumers; however, the market is a bit saturated and it’s only a matter of time before certain players have to exit,” says Dr Livingstone. “My strong inclination is towards the many video apps out there.

While a video consultation is more than enough in many straightforward cases, often a patient needs to see an actual doctor for a proper assessment. There are too many apps competing in this space and only the fittest will survive.”

“ Making diagnoses over the phone or online requires a high-level of competence”

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OPINION

WORDS BY

David Thorne

Land of the giants Hospitals as we know them will go, but is pharma paying attention?

L

et’s talk about the entities we currently refer to as ‘hospitals’.

There are 151 acute hospital trusts in England, most of which have more than one hospital site. So, what will that look like in a few years’ time? I’m guessing they’ll be fewer than 50 trust groups, all running a network of services across a defined patch.

Thirty years ago the idea was to have district general hospitals (DGH) serving populations of 250-300,000. Each DGH had A&E, theatres, maternity, pathology, radiology and so on, but that is already changing with the hub and spoke model, best represented by the Northumberland model*.

Then there are the chains, foundation groups and franchise models led by the Royal Free, Salford Royal and others. Salford now leads the Northern Care Alliance, a group of five former trusts amalgamated at scale. It is all about vertical and horizontal integration; tertiary, secondary, community and primary care in one single system that links key aspects like mental health and social care. Boundaries, roles, premises and terminology are changing so much that phrases like ‘secondary care’ and ‘community’ are becoming redundant.

Did you notice the restructure of pathology announced in early September? The plan is to have just 29 super-lab hub sites with all others being spokes operating a smaller range of services. What does this signal for imaging, A&E, maternity, oncology or any other specialism?

Let’s imagine 50 or so trust groups managing all NHS provider services across populations of 1.5 million, with integrated control of everything apart from ambulances.

Impossible? Well, it is remarkably similar to the NHS I worked in for the first 10 years of

my career. It is also an NHS that people in Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast recognise, but with a harder drive on cost, workforce and premises. Now imagine local GPs coming in as salaried consultants engaged through their own consolidated groups.

Pharma must drop anachronistic thinking around hospitals. ‘Place’ and ‘integration’ are more important than buildings.

Having one prescribing budget across an integrated health economy changes much of conventional sales activity. Moving from tariff transactions to programme budgets will significantly change value propositions.

The geographies of these integrated providers will develop from the catchment areas of tertiary centres and the best-performing trusts. Those boundaries will then set the map of sustainable transformation plans (STPs) or whatever replaces them.

Key account status will be defined by who leads change and who receives it – you need to identify the winners. For every Salford, there is an organisation about to be absorbed, but do you know who the carnivores are in this emerging landscape or are you simply relying on the herbivores?

David Thorne is Chair, Washington Community Healthcare and Non-Executive Director, City and Vale GP Alliance. Go to blueriverconsulting.co.uk

“ Pharma must drop anachronistic thinking around hospitals. ‘Place’ and ‘integration’ are more important than buildings”

* E V E R-S P I N N I N G W H E E L : T H E N EO - H E A LT H C A R E V I S I O N The transformation from a traditional NHS healthcare model is already being pioneered in Northumberland, whose transatlantic style ‘hub and spoke’ system refers to a series of alternative secondary sites, which are centrally connected to the main anchor site.

Furthermore, all separate departments run the same operating system and software, providing access to the same information as the central hub. Put simply, it is an example of ‘reinventing the wheel’, but making a much better wheel than we had before.

M AG A ZI N E | N OV EM B ER 2017 | 1 1

Nobel cause Talented women still face a battle to the top, while young girls are not encouraged to take a scientific route.

T WORDS BY

Claudia Rubin

“ A mong the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies, senior female executives represented just 17% of the management team.”

1 2 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

he Nobel Prize for Economics this year recognised the field of behavioural economics, going to Richard Thaler (a man) for his work on ‘nudge economics’.

This concept, that relatively subtle policy shifts encourage people to make decisions broadly in their self-interest, can be applied to the need for fostering behavioural change in business.

In the context of the Harvey Weinstein scandal currently engulfing Hollywood, a discussion on how behaviour distributes power, affects economics and drives industry is essential. If the pharma industry is to perform optimally, then we must assess what scope there is to nudge current behaviours towards greater productivity and profitability.

Some sectors of the economy will be better than others of course, but none are immune.

Pharma knows it must find a way to encourage more women to rise through its ranks.

Innovation cannot be fuelled by continuing to draw on the same ideas from the same sources. The need to undertake more research that gives greater priority to women’s health issues is one of many reasons why.

Pharma, where women have made great gains both in the laboratory and business setting, still has a long way to go. Among the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies, as ranked by sales in 2016, senior female executives represented just 17% of the management team.

Some industries are dominated by certain demographic groups and the scientific community is no different. Understanding why is not simple. From nurture, when leading toy manufacturers are culpable of reinforcing gender stereotypes, to the small number of young women taking

POLITICS

science subjects at university, through to the controversy in 2015 of another Nobel scientist saying he didn’t want women in his lab – the list of prejudgements is depressingly long.

A fundamental aspect that does determine where women work, is family responsibilities.

While we may typically think of women’s childcare duties, increasingly this also includes caring for elderly parents or family members with chronic conditions. The NHS model of care in the future has to focus on greater involvement of the family structure.

As one leading cardiologist put it to me, the future of the NHS is “diagnose, treat, discharge”, after which the patient will move on to self-supported home care. This can only be possible if those providing it; the women and men, are able to build their working life around these healthcare demands.

Flexible working is central to achieving this.

How do we make the workplace more aligned with our modern tech-dominated lives? How do we get more companies to embrace a bit of flex?

The pharma industry, with innovation at its very heart, is well-placed to harness this energy and find better ways of accommodating the needs of parents and other carers. To quote ardent Instagram hero and flexible work campaigner, 'Mother Pukka', “We cannot parent like we don’t have jobs and work like we don’t have children.”

Carol Keen, a specialist physiotherapist and a founding member of the Women’s Equality Party in Sheffield notes an interesting shift taking place in men’s working needs too. She reports talking to female members whose own experience has been positive, but who caution that history may be about to repeat itself, with men coming up against barriers that women have experienced for decades. These men would also be within their rights to demand flexible working arrangements, and Carol sees some potential court cases pending.

Ultimately, when flexible working becomes embedded and more women gain positions of power, with men playing a bigger role in the lives of their young children, the benefit to industry will be there for all to see.

A cultural shift must reverberate, not just through business, but wider society. If it does, maybe 2017 will be the final year when women don't win any of the Nobel Awards.

Claudia is a Director at Decideum. Go to decideum.com

“ W hen flexible working becomes embedded and more women gain positions of power, the benefit to industry will be there for all to see”

R E- FLE X AC TI O N There have been several changes to flexible working legislation in recent years and, at first glance, the stats* are good. On closer inspection, there is still much to address.

• 9 6% of employers offer at least one flexible working practice, most commonly, part-time work or reduced hours • Common options available at 4/5 employers • Option of working from home or making fewer business trips – 33% and 46% respectively.

• 51% of mothers that had a request for flexible working approved said they experienced negative consequences • One in five mothers said they had experienced harassment or negative comments related to pregnancy or flexible working from colleagues. *2015 report on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

M AG A ZI N E | N OV EM B ER 2017 | 13

FRIENDS UNITED With the mission to conquer adherence, a trio of Cambridge graduates launch their app into the digital healthcare stratosphere.

INTERVIEW BY

In the last few years terms like ‘start-ups’, ‘incubators’ and ‘algorithms’ have become part of our common language, but now digital innovation is even having an impact on public health delivery.

Today, I’m meeting up with Martin Hao, Quintus Liu and Jin Dai; a trio of Cambridge-based brains behind the NHS England-lauded Healthera app.

How did you guys meet? Martin: We’ve been college friends since 2011, and we all did engineering degrees at the University of Cambridge. After graduating we decided to start a business together.

How did the idea for Healthera start to form?

Quintus: The idea revolved around medical compliance, and patients not taking their medicines. It’s a huge problem within a flagging public health system and we realised it was creating a lot of headaches. After being inspired to help people in this area, we concluded that software was the answer – we could get to more people faster, while working directly with pharmacies to build their businesses.

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John Pinching

What was the process for developing the app? Jin: Our approach is patientcentric and our entire philosophy is patient-initiated. We all went out to pharmacies and talked to the patients waiting in queues; asking them what would make medicines management, ordering prescriptions and appointment-booking easier. We are still consulting with patients and pharmacies every day, because there is no end-point for improvements.

Quintus: Initially, we worked closely with a Professor, based at Cambridge University, who specialised in medical compliance.

The reasons patients don’t take medicines is either unintentional – when they forget – or intentional; when they drop a course because they are experiencing unwanted side-effects or have a lack of knowledge.

Okay, I’m a patient, what does this thing do? Martin: The functionality of the app is three-fold. It is a well-designed, userfriendly medicine reminder, which improves adherence. By inputting your prescription, you are automatically setting up a treatment regimen, including timing and dosage.

Secondly, there is a function which triggers repeat prescriptions, allowing patients to select a pharmacy that is local to them. Patients can also order clinical services from the app.

Jin: The key is to present the tip of the iceberg to the users and provide them with simplicity, while we do the behind the scenes work, like sorting out the supply line for prescriptions and negotiating with pharmacies. We are simple and that’s why we’re successful.

So, the app is able to recognise any approved medicine? Martin: We are synchronised with a pharmacy database, so the app has all the constantly-updated information about available prescriptions.

There is also the option to scan the barcode on the prescription from a smart device, drastically reducing the margin for error when patients are providing details.

COFFEE BREAK Jin: There are currently 10,000 users and the trend is growing. As we grow our database of pharmacies and they actively invite more patients to use it, we envisage an exponential growth. Interestingly, our biggest group of users are aged 55-65.

How did you get NHS-approval? Martin: We are one of the most beautiful, user-friendly apps on the market. It’s also because pharmacies, which are the most under-valued but precious members of the primary care sector, are at the very heart of the app.

How will your relationship with the NHS develop? Quintus: The NHS is starting to develop contracts in the digital space which will give control of medications back to the patient, and they see hand-held devices and apps like ours as the way forward. There is currently a contract worth £1m to reduce A&E admissions and we’re in discussions with several CCGs to locally pilot the app, and reduce healthcare spending.

What has been the response from pharmacies? Jin: Although it is a very traditional industry, we have found that pharmacies are very progressive, embracing modern technologies like dispensing robots and patient apps. For those pharmacies that have committed to the Healthera app, we have nurtured staff to maximise the use of the app and are beginning to see some very positive results from early adopters. It has transformed the way they engage with patients.

Tell me about the clinical services offering.

Jin: The NHS encourages pharmacies to administer as many flu jabs as possible – and this year is predicted to be the worst flu season for half a century. Our app gives patients the ability to identify which local pharmacies provide that service and book an appointment instantly.

This prevents GPs from becoming over-booked.

Is the app making a tangible difference?

Quintus: By measuring success through the pharmacies using our product, there has been a significant increase in the volume of prescriptions made out to patients using the app. Later this year we will begin an NHSfunded clinical trial, run by Cambridge University, to study the influence of the app on medical compliance. It’s an opportunity to involve academics, the NHS and the private sector in a common field of interest.

“PHARMACIES are the MOST UNDERVALUED but PRECIOUS MEMBERS of the PRIMARY CARE SECTOR, and at the VERY HEART of the APP”

It sounds like a life-dominating project, did you ever wish you’d never started?

Quintus: All the time! The development was sticky at times and if there had only been one or two of us, I think we would have quit, but we’ve supported each other through. Rather than banging our heads against a wall, it’s much more like running a business now.

Which record would you choose for the soundtrack of your life?

Martin: ‘Isn’t it Time’ by The Beach Boys.

Quintus: The Red Army Choir.

Jin: I have much more reflective taste than them – Nocturnes by Chopin.

It’s your last supper, what are you having?

Martin: McDonalds – I eat it every day.

Quintus: Sirloin steak, with a jacket potato.

Jin: KFC, it’s just next door.

Coming up! Goodbye fellas.

Bye John. Go to healthera.co.uk

M AG A ZI N E | N OV EM B ER 2017 | 15

SEIZE THE DATA Dr Graham Leask explores how industry can make the most of a modern phenomenon.

WORDS BY

Dr Graham Leask

L

istening to a recent talk on ‘big data’ I was reminded that the pharmaceutical industry is awash with data, but devoid of information. What this means in practice is that data – although capable in skilful hands of becoming a useful source of insight – rarely fulfils this role for pharma companies.

FIVE S I N S There are five reasons. Firstly, over-dependence on CRM systems, combined with the aggregation of inputs that are better separate. Although an important role of the CRM is undoubtedly as custodian of customer records, getting data into your CRM is often a great deal easier than getting useful information out.

Secondly, standard use of smart dashboards produces a set of predetermined charts that display a chosen view of reality and act to distract attention away from the key issues.

Thirdly, there is an over-reliance upon Excelbased analysis that is simply not adequate to handle the complexities of modern, highlycorrelated pharmaceutical data.

Fourth, there is a lack of training which will equip representatives to use data in clever ways, and direct their efforts, building competitive advantages. Finally, the use of marketing audits aimed at measuring the delivery of marketing messages, the methodology of which corrupts the very essence of what they are trying to measure.

These problems are not universal but common and each weakens the value of our data in its own way. Many CRM systems, for example, dumb down the complex interaction between a representative and a customer to a binary choice of call or meeting. This loses valuable information that disguises the important representative behaviours. (see visual).

“ Modern statistics have advanced tremendously since Sir Francis Galton experimented on a packet of seeds in 1875”

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MARKETING

ANALYS E TH I S Universal use of dashboards may be reminiscent of Soma in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Used selectively they can be valuable, but they are the exception in report form. If a standard deck of charts is routinely circulated, soon they are seen as ‘company wallpaper’ and little notice is paid to them. I once attended a meeting where a large number of charts were presented; the use of so many disguised the one important chart lurking within.

The analytics engine used by many companies is still Excel. This is fine if you want to check your budget, but using these tools to produce linear forecasts can produce the false impression of a robust and statistically significant relationship.

Modern statistics have advanced tremendously since Sir Francis Galton experimented on a packet of seeds in 1875.

Linear regression, although undoubtedly useful, relies on four underlying critical assumptions, most commonly violated by complex pharmaceutical data.

This renders many analyses as an unsafe base on which to make decisions. Similarly flawed is the overuse of correlation where, for example, a really interesting 0.992 correlation can be shown between the US spending on science, space, technology and suicides by hanging, strangulation and suffocation.

The first of these is down to a mixture of local knowledge and correct targeting, where the biggest change has been availability of the NHS Prescribing Data.

This allows us to precisely tailor our sales argument to focus on relevant competitors.

Call frequency is a specialist analysis that I spent a year working on at Aston University; work that culminated in winning the BOBI Award for commercial analysis. Two findings here are pertinent.

Firstly, the effective call frequency corridor is often lower than you may think. Secondly, promotion doesn’t occur in a vacuum - correct alignment to the environment is critical. In conclusion; use selective data well, rather than rely on a house of cards.

NATU R AL S E LEC TI O N One anecdote perhaps summarises the issue.

In one company, having spent vast sums on a new sales force support system, one manager reported to me that trying to use it was “like trying to take a drink from a fire hose”.

This is not to say that data is not useful.

The key question is – what is the right data?

If we accept the old adage that nothing is sold until someone convinces another person, then the crux of the effective representative’s role is to maximise customer contact on their assigned territory.

Here, the key question is; which are the right customers to call upon and what is the optimal frequency of contact?

Dr Graham Leask is a consultant and writer on the pharma and healthcare industries.

He spent 15 years as a member of the faculty of the Economics and Strategy Group, Aston University. To comment on the article, write to grahamleask5@gmail.com

The Key Dimensions of Field Force Strategy

UN

SI &

RT

RE

PO

FO

OP

GH

T

Measured by appointments booked • % of appt calls in the diary • Appointment calls • Surgery meetings booked

Often the mark of a more successful rep measured by • Number of appt calls seen on spec • Total spec calls • Proportion of hard-to-see doctors • % of total calls seen by small meetings and spec

PL

AN

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PE R S I S TE N C E Measured by follow up calls • Proportion of meeting contacts followed up within two weeks • Proportion of target doctors seen

M AG A ZI N E | N OV EM B ER 2017 | 17

ADVERTORIAL

“ Oceans hold important medical secrets that can change how cancer is treated.”

PHARMA MARVELS: PharmaMar achieves innovation, sustainability and ambition in oncology.

P

harmaMar, a multinational biopharmaceutical company based in Spain and founded in 1986, is advancing the treatment of cancer through the discovery, development and marketing of innovative anti-neoplastic drugs of marine origin. With the world’s largest library bank of marine macro and microorganisms, including nearly 200,000 samples, their vision is to believe that oceans hold important medical secrets that can change how cancer is treated.

PharmaMar is one of the few biopharmaceutical companies to have one successful product on the market, another awaiting commercialisation and several more at different stages of clinical development. It’s been an exciting period for the trail-blazing company.

Since 2007, its compound therapy for soft tissue sarcoma and platinum sensitive ovarian cancer has become available in 80

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

countries; the first time an antitumoral drug of a marine origin had been authorised.

Indeed, PharmaMar is the first company to carry out all the different development phases of a drug with these unique characteristics.

UK HOME The UK is central to the plans of PharmaMar. The new office was opened there at the end of 2015, with a dedicated team to support the local strategy. The company already collaborates with many hospitals in the UK, notably the Royal Marsden Hospital, University College of London Hospital and Christie’s in Manchester.

Affiliates have taken part in various investigator-initiated studies in the UK and they currently have several open studies with more than 100 patients being treated with their most innovative products.

Two of those studies are still recruiting.

A RO B U S T R& D PRO G R A M M E Late-stage development pipelines are driving future value, while PharmaMar invests significantly in drug research and development. In 2016, the company’s financial position funded an increase in R&D expenditure of 30%, when compared with 2015. This funded ongoing clinical research of the molecules at various stages of development.

The company currently has 232 qualified personnel working in Research and Development and Clinical Development functions. They are working on a rich pipeline focused on treating several diseases such as small-cell lung cancer, multiple myeloma, resistant ovarian cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer or angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.

D E LI V E R I N G H O PE Over the next five years, PharmaMar hopes to bring three molecules, across five different indications, to market; positively challenging the perception of what is possible in drug delivery, pioneering innovative new treatments and, above all, transforming the lives of patients around the world.

Go to pharmamar.com

F E AT U R E

WORDS BY

Deborah Evans

In sickness and in public health Too often the answer to our problems lies in the medicine cabinet.

I

think a lot about the public’s health.

In 30 years as a pharmacist I have seen it change. More people are overweight, there are higher levels of depression, alcohol consumption has risen and two in 10 adults are smokers.

Someone in mid-life who smokes, drinks, doesn’t exercise and eats poorly is four times as likely to die over the next 10 years than someone who avoids those lifestyle choices. While the rate of multiple unhealthy behaviours has decreased overall, it hasn’t within the poorest parts of society.

The causes of death are changing – fatalities from heart disease and stroke have halved for men and women since 2001, but during the same period death rates from dementia and Alzheimer’s have increased by 60% in males, and doubled in females, partly due to our ageing population and greater awareness.

We are all living longer, with data for 2016 showing that a male baby born in England would live to 79.5 years, and a female 83.1 years. This is countered, however, by the extra time we spend languishing in poor health – around 16 years for men, and 19 for women.

This impacts on families, our workplaces and increases pressure on health services.

Unhealthy lifestyles are a huge financial burden on the NHS. Smoking costs £5.2 billion, obesity £4.2 billion, alcohol £3.5 billion and physical inactivity £1.1 billion.

Mental illness is by far the most common condition for people aged 15–44 years and the incidence rises as you get older; across all ages up to 65 years, mental illness is nearly as common as physical.

In the final analysis, it is hard to see how our NHS can cope.

“ It is not unusual to see individuals on 8-10 medicines, and the most I have seen for one patient is 25”

I am passionate about the difference pharmacy can make to the health and wellbeing of our communities, with an estimated 1.2 million people walking through the doors in England every day. All healthcare professionals (HCPs), however, must work together to address the epidemic of long-term conditions caused by lifestyle issues.

What is the role for the pharmaceutical industry in all this? Paradoxically, people’s unhealthy lifestyles are driving growth in medicines use – we have a culture of taking a pill to cure our diseases. It is not unusual to see individuals on 8-10 medicines, and the most I have seen for one patient is 25.

Evidence is growing, however, that lifestyle interventions prevent disease and halt the progression of conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.

Could we see more lifestyle prescriptions?

It is my belief that the pharma has a corporate and social responsibility to take a holistic view in supporting better health outcomes, and this includes combining improvements in lifestyle with medicines use.

The public’s health is my business, but is it yours?

Deborah Evans is Managing Director of Pharmacy Complete, a specialist consultancy enabling a healthier future for pharmacy.

Go to pharmacycomplete.org

M AG A ZI N E | N OV EM B ER 2017 | 19

ADVERTORIAL

GREAT DISCOVERY: Analia De la Fuente is Vice President & Global Head of Patient Ecosystem Insights Practice at UCB.

A

seasoned expert in identifying patient needs, and one of the key speakers at eyeforpharma’s recent Patient Summit Europe event, Ana’s driving force is her will to recognise exactly how lives can be transformed.

I N S PI R ATI O N After 20 years at Insights I still have the same joyful moments of surprise when I uncover a new angle on people’s present or future needs.

If you combine that with the ability to impact on finding a solution then the circle is complete.

H I G H LI G HT S

UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines. It specialises in patient solutions aimed at transforming the lives of people living with severe immune system, neurological and bone diseases.

I have developed my career in the fastmoving consumer goods sector and had the opportunity to work on great brands with the purpose of making a difference to people’s lives. For example, Global Insights works for Unilever on Dove's real beauty campaign and also crafts innovative methods for sustainable laundry initiatives.

P OS ITI O N

PR E S E NTATI O N

I lead the Patient and Ecosystem Insight Practice, where our objective is gaining a deeper and more fundamental understanding of patients, while discovering their unique needs and ecosystem dynamics. It’s a very satisfying role and one which enables me to bring the patient into sharp focus.

My presentation focused on patient value and how that becomes part of the daily routine at UCB. By sharing what inspires me; making space for the patient voice, I hope that delegates were able to take something away that would galvanise what they do and make them think differently about what is possible.

CO M PA N Y

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“ A fter 20 years I still have the same joyful moments of surprise when I uncover a new angle on people’s needs”

E Y E FO R P H A R M A

To view all upcoming eyeforpharma events go to eyeforpharma.com or contact Cintia Hernandez at chernandez@eyeforpharma.com

F E AT U R E WORDS BY

Amy Schofield

GET YOUR

Is porridge better for health than statins?

Don’t believe the hype: health headlines dissected

TH E S TO RY Forget the mass prescription of statins to reduce harmful cholesterol – the nation’s health could be improved by simply eating a bowl of porridge a day. This is according to Chris Seal, Professor of Food and Human Nutrition at Newcastle University, who says the incredible health benefits of the humble bowl of porridge outweigh those gained by taking daily cholesterol-lowering medication. What’s the story morning glory?

TH E R E S E A RC H Porridge is known to have many credentials that contribute to good health; it’s low in fat, high in fibre, low in sugar, and contains minerals and B vitamins. But the thing that gives porridge’s benefits the edge is its high beta glucan content. Beta glucan is a soluble fibre that forms a thick ‘gel’ in the stomach, reducing appetite after eating, while lowering the absorption of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or ‘bad’ cholesterol.

Prof. Seal says that, according to studies, eating 3g of beta glucan a day, roughly equivalent to the amount found in a 70g bowl of porridge, can reduce levels of LDL cholesterol by approximately 7%. Beta glucan also forms acids including butyric acid, which works on the DNA of cells in the colon and produces an anti-cancer effect.

TH E R E S U LT S The beta glucan found in porridge works by stimulating the excretion of bile salts, made of cholesterol. Therefore, the more cholesterol used to produce bile salts, the less cholesterol found in the blood stream.

“I believe that if everyone started the day with porridge, it would have a significant impact on public health,” says Prof. Seal, who practices what he preaches, eating porridge made with semi-skimmed milk all year round.

TH E D E A L Research shows that the cholesterol-reducing powers of the beta glucan in porridge may potentially rival those of statins, with the additional bonus of significantly cutting rates of heart disease and possibly bowel cancer, with no side effects. Commenting on the studies, Dr George Grimble, Principal Research Fellow in the medicine division at University College London, and occasional consumer of porridge, said: “That’s similar to the results you might get from taking a statin.”

W HAT TH E PR E S S SA I D : ‘The amazing truth about porridge?’

Dailymail.co.uk; ‘THIS 75p breakfast better than drugs to lower cholesterol’ Express.co.uk ‘Here’s why porridge is the healthiest option for breakfast’ Asianage.com

OATS PORRIDGE OATS

CONTAIN protein, carbohydrate, fats, soluble fibre,

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PORRIDGE has been taken into

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M AG A ZI N E | N OV EM B ER 2017 | 2 1

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or the second consecutive year erstwhile Pf Award winners convened in the House of Commons for a Winners Club event, sponsored by Ashfield. It was a wonderful opportunity to bask in the glory of belonging to a very special club.

As the sun went down on Westminster, guests made their way through the labyrinthine corridors of Parliament, where the lingering scent of history, democracy and, quite possibly, Churchill’s cigar swirled in hopeless romance.

On arrival at our destination – a delightful room overlooking the Thames – it was clear that the heavens would remain resolutely closed.

Thus, our exultant band of winners peered over the balcony, as the last embers of sun dappled the world’s most famous river. Naturally, a frenzy of selfies unfolded, all desperate to include as many iconic buildings as possible.

Once everyone had settled into their opulent surroundings, Melanie Hamer, organiser of every Pf Awards for the last 18 years, reflected on their considerable significance and history, before presenting attending winners with a commemorative pin. The applause

rang out, as memories of the night they received their trophy returned anew.

Special guest was the majestic Bonita Norris; a mountain climber with the unique distinction of being the youngest person to do ‘the double’ – climbing to the top of Everest and reaching the North Pole.

Curiously, it was her ability to humanise her achievements which made her such an inspiring figure. She explained that her interest in mountaineering emerged from reluctantly accepting an invitation to what she assumed would be a "boring" seminar on mountain climbing. The speakers, however, mentioned seeing the ‘curvature of the earth’ from Everest, and Bonita was determined to see the view for herself.

She recalled the immensity of the mountain as she stood at base camp and described the occasions when she had to negotiate terrifying ice precipices, using an old ladder.

Her adventure was crystallised, however, by a bizarre incident, when she had to discreetly go to the toilet in a bottle, but ended up “dropping a litre of urine” inside her sleeping bag.

“My teammates knew straight away,” she said.

“I smelt awful, but it became a joke and the

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Moving mountains The second annual Pf Award Winners Club brought together years of industry talent.

WORDS BY

John Pinching

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

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P H A R M ATA L E N T

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1. Phil and Gail Unsworth 2. Guest speaker Bonita Norris 3. Kate Clare, Ashley Strong, Chris Anderson, Andy Anderson and Andy Roberts 4. Sue Huish, Harry Younis and Jenny Page 5. Gavin Will, James Ager and Elizabeth Stacey 6. Michelle Rust, Anthony Anandan, Melanie Hamer and Louise Finke 7. The Ashfield team, sponsors of the evening 8. Melissa O’Reilly and Cate Oliver 9. Penny Shaddick and Chris Henry

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laughter actually helped us up the mountain.”

Those ordeals completely melted away as Bonita’s expedition reached its fruition.

“The sky cleared and I looked up to see a most incredible sight,” she remembered. “It was one of those moments of lightness that makes you smile and reminds you why you’re doing something.” It was a profound notion that everyone in the room could relate to – the fulfilment of an ambition, in spite of the travails and frustrations that precede it.

Intoxicated by life's possibilities, guests revelled in past achievements, compared the exact location of their Pf Awards (on mantlepiece, above fireplace, in bedroom) and revealed triumphant personal journeys since winning their titles.

Presently, a famously towering timepiece indictated it was time to go. We floated back; through the pomp, through the paintings, through the passages of power and on to the streets of London.

Before embarking on our return trips, we gazed at the horizon and, in the distance, many of us could see with sudden clarity the lofty peaks of our ambitions; the unclimbed mountains of our dreams.

“ I looked up to see a most incredible sight. It was one of those moments of lightness that reminds you why you’re doing something.”

Bonita Norris, special guest speaker

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P H A R M ATA L E N T

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Talk of champions: Reflections from the Pf Award Winners Club “Being a Pf Award winner has had a really positive effect on my career. I gained promotions to Senior Nurse Advisor, Executive Nurse Advisor, Nurse Manager and have gone on to become a Programme Lead. Everybody in industry recognises the awards as prestigious.” Gillian Prescott, AbbVie, Nurse Advisor Award 2004 (won with Astra Zeneca)

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“The Pf Awards are vital because there’s nothing else that recognises how important our reps are. To bring everyone together and give them the opportunity to demonstrate how good they are, in a tough job, is great.” Annie Dingley, Dingley Development, Pf Awards judge “It gave me a surge of ambition. When I won I was head-hunted for a promotion in my company and it gave me the confidence to take the next step in my career. My boss at the time said, ‘now that you’ve got a Pf Award you will always get an interview’.” Beverley Moorhouse, MSD, New Representative Award 2007 (won with Organon Laboratories)

“Winning a Pf Award gives you a boost to your professional confidence, because you’re not just competing against people from your own company, but across industry. Knowing you’re the best of the best is a great feeling and provides new opportunities.” Jenny Page, MSD, Account Team Award 2017 (won with MSD)

“The Pf Awards have a long heritage and I’m privileged to be here with such a talented group of peers. It’s great for previous winners to network, but also to reflect on past performances. These people are a projection of how industry grows and continues to develop. I’ve even used the Pf Awards photo to show my achievement.” Andy Roberts, Consilient, Account Management Team Award 2015 (won with Lundbeck)

“It validated me and I’m immensely proud of being a Pf Award winner. It’s followed me around all these years – people remember.”

Michelle Rust, MCR Insights, Sales Team Award 2012 (won with Shire).

“You’ve been benchmarked and it reinforces the belief you have in yourself. It’s also an endorsement of how well your team is working together.” Sue Huish, MSD, Account Management Team Award 2016 (won with MSD)

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5

“The Pf Award was a massive rubber stamp and it galvanised everything. It showed what could be achieved when industry and the NHS strive for a common goal. I’m from Cheshire and when we won, I was smiling like a Cheshire cat.” Phil Unsworth, Novo Nordisk, Joint Working Award 2017 (won with Novo Nordisk) “The award is next to my television and surrounded by fairy lights. It felt amazing to win one and has changed my life massively. It has opened the door for promotion and I’ve got a place on a Master’s degree course.” Tracey Murphy, Coloplast, Account Project Award 2017 (won with Coloplast). Go to pfawards.co.uk

1. Quinton Brooks, Ben Consterdine, Rob Turnbull and Raheel Mirza 2. Kashif Yaqoob, Lucy O’Neill, Ryan Wooller and Scott Hands 3. Neil and Elizabeth Lawton, Susan Barden and Kathy Wadhams 4. Andy Baldry and Agnes Svilpaite 5. Damon and Sharon Preston, Michael and Caroline Challice

The Pf Awards 2018 are now open “I would highly recommend everyone to take up the opportunity to be involved in the Pf Awards, regardless of your experience – just give it a go!”

C ATH E R I N E P O LL A R D

2017 Medical Scientific Liaison Award

D O N ’ T M I S S TH E I M P O RTA NT DATE S FO R YO U R D IA RY:

Deadline for entries T H U R S DAY 01 M A R C H 2 018 : Assessment Day, King Power Stadium, Leicester T H U R S DAY 0 8 M A R C H 2 018 : Pf Awards Dinner, Royal Lancaster London M O N DAY 2 2 JA N UA RY 2 018 :

For more information visit P FAWA R D S .CO. U K or contact the events team on 01462 476120 # P FAWA R D S 2 018

GOLD SPONSORS

S I LV E R S P O N S O R S

SPONSORS

UCB and Star: Working in partnership to enable access to treatment for patients at risk of fragility fractures

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

W

orldwide, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men, over the age of 50 will experience a fragility fracture in their lifetime. A broken bone (fracture) can occur due to weak and thin bone resulting from a low-trauma event such as falling from a standing height or even a minor bump.

UCB is pleased to announce its commitment to tackling fragility fractures and addressing this area of high unmet need. As a leading global pharmaceutical company, UCB has established a new bone team that will focus on working closely in partnership with the NHS and patient groups to tackle osteoporosis and fragility fractures and create a world free of fragility fractures. The bone team has a vision that in the future people at risk of fragility fractures can live more active lives free from the fear of fracture.

ADVERTORIAL

UCB is working in partnership with Amgen to achieve this vision and the new bone team will be working to help address unmet needs and treatment gaps in this field.

However, the science alone isn’t enough – we need to also ensure that there is the right level of access to treatments for the right patients. To make a difference to patients’ lives, we need to get market access right.

“ To make a difference to patients’ lives, we need to get market access right.”

An excellent market access strategy, developed with the payer, and the NHS in mind is needed for delivering real benefit to the patients living with the fear of their next fragility fracture. We need to work closely with clinicians, patient groups, national policy makers and local decision makers.

To do this, we need the brightest minds who are excited by the prospect

of changing the treatment paradigm for patients with fragility fracture.

Star is delighted to be working with UCB to help build this new UCB team.

Star is a full-service outsourcing and resourcing company that delivers great people, insight and commercial outcomes and welcomes the opportunity to work in partnership with UCB to improve osteoporosis care in the UK. UCB, as a global biopharmaceutical company already has a strong heritage in immunology and neurology and now we are at an exciting period with a real opportunity to be a leader in osteoporosis.

“ We need the brightest minds who are excited by the prospect of changing the treatment paradigm for patients with fragility fracture.”

Now is the time to join UCB’s bone team and be at the cornerstone of turning the page on osteoporosis care in the UK, and improving the lives of millions.

To find out more and apply, please contact David Alexander at Star on 01225 336 335 or email your CV to solutions@starmedical.co.uk

M AG A ZI N E | N OV EM B ER 2017 | 2 7

On the brain

Neurological conditions affect the brain, spinal column and nervous system.

H

ere we focus on three of the most prevalent disorders impacting on lives throughout the UK, while taking a look at the treatments and developments which may offer hope for the future.

PAR K I N SO N ’ S D I S E A S E SYM PTO M S Parkinson’s disease is a complex condition with many physical and mental symptoms, but not every patient will experience all of them, and progression of the disease varies. Physical symptoms include tremors, muscle cramps, slowness of movement, rigidity and restless legs.

Parkinson’s can also cause other distressing symptoms, including anxiety, depression, dementia, hallucinations, delusions and memory problems.

TR E ATM ENTS Parkinson’s disease has no cure, although treatments are available which can help to alleviate symptoms and maintain quality of life.

The main drug used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease is levodopa. When dopamine levels in the brain become too low, because the dopamine-producing cells are dying or dead, Parkinson’s symptoms develop. Levodopa is a chemical building block that the body converts into dopamine. It can be used at all stages, usually starting with a low dose that is increased gradually until symptoms are controlled.

Dopamine agonists act like dopamine to stimulate nerve cells and come in various forms, such as tablets, capsules, prolonged release tablets, modified release tablets, pre-filled syringes and a skin patch. These treatments include Pramipexole, Ropinirole, Rotigotine, Apomorphine, Bromocriptine, Cabergoline and Pergolide, and can be used alone or alongside Levodopa.

MAO-B inhibitors work by blocking the monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) enzyme, which breaks down dopamine in the brain, to help nerve cells make better use of the dopamine that they already have.

L ATEST RES E ARCH In October, it was reported that researchers at Dundee University had solved the 3D structure of PINK1, a protein that plays a protective role in brain cells. Inherited changes in the PINK1 gene – that stop the protein from working – are known to be one of the most common causes of early-onset Parkinson’s.

The team used x-ray crystallography to make crystals of the protein and then used an x-ray machine to determine the 3D structure of the crystal. The researchers also found that PINK1 has unique control elements that allow it to interact with two other proteins, ubiquitin and Parkin, potentially paving the way to develop drugs that target the protective properties of PINK1.

2 8 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

F E AT U R E

M U LTI PLE SC LE ROS I S Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex neurological condition with a number of symptoms that vary between patients.

Common physical symptoms include vision problems, balance problems, stiffness, spasms, fatigue and dizziness. MS can also affect thinking, memory, emotions and mental health.

TR E ATM ENTS

MAKING HEADWAY

As well as recommendations on using diet, exercise, physiotherapy and complementary therapies to manage the symptoms of MS, disease modifying therapies (DMTs) are recommended for patients. DMTs reduce the number and severity of relapses, as well as slowing down the damage over time caused by relapses.

They can’t, however, treat people who have MS without relapses. DMTs, which are taken in tablet or injection form depending on the drug, include: Lemtrada, Tysabri, Zinbryta, Tecfidera, Gilenya, Copaxone, Aubagio. There are five different beta interferons: Avonex, Betaferon, Extavia, Plegridy and Rebif.

Hope is on the horizon for those with progressive MS, as researchers at Roche and Genentech have developed a DMT for people with this form of MS, which it is hoped will be available by 2018.

Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) is the first treatment that can slow the advancement of primary progressive MS, according to the results of phase III trials. In March 2017 ocrelizumab was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for both relapsing and primary progressive MS, and in September Swiss regulatory authorities also approved it for the same indications. It is currently being reviewed by the European Medicines Agency, and a decision is expected in autumn 2017.

CAN NAB I S AN D M S

T

he pain and muscle spasms associated with MS are exhausting and impact heavily on the sufferer’s quality of life, making daily tasks impossible. There are treatments available on the NHS, but they are ‘not appropriate, available or effective for all people with MS who experience these symptoms’, according to the MS Society. Evidence shows that cannabis for medicinal use can work for some people to relieve pain and muscle spasms in MS. Bayer’s Sativex is a mouth spray which contains a medicine extracted from cannabis plants which offers relief from spasticity. It is not available on the NHS (apart from in Wales), and is expensive to buy privately. The MS Society is calling for the UK Government to make urgent changes to allow MS patients access to this medicine: ‘We are calling for the pharmaceutical company and the NHS to get back around the negotiating table to explore every possible avenue’, the Society stated in its ‘Cannabis and MS’ report from July 2017.

• 7 2% of people with MS feel that cannabis should be legalised for medicinal purposes • 22% of people with MS have tried illegal forms of cannabis as they feel it is their only option.

Source: mssociety.org.uk

10 MILLION

Source: thebraincharity.org.uk

“ We are calling for the pharmaceutical company and the NHS to get back around the negotiating table”

PEOPLE IN THE UK

are living with a

OVER 1 MILLION

APPROXIMATELY

(2% OF THE UK POPULATION)

PEOPLE in the UK

PEOPLE 850,000

NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION WHICH HAS A

are disabled by their

ON THEIR LIVES

NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION

SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

care for someone WITH A NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION.

M AG A ZI N E | N OV EM B ER 2017 | 2 9

F E AT U R E  Ian with his wife Karen in the Royal Enclosure at Ascot.

PE RSO NAL S TO RY Ian Hatton, 54, lives in Suffolk with his wife Karen and American Cocker Spaniel, Paxton.

I

n March 2016 I was sitting across the desk from my neurology consultant receiving the news that I had MND. I went through the process of asking standard questions about what I could expect and, more importantly, how long I had left.

I was told that most people with MND live two to five years. About 10% survive at least 10 years. A quick calculation told me that in the worst-case scenario it was possible that things could start going downhill very quickly.

“ It seems just ‘dumb luck’ with MND in terms of which functions and parts of the body are affected first” It seems just ‘dumb luck’ with MND in terms of which functions and parts of the body are affected first and this obviously dictates how long people survive. I undergo all the standard tests on a regular basis to check physical symptoms and degradation, particularly with respect to breathing, but there is no test that can reliably forecast the rate at which the condition will progress and answer that key question of how much longer someone will be able to lead a relatively normal life. Psychologically I, and my family, find this is the most difficult challenge.

I actually feel very lucky and understand that there are many people much worse off than me. My wife Karen and family are very positive and we’re all determined to make the most of however much time we have together. Karen is a keen runner with several marathons under her belt, while she and friends have been involved with the MND Association to raise funds. The support I have received from this organisation, my consultant and all the specialist nurses and staff I see locally has been fantastic.

There are undoubtedly grim times ahead but to worry about something I cannot control would only have a detrimental effect on the time I have while relatively fit and healthy.

Go to mssociety.org.uk, mndassociation.org, parkinsons.org.uk

3 0 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO.U K

M OTO R N E U RO N E D I S E A S E The Motor Neurone Disease Association explains MND and the treatments available.

MND is a fatal, rapidly progressing condition that involves the selective degeneration of motor neurones. It has a worldwide incidence of two per 100,000 and a prevalence of five to seven per 100,000.

The only treatment currently licensed in the UK is riluzole, which is thought to work by suppressing glutamate activity. Riluzole is generally taken orally as a tablet (now off patent), however it has recently been formulated as a liquid (Teglutik). While the original trials showed that riluzole improved survival by two to three months, its true effects may be greater as its effects are masked by improvements in recent years by multidisciplinary team care and good symptom management (which also extends the lives of people with MND).

In May 2017 edaravone (trade name Radicava) was licensed for “ It is likely that ALS (the most common form of a precision MND) in the U.S. Clinical trials of edaravone have been limited to medicine six months duration in a subgroup approach may of patients, where the endpoints be successful have been changes in a symptom management scale (the ‘ALSFRS’) in the future” rather than survival.

MND is a heterogeneous disease where the presentation and prognosis are difficult to predict for any one person with the condition. It is likely that a precision medicine approach may be successful in the future, identifying genetic subgroups of patients with specific, targeted treatments. A number of biological markers of progression are emerging which will be invaluable in such an approach.

P H A R M ATA L E N T

Mark Denton, Managing Director at Zenopa, on how to get on, move up and take off in the ever-changing pharma landscape.

1.

PHARMA – IT’S ABOUT THE PRODUCT

2.

THE NHS IS CHANGING , CHANGE WITH IT

3.

S E L F - D E V E LO P M E N T RULES

4.

H E A D I N G FO R HEAD OFFICE

5.

M OV I N G S TO RY

Research-based pharma companies thrive or perish on their product. The product potential and end-of-life cycle is clear, but the company has to be effective in realising those sales. Your career rides on the success of a product, so it will always help you to research, select and know it.

Simply doing what you’ve always been good at is a good way to end your career early! Not so long ago, there were no MSLs or KAMs, while the GP representative is now scarce. Sales is influencing the decision makers but who will they be in the future?

Take ownership of your self-development, consider where you need to take your career and where you want it to go in order to be desirable in the job market. If you’re capable in your current role and you push your employer, you’ll find good employers will always support you.

Out of sight is out of mind. This maxim applies to field people as well. You have to work at getting a head office role; you have to volunteer to do additional tasks; you have to network and build good relationships with the appropriate people – they need to want you in ‘their’ office.

I’ve reviewed highly-progressive careers and frequently these people change employer at five to seven years, having generated a great internal reputation and breadth of learning. Highly valued by the next employer they are duly recruited and already have further progression planned.

Making it easier for people to be recruited or find recruits

Find out more about our roles and services Kirsty Morris kirsty@zenopa.com 01494 818 057 Alex Martin alex@zenopa.com 01494 818 028 Ian Huggett ian@zenopa.com 01494 818 021

M AG A ZI N E | N OV EM B ER 2017 | 3 1

P H A R M ATA L E N T

MOVERS & SHAKERS

DENNIS ZELENY

Mylan has revealed Dennis Zeleny as its Chief Human Relations Officer.

He has 30 years of experience leading global and corporate HR organisations.

Dennis also served as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Sunoco.

NORBERT OPPITZ

Norbert Oppitz has been appointed by Sobi as New Senior Vice President, Specialty Care. He was most recently a member of the Executive Committee of BSN Medical in charge of Latin America.

BRENDA L. RAPHAEL

Bayer has announced the appointment of Brenda L. Raphael as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Therapeutics Business Unit of Consumer Health Commercial Operations North America.

TRACEY MURPHY

Winner of the 2017 Account Project Pf Award, Tracey Murphy, of Coloplast, has another reason to celebrate – she has been promoted to Senior Nurse. (Photo: Tracey and fellow Account Project Pf Award Winner, Shaun Hopkins, NHS Partnership Manager).

KRISTEN MCLEOD

DAN TOVAR

The Department of Health and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have appointed Kristen McLeod as Director of the Office for Life Sciences effective 13 November 2017.

Dan Tovar is Ethypharm’s new Executive Vice-President Medical Affairs and Drug Development. He has held various positions including Medical Director of Oncological Haematology for Janssen France.

DR NICK BROUGHTON

Dr Nick Broughton has been appointed as Chief Executive of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust. Trust Chairwoman Lynne Hunt said: “Nick brings with him an incredibly positive and kind approach which is centred around the patient and in improving services.”

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

Rachel Cresswell

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

KNOW A RISING STAR WHO DESERVES A MENTION? RACHEL@PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK

ENVIGO LIZANNE MULLER has been appointed by

Envigo as President EMEA Operations.

Prior to joining Envigo, Lizanne spent 16 years at the Dishman Group in various roles, including Vice President of Compliance and Governance.

Meanwhile, CRAIG BOYD has joined as Chief Commercial Officer. Prior to joining Envigo, he was the Executive Vice President of Mayne Pharma’s US Specialty Brands division.

KATHRYN J. GREGORY

Avillion LLP has appointed Kathryn J. Gregory as Chief Business Officer.

Kathryn will be based in the US and will focus on expanding clinical co-development opportunities.

She joins Avillion from Seneb BioSciences, a rare disease company.

The 2017 Perception, Motivation and Satisfaction Survey Report

O N E- O FF PU RC HA S E , LO N G -TE R M I N S I G HT S A comprehensive survey report, with an analysis of all the key survey results.

Register your interest today, and we’ll get in touch as soon as it’s available to purchase.

Email rachel@pharmafield.co.uk or call 01462 476 119 for more details.

IN BRIEF Atlas Genetics has appointed JEFFREY LUBER as Chief Executive Officer.

ANDREW KAY has joined NeRRe Therapeutics as Chairman of the Board.

THE ONLY DEDICATED

annual insight into the UK pharma industry.

JUSTIN ASH has become

Spire Healthcare’s new Chief Executive.

DR ANDREW SANDLER

Kiadis Pharma has announced the appointment of Dr Andrew Sandler as Chief Medical Officer. Dr Sandler will be a member of the Executive Management Team and will oversee the overall medical function and strategy of the Company.

PFPEOPLE.CO.UK M AG A ZI N E | N OV EM B ER 2017 | 3 3

P H A R M ATA L E N T

W

Kirstie Justice, Senior Recruitment Consultant covering East and West Midlands for CHASE, on the importance of insight, influencing and understanding.

INTERVIEW BY

Amy Schofield

hat do you do? My role is about finding jobs for candidates and finding candidates for jobs.

I meet up with candidates one-to-one, so I can really get to understand them, their career journey and where they want to go.

I offer advice on CVs, interview style, types of jobs and companies that could be good options. After I put them forward for the role, I help them to prepare. Looking for a job can be scary, especially if the candidate has been with the same company for years. On the client side, when a job comes in I liaise closely with the recruiting manager to find out what their exact requirements are. Every job has different challenges; I need to understand each manager’s exact needs.

You started your career as a teacher, what attracted you to pharma sales and then recruitment? Teaching was a great stepping stone. I did it for four years, and enjoyed it, but I always knew I wanted to work with people, and I really relished selling and influencing. I knew I was competitive and target-driven, but didn’t know that pharma even existed! One Friday night I was in the pub with my teacher friends and it turned out that one of them was married to someone in pharma, and he said, “You’d make a good rep”.

What happened next? A week later I was out on a job shadow, then within a few months I’d got myself a job with Eli Lilly. I fell into it really! I did that for a few years then moved to Portugal, and had children. After maternity leave I considered my options. Recruitment seemed like a good match for me, my skill set, and my experience; I understood the role of a sales representative, had insight into the NHS, and also, an element of being a recruitment consultant is teaching and advising and I brought that to the table too.

Why did you choose to work for CHASE? When you’re working for a company you want to make sure that you’re working for the number one, and as a Contract Sales Organisation and sales recruiter, we are.

CHASE has a great reputation with clients and candidates. We also get the opportunity to develop in other areas, for example the participating in client presentations and pitches, which is a great experience.

It helps us gain insights into companies, which is really useful for when we’re talking to candidates. My sister, Kelly, also works at CHASE and recommended the company to me. That epitomises the family atmosphere that we have here!

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

What makes a candidate truly stand out? For me, I really enjoy working with people who go out of their way to take full ownership of their career and career development, for example taking the time to meet face-to-face because they recognise it’s a vital part of the process.

It’s also really interesting to meet people who have a really good idea of where they want to be in five to 10 years and who understand what they have to do to get there. I don’t have to chase them, they’ll be the ones chasing me!

of the job, the challenges and the good and bad aspects. It’s a tough job – they need to go in with their eyes open.

How do you attract the best people?

Referrals are by far the best thing for me.

If I’ve given a candidate the best possible service, people remember that and they’re always happy to refer me on to their friends and colleagues.

What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning? The satisfaction of knowing you’ve done a really good job.

I love helping candidates find the job of their dreams and helping managers to find top quality reps. If you can find somebody a job they absolutely love, and help them through the process, that’s fabulous.

It’s why I do it. Go to chasepeople.com

What advice would you give to someone entering a career in pharma sales?

It’s important for graduates and trainees to do their research. On a job shadow, ideally, or at the very least, to meet up with a representative who’s doing the role.

This provides a good understanding

What is more important – talent, ambition, or both? A top rep requires a lot of talent and a lot of ambition. They go hand-in-hand.

What’s the best piece of careers advice you’ve ever been given?

Don’t just meet expectations, always aim to exceed expectations.

“ Don’t just meet expectations, always aim to exceed expectations”

M AG A ZI N E | N OV EM B ER 2017 | 3 5

O N YOU R R A DA R

BAC K T WE ET THE WORD ON CYBER STREET S O M E T H I N G TO S AY ? @Pharmafield

Pf Awards @pf_awards

Were you at the #Pf WinnersClub event? The photographs are now available! https://buff.ly/2xZGUma

MAVENCLAD (Cladribine tablets) M A D E BY: Merck. Available in UK for patients with relapsing MS. It is the first short-course oral therapy that controls the disease for four years. Cladribine tablets also have the lowest monitoring burden of available treatments. “Merck is invested in improving the care of patients with MS and this is an important milestone,” said Merck’s Marco Lyons.

PharmaMar @PhrmMar

“Our goal is to facilitate access to the patients who need it to innovative treatments” L.Mora @PharmaMar Digital Doctor @DigitalDoctorNL

‘Bring your own data’ is the next trend in #Healthcare http://buff.ly/2xU45Ou Alzheimer's Society @alzheimerssoc

A P P R OV E D M E D I C I N E of the M O N T H

The social care system is unfair and unjust for people living with dementia. We look at what needs to change. http://ow.ly/dtks30fGLEX Sue Ryder @Sue_Ryder

49% of people under 65 living with a #neurological condition in #Scotland have to pay for their own personal #care Healthera @ourhealthera

@ourhealthera is always investing in the next revolution of #digitalhealth Paul Kelso @pkelso

British pharmaceutical industry warns patients could face Brexit drugs shortage when medicines regulator leaves UK. MND Association @mndassoc

Did you know 35% of people living with #MND will experience cognitive change & 15% will develop FTD? The MRC @the_MRC

Patient data saves lives, let’s acknowledge it! Please RT #datasaveslives https://mrc.io/2hwuHM2

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

AOB WORRYING STATS

NEXUS CHAPTER

A survey of 2000 people has revealed that just one in 10 parents and young people are aware that teenagers are among the most at risk of meningitis, while 80% identified the rash as a main symptom, even though others appear first. The research was carried out

by GSK’s Tackle Meningitis campaign, in partnership with former England rugby star, Matt Dawson. “Work needs to be done to improve awareness. It is crucial not to wait for the rash to appear before seeking help,” said Matt. Go to tacklemeningitis.org

Lhasa Limited, based in Leeds, has won a second Queen’s Award for innovation.

The educational charity creates software that supports the pharma industry in bringing medicines to market earlier.

The award acknowledged the company’s cutting-edge product, Sarah Nexus, which rapidly assesses the potential mutagenicity of chemical compounds, while aiding decisions, shortening development cycles and reducing the need for animal testing.

ROBOTS TAKE OVER People analytics company, Saberr, has launched CoachBot, an intriguing product that digitises team-building processes traditionally carried out by a human. It is designed to help teams address issues such as goal setting, decision making and role clarification. CoachBot is currently being used by 11 companies, including Unilever, Logitech and, curiously, the Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ON OUR R ADAR? R ACHEL@PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK

We are dedicated to creating better health for a better world.

One person at a time.

DOP: October 2017 NON-2017-0901

Learn more at www.mylan.co.uk

MND is a fatal, rapidly progressing disease that affects the brain and spinal cord It attacks the nerves that control movement so muscles no longer work

SIX SIX

people are diagnosed with MND every day

people die from MND every day in the UK

Max Jarmolowicz, aged 41.

Living with motor neurone disease.

Diagnosed in 2010.

It can leave people locked in a failing body, unable to move, talk and eventually breathe It kills a third of people within a year and more than half within two years It has no cure.

Support our fight against motor neurone disease mndassociation.org/getinvolved mndassoc mndassociation Registered charity no. 294354 Š MND Association 2017

Call Email

01604 250505 enquires@mndassociation.org