Why is the conference world an important crossroads for scientific communication, and what value does it bring to the company? How does the governance of a pharmaceutical industry evolve?
These questions both have complex answers, but they lead in one fundamental direction for the growth of a pharmaceutical company: Medical Affairs. At IBSA, the path towards creating and developing a Medical Affairs division has been part of a wider context of keep the company up to date. Paola Quagliucci, Events & Operations Specialist, tells us about the central role scientific communication plays in the conference sector, how the company’s participation in events has evolved over time and its relationship with the scientific community.
“IBSA is constantly interpreting the development of operating needs, whether it be by opening new departments, adding particular professional roles into the mix or adopting more modern procedures.
When I started working at the company, for example, there was no Medical Affairs division. It was later set up when Giuliana Villa took on the role of Director.
Through this new division, IBSA has specifically responded to the need to guarantee scientific support to promote products and ensure accurate and current communications, with a view to transparency and modulation of languages and channels, effectively reaching the various stakeholders, whether they be doctors, patients, opinion leaders or commercial partners.”
One of the main aims of the Medical Affairs division’s activity is to construct a continuous relationship with the international scientific community. This is where the conference world comes in: “Planning conference attendance is a valuable experience in many ways. The opportunity to exchange knowledge with participants, whether they be colleagues of other nationalities, doctors or members of patient associations, is of particular interest. Listening to their experiences of using our products allows us to collect valuable insights for continued improvement. During conferences, stories come alive and become even more concrete, providing us with tools to enhance the ways in which we can increase our patients’ well-being.”
Medical Affairs is also committed to training: in the autumn of 2020, it will launch the project ‘IBSA International Academy – MSK (musculoskeletal) module’, a modular, multi-year course dedicated to specialists in the sector (orthopaedic practitioners, rheumatologists, physiatrists and sports doctors), giving them access to training that is not only theoretical, but above all practical. “This project, another feather in the cap of our company, aims to enhance the role and skills of doctors and, as a natural consequence, the central role of patients receiving high-level specialist care.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Joint Challenge 2020 project has been postponed to 2021. This is a stand-alone event in the osteo-articular field, born from the need to propose an innovative programme with high scientific value in the field of musculoskeletal disorders. “This project testifies the achievement of maturity and our awareness of being a leader in the osteo-articular sector, with valuable products that the scientific community has appreciated over the years. This trust encouraged us to plan an innovative event addressing the most current and challenging issues in the sector.”