Empowering women within the pharma industry
Milva D’Aronco offers insights into the importance of mentorship, coaching women on building confidence, and diversity as a long term corporate profit-driver (1,020 words, 5 minutes)
In a sector traditionally led by men, five women from Montreal are at the forefront of a movement poised to transform pharmaceutical leadership. Their initiative, Women Leaders in Pharma, has expanded from a modest group of driven professionals to an extensive network of over 400 members within a few short years.
“We were simply trying to find a forum in which we could empower each other,” said Milva D’Aronco, one of the founding members, on a recent episode of the NPC Podcast. Her words underscore a growing recognition that diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords but critical drivers of innovation and success in the highly competitive world of pharmaceuticals.
D’Aronco [pictured below] emphasized the significance of mentorship and sponsorship in navigating careers in the pharmaceutical industry. She also highlighted the importance of sponsorship, ensuring someone advocates for your work when you are absent. “Having a sponsor or mentor ensures that your work is seen and that someone advocates for it are essential, as your work won’t speak for itself,” she explained.
D’Aronco said coaching is often overlooked and pointed out that individuals are frequently promoted to leadership roles without proper preparation. “If you think about it, to be an accountant, you go to university and learn how to do it,” she said. “But to be a manager, you often have to learn on your own, through experience. That’s why having a coach is valuable—they can help you understand what you’re doing well and what you need to improve.” D’Aronco added that coaching helps individuals understand their strengths and address their weaknesses. She said that women often underestimate their abilities, a trend that can start in childhood.
She added that encouraging young girls to take risks and dream big is crucial for their long-term confidence and success. For women in the workplace, she recommended seeking mentors who can reinforce their self-worth and encourage them to step out of their comfort zones.
D’Aronco also discussed the impact of diversity in the pharma industry. She said she believes that diverse teams bring different perspectives, leading to more robust solutions and more significant innovation. In her opinion, the economic benefits of diversity are also substantial. D’Aronco said that while investing in diversity may not yield immediate results, it offers medium to long-term profits and revenues. She emphasized that embracing diversity is a win-win situation, fostering innovation and benefiting companies economically in the long run. “If people understand that, we’re in for real change,” she said.
THIS WEEK 07/09/24
Health Canada issued a Notice of Compliance for Johnson & Johnson’s amivantamab (Rybrevant) in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer with activating epidermal growth factor receptor Exon 20 insertion mutations.
Kye Pharmaceuticals announced that its methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release chewable tablets (Quillivant ER) are now available in Canada to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children aged six to 12.
Sandoz announced that the U.S. FDA approved the company’s intravenous ustekinumab-ttwe infusion (Pyzchiva) as a biosimilar to Stelara for all indications of the reference medicine.
The U.S. FDA approved Eli Lilly’s donanemab-azbt, 350 mg/20 mL once-monthly injection for IV infusion (Kisunla) for the treatment of early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease, including patients with mild cognitive impairment.
NOW LISTEN UP
In season 12 of the NPC Podcast, Brian Bloom, CEO of Bloom Burton & Co., gives insights into changes in the Canadian Healthcare investment landscape, the return of the generalist investor, and the rise of consumer empowerment in healthcare. Hear him in conversation with podcast hosts Mitch Shannon, Jim Shea, and Mark McElwain.
HEALTHBIZ REWIND
This feature of NPC Healthbiz Weekly looks back at some of the most insightful moments from previous NPC Podcast episodes. In Healthbiz Rewind, you’ll read bold life sci predictions made during the renowned “Prognostication Korner” segment of the NPC Podcast.
Nicole Serena
Senior Managing Director of Patient Support Programs (PSP) Solutions
Waldron & Associates
Season 02, episode 04
Listen to this episode here
What do PSP programs look like years from now? (This episode was recorded in Oct. 2020, when Serena was Vice President of Patient Support Programs at Walden & Associates)
It’s an interesting question because we don’t know what the future is going to look like. Are we still going to be in Covid-19? I think we’re going to see innovation, and more digital services, and we may even see some services that no one would have thought of a year ago today such as testing. We’re hearing that when patients need to renew their medication but have what they call a special authorization because it’s expensive, the physician needs to fill out a form, and the patient may need a blood test or some test. So typically, the patient would go into the hospital or a lab. Right now, that might not be available, so a nurse could go to their home and administer that test, or a local pharmacy could administer it. You could have a Patient Support Program administer or set up the scheduling to find that test [for the patient], and that could be an added service in the future.
NEXT WEEK
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