The digital transformation of pharma
Shanil Ebrahim discusses improving healthcare literacy, public-private collaborations in healthcare, and the role of digital innovation in shaping the future of pharma (1,000 words, 5 minutes)
NPC Healthbiz Weekly is presented to you with support from Impres, Canada’s Next Generation Commercial Partner
In a recent NPC Podcast episode, Shanil Ebrahim, Partner and National Life Sciences and Healthcare Consulting Leader at Deloitte Canada, shared his organization’s healthcare vision. According to Ebrahim, Deloitte's objective is to improve the health and welfare of Canadians while also supporting a strong economy and society. Ebrahim emphasized that this goal is achieved by addressing significant challenges within the healthcare system.
Deloitte can contribute “whether it’s helping clients redesign new healthcare models, helping clients optimize and liberate the health workforce, or helping clients modernize and future-proof in a digital world,” he said. To tackle the persistent problems in the healthcare system, the company tries to concentrate on addressing these key issues in their partnerships, Ebrahim says.
Ebrahim highlighted the need to improve healthcare literacy and education, particularly among disadvantaged communities. He said 60 per cent of adults in Canada are unable to understand their own health information. This figure emphasizes the urgency of addressing health literacy issues. “The first thing we need to do to improve health literacy is creating easy-to-understand health information,” he says. He suggests using plain language and removing all that medical jargon created by and for medical professionals.
Ebrahim [pictured below] said the second step to improve healthcare literacy is to involve users of health information, particularly disadvantaged groups, in the process of creating, testing, and refining the information based on their feedback. The third step focuses on creating educational materials that are not only medically oriented but also culturally, gender, and racially appropriate. “Private players could help in building these materials,” he said. “In some cases, they have the infrastructure and the resources to do this at scale.”
Ebrahim believes public-private collaborations are pivotal in promoting equity in healthcare. He emphasizes the importance of leveraging the entire supply chain, including public and private organizations, to create shared agreements that capitalize on each player’s strengths, access, and resources. One example of successful collaboration is evident in the role pharmacies played during the pandemic. “We had such a backlog in rolling out testing and vaccines through our public health units,” he said. “There was an outcry for access in a time where people were in fear and living with uncertainty.” He points out how retail pharmacies such as Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall, London Drugs, and Walmart quickly established an infrastructure to facilitate testing and vaccinations and how that allowed them to generate trust in their roles as healthcare providers.
Ebrahim also cited the partnership between Alberta Health Services, Boehringer Ingelheim Telehealth, Alberta Innovates, and Health City. Together, they conducted a home health monitoring trial that aimed to provide more affordable and efficient care for patients. He said this initiative showed how joint efforts can yield positive outcomes in healthcare. Another partnership he mentioned is between Eastern Health in Newfoundland & Labrador and Medtronic, which significantly reduced cardiac cath lab wait times and improved access to crucial cardiac care by up to 70% in some areas. “These are all great examples of partnerships, but they’re still happening in pockets,” he said. “But they can truly address inequity and improve health outcomes.”
Ebrahim noted that technology, particularly digital innovation, plays a significant role in shaping the future of the pharmaceutical industry. During the pandemic, digital technologies experienced exponential adoption and scaling, transforming how pharma operates. He highlights some examples of digital innovation within the industry, such as enhancing patient recruitment in clinical trials, expanding supply chains, utilizing data and artificial intelligence for drug discovery, and gaining a deeper understanding of patients in need.
THIS WEEK 08/22/23
Revance Therapeutics announced the U.S. FDA approved daxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm (Daxxify) for Tx of cervical dystonia in adults.
The U.S. FDA approved Janssen’s niraparib and abiraterone acetate (Akeega) as Tx for BRCA-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in adult patients.
The U.S. FDA granted accelerated approval to Pfizer’s elranatamab-bcmm (Elrexfio) for Tx of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
Searchlight Pharma launched naproxen and sumatriptan (Suvexx) for Tx of acute migraines in adults in select European countries with plans of expanding to all E.U. markets. You will need to add a line explaining what this product is.
GSK’s respiratory syncytial virus vaccine (Arexvy) has been approved in Canada for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus in people 60 years of age and older.
LISTEN UP
In season 10 of the NPC Podcast, Shanil Ebrahim, Partner and National Life Sciences and Healthcare Consulting Leader at Deloitte Canada, discusses improving healthcare literacy, expanding the use and integration of healthcare data, and public-private collaborations promoting equity 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.
Sylvie Pilon
Director
The Pangaea Group
Senneville, Que.
Season 10, episode 07
Listen to this episode here
What bold predictions will you make about the life sciences industry during the coming 12 to 24 months?
I think our industry needs to continue to ride the wave of innovation, continue to reinvent ourselves and provide value to our healthcare ecosystem. But we have to pay attention to our employees because they are the most valuable asset. Digital innovation is super important, and pharma will evolve to include more and more of these innovations at the end of the day, but the relationship with our customers trumps all.
Register now for the 17th Annual National Pharmaceutical Congress on Wednesday, November 22, 2023
The 17th Annual National Pharmaceutical Congress will bring the best of Canadian Pharma together. The Congress will be held on November 22, 2023, at the Mississauga Convention Centre. As Canada’s most significant stage for leaders in the pharmaceutical industry, the Congress presents industry reflections, ideas, and innovations. The Congress is attended by more than 200 delegates annually and is an opportunity to learn, reflect, and network with the industry’s most prominent thought leaders and visionaries. Register now to receive a 50 per cent discount on your registration fees.
NEXT WEEK
It’s easy to get your no-charge subscription to NPC Healthbiz Weekly, and we’ll send each issue to your phone or inbox each Tuesday at 6:00 a.m. sharp.
You are receiving this newsletter because you are a client of Chronicle Companies, attended a National Pharmaceutical Congress live event or webinar, or previously requested a subscription to one of our newsletters. If you no longer wish to subscribe to this newsletter, please email the subject line “Unsubscribe NPC Healthbiz” to health@chronicle.org.
NPC Healthbiz Weekly is published by Chronicle Companies, 701 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, N.Y. 14203. Canadian Office: 1460 The Queensway, Suite 212, Etobicoke, Ont. M8Z 1S4
Mitchell Shannon, Publisher; R. Allan Ryan, Editorial Director; John Evans, Kylie Rebernik, Jeremy Visser, Editors; Cristela Tello Ruiz, New Business Development
Content is copyright (c) 2023, Chronicle LifeSci America Corp., except as indicated. Are you interested in contributing to this newsletter or learning about Chronicle’s services? Please write to us at health@chronicle.org.
Thanks for reading NPC Healthbiz Weekly. Be sure to subscribe to receive new posts directly to your inbox.