What to expect at the upcoming 16th Annual National Pharmaceutical Congress
Here’s a preview of the panels and panelists to look forward to at the live event on November 2
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The National Pharmaceutical Congress is back for its 16th year on November 2 at the Mississauga Convention Centre, returning in person for the first time since 2019. An opportunity to learn, reflect, and network, this year's Congress will include presentations on five major topic areas, followed by conversations on each topic led by foremost experts in the Canadian pharmaceutical and life sciences industries.
Topics of this year's panels will include:
The Future of Rare Disease and Oncology, discussing the latest advances in rare disease and oncology and how to build a patient-centric future.
Omni-Channel Marketing: what it is, why it matters, where it works, and how Pharma can effectively implement it to maximize reach.
Unlocking Engagement in a Changing World, a conversation on how to attract and retain talent, equip employees for a rapidly-changing world, and keep your team engaged in the long term.
Evolving Roles in Commercial & Medical, a panel examining the way roles in Pharma have changed and continue to be adapted for the modern world of work.
Pharma’s New Role in the LifeSci Ecosystem, highlighting the role of the Pharma industry in relation to patient networks, healthcare providers, and other key stakeholders in the Canadian life sciences landscape, as well as how the pandemic has impacted public perception.
The morning will conclude with a keynote presentation by Brian Bloom, Chairman & CEO of Bloom Burton & Co, on The State of Life Sciences Investment in 2022, a financial update on the Pharma and LifeSci industries from a Canadian perspective.
In the afternoon, a newly added session, Diverse Voices, will provide an opportunity for group learning and facilitated discussion on diversity, equity, and inclusion topics affecting the Pharma industry. Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng will present a keynote lecture, to be followed by more diverse perspectives on DE&I and practical advice for implementing it, with an emphasis on the life sciences.
THIS WEEK 10/25/22
AbbVie announced that Health Canada has approved Skyeizi (risankizumab) for the treatment of moderately to severely active Crohn's disease in adult patients with an inadequate response or intolerance to corticosteroids or an inadequate response, intolerance, or loss of response to immunomodulators or biologic therapies.
The U.S. FDA granted emergency use authorization to the Novavax Covid-19 Vaccine as a booster for adults.
Health Canada has approved the sustainable period care products Flex Cup and Flex Disc. The menstruation cups and discs will be sold across Canada through Amazon and at Shoppers Drug Mart.
PragmaClin, a Canadian startup that has developed a digital examination tool for monitoring Parkinson's disease symptoms, has won the 2022 AGE-WELL National Impact Challenge. AGE-WELL NCE Inc. is a Canadian technology and aging network that works to accelerate the delivery of technology-based solutions to elder Canadians.
LISTEN NOW
The third episode of season eight reviews interviews with panellists in the upcoming 16th Annual National Pharmaceutical Congress on November 2nd, 2022. Hear valuable insights from Bob McLay of Sobi Canada, Janine Pajot of Bayer Canada, Pat Forsythe of Eisai Inc., and David Renwick of Emergent Biosolutions.
CANADIAN HEALTHCARE MARKETING HALL OF FAME
The Canadian Healthcare Marketing Hall of Fame awards were established in 2002 to honour healthcare marketers who have contributed to our vocation and inspire others.
More than 100 honourees have been selected during the past 18 years. In the selection committee’s view, they represent a cross-section of the qualities that make our business unique and fulfilling. NPC Healthbiz Weekly will acknowledge one past Hall of Fame Honoree each week.
2003 Inductee
Christine Whatley
Toronto.
Editor’s note: Christine is now retired.
“The pharma business is still a blast,” says Christine Whatley, who considers herself a “lifer” in the industry. From the day she snagged a job as a drug rep 23 years ago, Whatley maintains she couldn’t imagine doing anything else. “I was fairly social in university and this just seemed to be the best job. Here I had this job where I was being paid to talk to people–a great salary, a car, and an expense account,” she says somewhat incredulously.
Whatley, director of new product development for the neurology division at Janssen-Ortho, a company she’s evolved with over the last 17 years, has humorous stories aplenty. Starting out as a medical sales rep 23 years ago was “weird” because female reps were still an oddity. However, she laughs, “it was a great way to get in to see doctors. It wasn’t unusual to have four [reps] stacked up in an office and I would get in first.”
Whatley praises the positive learning environment at Johnson & Johnson for keeping an element of “fun” in the profession. “I thought I’d hip-hop across the industry but working with J&J is like working with a whole bunch of different companies all in one, because I started out with Janssen and basically we merged our way through many different companies to where we are now.” Her career map included stints as sales rep, hospital rep, and field training in order to achieve her goal of district manager; a goal she once considered the “pinnacle” of her drug industry career. But marketing intrigued her and in 98 she was named a product manager at J&J and “fell in love” with the team banding and strategy process. “Working at J&J we are encouraged to take risks–it's a very forgiving environment. We are encouraged to come with ‘out there’ ideas and bring them to the table and develop them,” she explains.
Whatley concedes that while she likes to feel comfortable in a job, “it’s not until you’re uncomfortable that you manage to do something that’s maybe a little bit creative and innovative. Maybe you need to push into areas you would have never looked at before.” Learning more about effective leadership is important for women who may not have the benefit of leadership incentive programs such as those in effect at J&J, says Whatley. “How do you get results out of people, especially adults? I remember my kids saying: ‘How do you manage people? If you’re a boss you just tell [them] what to do.’ I said, if only it were that simple. People have to want to work with you and want to go in the same direction. If you’ve got that ability then I think it makes things happen.” Pausing to consider her nomination for the Canadian Healthcare Marketing Hall of Fame, she quips, "I hope the guy who once told me I was taking a job away from some man sees this."
Register now for the 16th Annual National Pharmaceutical Congress on Wednesday, November 2
As Canada’s most important stage for leaders in the pharmaceutical industry, the Congress is an opportunity to learn, reflect, and network with the industry’s most prominent thought leaders and visionaries.
Join us at the Mississauga Convention Centre on November 2 for five panels featuring reflections, ideas, and innovations from luminaries in the Life Sciences industry:
The Future of Rare Disease & Oncology
Omni-Channel Marketing
Updated Perspectives for the New Normal
Evolving Roles in Commercial & Medical
Pharma’s New Role in the LifeSci Ecosystem
Register at phamacongress.info
NEXT WEEK
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