AstraZeneca "Cardiovascular and Crestor"
"Hypertension and Aprovel"
sanofi-aventis "Diabetes, and SoloStar with Lantus"
Background
Over several years, I managed a diverse portfolio of pharmaceutical education, training and sales projects for multiple international pharmaceutical companies, including (among others) AstraZeneca, Beyer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson sanofi-aventis, Novartis and Pfizer (seven of the global top ten pharmas). These projects spanned various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular health, oncology, diabetes, and urology. The pharmaceutical industry was facing rapid changes in treatment protocols, increasing regulatory scrutiny, and a growing need for more effective, engaging training materials for sales representatives and healthcare professionals.
The Task
My primary responsibilities were to:
(1) Lead the end-to-end development of educational and training materials for pharmaceutical sales staff, healthcare professionals and consumers.
(2) Ensure these materials were not only clinically accurate and compliant with strict regulatory guidelines but also engaging and effective in improving sales performance and healthcare outcomes.
(3) Manage complex projects from conception to delivery, meeting the high standards of multiple stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry.
(4) Develop a product strategy for each educational program that aligned with the company's overall business objectives and market positioning.
(5) Implement innovative approaches to medical education that would set our clients apart in a competitive industry.
(2) Ensure these materials were not only clinically accurate and compliant with strict regulatory guidelines but also engaging and effective in improving sales performance and healthcare outcomes.
(3) Manage complex projects from conception to delivery, meeting the high standards of multiple stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry.
(4) Develop a product strategy for each educational program that aligned with the company's overall business objectives and market positioning.
(5) Implement innovative approaches to medical education that would set our clients apart in a competitive industry.
My Role
Throughout all of these projects I was the Project Manager (or Producer/Director for video projects).
AZ Iressa - Lung Cancer Project
AZ Iressa - Cell Biology
AZ Iressa - Lung Cancer Case Studies
AZ Iressa - Lung Cancer Quiz
Action
Product Vision and Strategy
• Collaborated with key stakeholders to develop a clear vision for each product, aligning it with each company's overall strategy.
• Collaborated with key stakeholders to develop a clear vision for each product, aligning it with each company's overall strategy.
• For the award-winning "Diabetes, and OptiClik with Lantus" program (sanofi-aventis), as this was a consumer product (a DVD for people recently diagnosed with type-2 diabetes) I advocated for and implemented a more lifestyle televisual approach to differentiate our offering.
User-Centric Approach
• At a time when most of the interactive products were CDROM-based, I advocated for DVD to enhance the televisual feel, and DVD also enabled us to create a high-quality product, with interactive features, that would have a long shelf-life.
• At a time when most of the interactive products were CDROM-based, I advocated for DVD to enhance the televisual feel, and DVD also enabled us to create a high-quality product, with interactive features, that would have a long shelf-life.
Cross-functional Team Leadership
• Led and coordinated multidisciplinary teams, including medical writers, graphic designers, film crew, 2D/3D graphic designers, composers, and voice-over artists
• Led and coordinated multidisciplinary teams, including medical writers, graphic designers, film crew, 2D/3D graphic designers, composers, and voice-over artists
• Throughout each project I facilitated collaboration between medical experts, legal teams, and marketing departments to create a comprehensive, compliant, and effective educational program.
Data-Driven Decision Making and Product Lifecycle Management
• Managed products across their lifecycle, for example, a series of influenza projects for Novartis ("Influenza and Fluad," "Influenza and Optaflu"), overseeing updates based on new clinical data and evolving market needs.
• Managed products across their lifecycle, for example, a series of influenza projects for Novartis ("Influenza and Fluad," "Influenza and Optaflu"), overseeing updates based on new clinical data and evolving market needs.
• Repurposed existing projects, for example creating optical retail chain-specific versions on the Johnson & Johnson Visioncare "Acuvue Contact Lenses" project.
Innovation and Technology Integration
• Championed the pioneering use of 3D animation and interactive technology in the AstraZeneca-sponsored "Animated Operative Surgery", significantly improving comprehension of complex surgical procedures.
• Championed the pioneering use of 3D animation and interactive technology in the AstraZeneca-sponsored "Animated Operative Surgery", significantly improving comprehension of complex surgical procedures.
• Used DVD early in its infancy for point-of-sales and exhibition-use, benefitting from better picture and sound-quality, ease of use, and multi-language capability.
• Stayed abreast of emerging trends in medical education and e-learning technologies to continually enhance the effectiveness of training materials.
• Stayed abreast of emerging trends in medical education and e-learning technologies to continually enhance the effectiveness of training materials.
Regulatory Navigation and Risk Management
• Developed a robust risk management framework to identify, assess, and mitigate potential issues throughout the project lifecycle.
• Developed a robust risk management framework to identify, assess, and mitigate potential issues throughout the project lifecycle.
• While developing the Solvay "Living with IBS", worked closely with the marketing and legal teams to adapt our content strategy to evolving regulatory guidelines, ensuring compliance while maintaining educational effectiveness. (Due to high placebo-effects noticed in clinical trials the product name changed several times, and the language discussing efficacy was ever-changing).
Prioritisation and Roadmap Planning
• Developed comprehensive project plans, including timelines, budgets, and resource allocation across multiple subcontractors.
• Developed comprehensive project plans, including timelines, budgets, and resource allocation across multiple subcontractors.
AZ Crestor - Cardiovascular Education
AZ Crestor - Cardiovascular Education
AZ Crestor - Cardiovascular Interactive Learning
Results
Client Satisfaction and Repeat Business
• Successfully delivered over 20 major educational and training projects for the world's leading pharmaceutical companies.
• Successfully delivered over 20 major educational and training projects for the world's leading pharmaceutical companies.
• Secured repeat business from key clients, including multiple projects for AstraZeneca, Novartis and sanofi-aventis, demonstrating high client satisfaction and the effectiveness of the delivered solutions.
Award-Winning Excellence
• The "Diabetes, and OptiClik with Lantus" program for sanofi-aventis won a prestigious IVCA award, recognising its innovation and effectiveness in consumer medical education.
• The "Diabetes, and OptiClik with Lantus" program for sanofi-aventis won a prestigious IVCA award, recognising its innovation and effectiveness in consumer medical education.
Innovation Leadership
• Worked at the highest level of medical education, using the best tools available, including the creation of interactive CD-ROMS, DVDs and self-installing memory-sticks; and the use of 3D animation technology in surgical training programs.
• Worked at the highest level of medical education, using the best tools available, including the creation of interactive CD-ROMS, DVDs and self-installing memory-sticks; and the use of 3D animation technology in surgical training programs.
• Established a reputation for producing high-quality, compliant, and engaging educational materials in the pharmaceutical industry, resulting in 20 years of continuous work.
Efficient Resource Management
• Consistently delivered projects on time and within budget, despite the complexity of pharmaceutical industry requirements.
• Consistently delivered projects on time and within budget, despite the complexity of pharmaceutical industry requirements.
Industry Impact
• Proudly contributed to the education of pharmaceutical sales forces and healthcare professionals across multiple companies, indirectly impacting patient care and treatment outcomes.
• Proudly contributed to the education of pharmaceutical sales forces and healthcare professionals across multiple companies, indirectly impacting patient care and treatment outcomes.
• Helped client companies differentiate themselves through innovative and effective training programs, potentially influencing market share in competitive therapeutic areas.
Appendix
Selected projects with specialist pharmaceutical education and communications agency Radical Departures:
AstraZeneca "Cardiovascular and Crestor"
AstraZeneca "Lung Cancer and Iressa"
AstraZeneca "Thrombosis and Exanta"
AstraZeneca "SHE - Safety, Health and Environment"
Bristol-Myers Squibb "Hypertension and Aprovel"
Eli Lilly "Stress Urinary Incontinence and Yentreve"
sanofi-aventis "Diabetes, and OptiClik with Lantus" (Award-winning programme)
sanofi-aventis "Diabetes, and SoloStar with Lantus"
Novartis "Osteoporosis and Aclasta"
Novartis "Influenza and Fluad"
Novartis "Influenza and Optaflu"
Novo Nordisk "Diabetes, and NovoRapid with Levemir"
Solvay "Living with IBS"
Yamanouchi "Stress Urinary Incontinence and Vesicare"
AstraZeneca "Lung Cancer and Iressa"
AstraZeneca "Thrombosis and Exanta"
AstraZeneca "SHE - Safety, Health and Environment"
Bristol-Myers Squibb "Hypertension and Aprovel"
Eli Lilly "Stress Urinary Incontinence and Yentreve"
sanofi-aventis "Diabetes, and OptiClik with Lantus" (Award-winning programme)
sanofi-aventis "Diabetes, and SoloStar with Lantus"
Novartis "Osteoporosis and Aclasta"
Novartis "Influenza and Fluad"
Novartis "Influenza and Optaflu"
Novo Nordisk "Diabetes, and NovoRapid with Levemir"
Solvay "Living with IBS"
Yamanouchi "Stress Urinary Incontinence and Vesicare"
Selected projects with other clients:
AstraZeneca "Animated Operative Surgery"
Britannia Pharmaceuticals "APO-Go Insulin Pen"
Beyer "Behave!"
Daiichi-Sankyo "Grow!"
Johnson & Johnson Visioncare "Acuvue Contact Lenses"
Britannia Pharmaceuticals "APO-Go Insulin Pen"
Beyer "Behave!"
Daiichi-Sankyo "Grow!"
Johnson & Johnson Visioncare "Acuvue Contact Lenses"
END