Christi Shaw grew up in rural Iowa where everyone in her family had to pitch in with chores around the farm. As one of three daughters, there wasn’t an opportunity for her parents to assign work by typical gender role. Shaw got her hands dirty, worked long hours, and felt the satisfaction of a full day’s work. She also quietly learned there were no limits to what she could do just because she was a girl; there was nothing she couldn’t tackle.

That fortitude and perseverance have played through Shaw’s 34-year career in pharma. From her early days as an Eli Lilly product detail representative based out of Oshkosh, Wisc., to her most recent position as CEO of Kite (see 

’s November cover profile (https://bit.ly/3Tn5vJo) in Santa Monica, Calif., she has made a point to identify her true north and rely on it as a guide. Her recent recognition as Woman of the Year by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) demonstrates the success she has attained from staying true to her beliefs.

“Your true north isn’t defined by your job title or your career path,” says Shaw. “It’s your purpose or the ‘why’ that gets you up in the morning.”

Having lost her mother and older sister to cancer, she was naturally drawn to helping others who were forced to deal with the illness. During her time at Kite, she focused on leading a team to transform cancer treatment and bring a potential cure to patients. By creating that mission as her anchor, she expanded the company’s global footprint and demonstrated that cell therapy is something more than science fiction. In three years, she was able to help 15 times the number of eligible patients who receive CAR T-cell therapy. To continue the drive forward in cancer care, Shaw makes it a point to mentor the next generation of pharma and biotech leaders.

She is also a role model when it comes to prioritizing family and friends. When her sister became ill in 2016, Shaw stepped down from her position as the US country head and president at Novartis to care for her. In 2017, she and her younger sister founded the More Moments, More Memories Foundation in honor of their older sister and mother. The organization helps patients and their families with travel, lodging, and meal expenses to have access to clinical trials.

Still true to her Iowa roots, Shaw also makes time to travel back to the Midwest periodically to manage the family farm and is active in soil conservation and forest preservation.

These themes of cancer care and family continue to strongly influence her choices, both personally and professionally. As Shaw stepped away from Kite last month to pursue new opportunities, she says they are the principles she will use to guide her future endeavors.

“No matter where my journey takes me next, these responsibilities will continue to be core focal points for me, in addition to tackling new challenges that align to my true north,” she says.

Having lived through the cancer journey with her family, the idea of offering patients a new ray of hope in the form of cell therapy is what led Shaw to Kite. But her love of science began in high school. She fostered her innate interest in the subject and worked as a pharmacy technician both in high school and while earning her bachelor’s in marketing from Iowa State University. To expand her ability to help people even further as a cross-functional business leader, she attained her master’s in business administration from the University of Wisconsin.

Shaw moved from Lilly to Johnson & Johnson, ultimately rising to vice president of business development in 2006. She eventually held vice president roles at J&J’s Ortho and Ethicon as well. In 2010, she moved to Novartis as the North American region head, oncology, transitioning into the role of the US country head and president in 2014.

After taking a year to care for her sister, she re-entered the industry once again with Lilly as senior vice president and president of Lilly Bio-Medicines and then found her way to Kite in 2019.

“Ever since I decided to join the pharmaceutical industry, it’s always been about helping people and helping patients,” says Shaw. “And my true north is what led me to Kite. My sister was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, [and] my mom died of breast cancer; and to be able to bring a potentially life-saving therapy to the world, a potential cure, was something that I was passionate about.”

Kite currently has two approved therapies. Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel) is the first CAR T-cell therapy approved for initial treatment of relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) as well as relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. Tecartus (brexucabtagene autoleucel) is the first and only approved CAR T-cell therapy for relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma and relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The one-time treatment calls on a patient’s own immune system to fight the disease by re-engineering their own cells. About half of the patients are still alive at five years after a single infusion, with more than nine in 10 needing no additional treatment—suggestive of a potential cure.

“It’s humbling to hear physicians and patients talk about extending life instead of ending life,” says Shaw.

With three manufacturing sites across more than 20 countries, Kite is now a global leader in cell therapy. Though the technology is nascent, Shaw believes it will evolve over time to not only treat blood cancer but other types of cancer and disease.

“We’re now seeing data in patients with lupus, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes,” she says. “As I look at cell therapy as a whole, Kite has set the stage to be able to bring this to the masses. The science fiction that nobody thought was possible is now a stabilized business with a strong foundation and a strong future.”

At the time her sister received CAR-T therapy, only a few hundred patients had received cell therapy. To date, Kite has treated almost 13,000 patients.

“Sitting back and listening to my team present our accomplishments, I’m in awe of how many patients we’ve been able to reach in that short period of time,” says Shaw. “We’re still only reaching a fraction of patients who are eligible for cell therapy; so, our top priority is ensuring that every patient who can benefit has access.”

To do this, she and her team constantly seek ways to overcome all the challenges to access. Some patients and physicians simply lack awareness of the therapy. Some patients may not be able to reach a treatment center or don’t have the means to travel. There can also be an unconscious bias of physicians excluding certain patients because they assume they won’t go or think they’re too old or too sick to receive the treatment.

“[We need to] make sure that we get the word out and educate and continue to evolve the science and the clinical data and investment into our whole patient journey to make sure that more patients get it,” says Shaw. “That is the greatest challenge that we’ve had. We’re making progress and have a lot more to do, but that’s probably the biggest thing that we need to focus on, and now it’s the next generation.”

Last year, Kite received its second-line approval in LBCL, which nearly doubled the number of patients eligible for treatment for LBCL. There is now an ongoing definitive Phase III study vs. standard of care that is bringing cell therapy into the spotlight and demonstrating its potential to help more patients in the future.

For how proud Shaw is about advancements in cell therapy, she is likewise encouraged by the progress made by women in the industry. When she began her journey in pharma in 1989, she noticed a discrepancy in the perception and expectations of women vs. men. For example, early on, she was coached about what to wear in the workplace.

“I was working in Wisconsin, and it was 20 below with windchill in the middle of winter,” she says. “I was a sales representative, and I had a suit on, but it was pants. I was coached that I needed to wear a skirt; that women shouldn’t be wearing pants. Hopefully, that would never, ever happen now. I feel like people’s eyes are just open so much more.”

In another anecdote from her early career, Shaw describes how her ambition in the industry was valued but not welcome. “I recall a brand leader had come to ride with me in the field because I was performing well, and he wanted to see what I was doing,” she recounts. “He mentioned that he wished I could move to the home office to help him lead the brand for the whole country. I was [excited] because I had always wanted to do that. But he said he was told by my manager that I couldn’t move because I had a family and that I was geographically restricted.”

Although Shaw never had a conversation of that nature with her manager, the limit was set for her.

“Some of those unconscious biases really taught me that I had to take charge of my own career and that I couldn’t rely on [others],” she says. “I’m glad it happened early in my career because now I know if I want to find my own path forward, I need to be the one in charge; nobody else.”

A dearth of female role models in the c-suite made it difficult for Shaw to visualize her pathway in pharma as she rose through the ranks. She says there was only one other woman on her team of 14 people at her first job as a sales rep. Because of this, she turned to female examples outside of the industry and created a support system not just within her company but externally.

Professional coach Mindy Hall helped change the way Shaw viewed herself and her path forward. “[She helped me understand] being authentic to who I am, how I see myself, and making sure that I stay true to myself and not try to mold myself into what others think I shouldn’t be,” she says. “She had a tremendous impact and was incredibly helpful as someone outside of the organization.”

Shaw also has role models outside of corporate America. For instance, she developed a deep respect for Tina Turner as a child. “When I was a kid, my dad was a fan, and her story is just so remarkable—growing up in a rural area, like I did, being underestimated, fighting through adversity, following her passion, and becoming so successful in spite of how and where she was brought up,” says Shaw. “A lot of times we say, who is your mentor in the pharmaceutical industry? But I have found that it’s not always in the industry that I find my strength.”

While progress has been made regarding gender parity, there is still much work to be done. Today, nine out of 10 biopharma CEOs are men, according to research conducted by 

. With women making most healthcare decisions, having them in major decision-making roles in the c-suite is critical for better patient outcomes. In 2021, women represented just 28% of pharma executive teams and 35% of biotech teams, according to research done by Innovara. By 2027, the average is expected to reach 40% or higher.

“That gives me a lot of hope,” says Shaw. “As you look at the C-suite and the progress that’s been made, it is encouraging. I’m pleased but not satisfied. We need a lot more women at the helm for that parity to take place.”

Bringing men into the fold at organizations, such as the HBA, as well as encouraging them to be advocates for women is a key part of the path forward, as men can greatly impact a woman’s career journey. Shaw says teaching young men—including her own teenage son—to recognize gender inequity is smart. “It starts really young in terms of gender bias,” she says. “To be able to point it out and talk about it early [is important].”

As one of the few female CEOs, it is now Shaw’s turn to give back and support women rising through the pharma ranks. She does this in formal and informal ways, through organizations such as the HBA and employee resource groups, and through personally connecting with mentees.

“I mentor a lot,” she says. “I actually learn from the next generation and the people I mentor. I get mentored back because I learn so much from them as well.”

Shaw also believes in networking. Whether it’s former employees, referrals from colleagues, or people who reach out blindly, she’s happy to make introductions when she can.

“I’m probably one of the few CEOs that reads my LinkedIn emails,” she says. “It’s not every day, but I’ve given referrals in my company and outside my company. There are a lot of women who have reached out and said, ‘I saw you took time off to care for your sister, and I did the same. Now I need to get back in the industry. How do I do that?’ [Oftentimes,] they just need somebody to open a door for them. They get the job themselves.”

Shaw encourages the people she helps to pay it forward to create a domino effect. “A trait men have always had that we are hopefully learning more and more is that it’s okay to help each other. It’s okay for women to help women. We don’t have to be competitive. We can all win together.”

To those looking to enter the industry, Shaw can’t stress enough the importance of finding one’s true north and authentic self. “Understanding what drives you and remaining true to that helps make every decision clearer and less of a struggle,” she says. “It’s so exhausting to have to be one person at work [and] a different person at home. Don’t change yourself. Have the courage to be your authentic self and stay true to that.”

Setting specific goals against one’s true north can also help guide career decisions.

“Before you even take a job, ask yourself, ‘What am I going to accomplish here?’” she says. “Then, see if you have accomplished that goal. If you have, maybe it’s time to move on. Knowing what your true north is and being able to stick to that can help navigate changes in your life, personally and professionally. Grounding yourself in your true north and then being able to take ownership of how every aspect of your life fits that, without compromise, is one of the most critical pieces of work people can do for themselves.”

­— Elaine Quilici is a freelance content specialist based in New Jersey. She was formerly editor-in-chief of Pharmaceutical Executive.

Articles

Executive Profile

Christi Shaw, this year’s Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) Woman of the Year, stays true to her beliefs—and life mission—of helping others.

Unwavering Focus

On March 1, five marketing leaders came together to discuss the power of social media in the pharmaceutical industry. The insights each share in the 

 roundtable highlight the importance of embracing the incredible reach of social media while recognizing its rapid growth worldwide.

During the discussion, the participants delve into various topics, including the reasons why some pharma companies have been slow to adopt social media, the key considerations for pharma marketers when investing in the space, and the emerging trends in social media marketing for life sciences organizations. Additionally, the conversation explores the role of influencer marketing in the industry as well as the significance of key opinion leaders (KOLs) and digital opinion leaders (DOLs) in advancing those activities.

The participants also analyze how social media platforms have enabled pharma companies to engage with patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) and explore the potential benefits of new technologies, such as ChatGPT and generative AI, in facilitating omnichannel efforts and personalization.

As per the DataReportal January 2023 Global Review, social media has continued to grow at an incredible rate—with 4.76 billion people worldwide now using social media. One-hundred-thirty-seven million of those are new users who came online within the last 12 months. The average daily time spent on social is two hours and 31 minutes. Why do you think it has taken pharma so long to truly embrace this thriving ecosystem, and do most pharma companies have a significant social media presence?

Matt Titus, VP and chief commercial officer, epocrates:

 At this point, most pharmaceutical companies have some sort of social media presence, but what differentiates them are the different social platforms that they’re on, the depth and breadth of their strategy, and if they’re undertaking this on their own or if they’re outsourcing it to an agency.

There are a lot of different flavors of this. The key is having a fundamental strategy about how to execute against this because social media is only becoming a bigger piece of everyday life.

Katherine Atkinson, chief commercial officer, Evofem: 

When I first got to Evofem, I didn’t feel like we were embracing social media the way we could be. For us, it came down to the fear that comes with not having a lot of history or experience in the space. Initially, our medical, legal, and regulatory (MLR) team was conservative when it came to what we could do. And when you looked around to see what a lot of other pharma companies were doing, you saw a lot of disease state education rather than promoting the brand.

So, we made the leap, but it was because we had a very supportive CEO who was risk-tolerant, and we partnered well with the MLR team to take some of that risk. And I think that’s what helped us. I have slowly started to see other pharma companies taking more risks as well, and it’s nice that we’re embracing it because it’s a good way to reach your consumers.

Amy Houck, AVP, digital, PRECISION VALUE AND HEALTH:

 Agreed. With a lot of the companies that we’ve launched, it’s important to get the MLR and product release teams (PRT) comfortable with what the launch looks like as well as the guidelines and guardrails they can utilize to properly represent safety information across the different social platforms for the brands.

We do a lot of concept reviews and education with the MLR teams like, “These are other examples in pharma. Here’s how we can lay out branded posts. This type of content is live now.” And we try to tee up to whatever the product is. For example, if it was an accelerated approval, we’ll look for specific examples so we can show them and then answer all the baseline questions. A lot of the time, we make these screen recordings of how it all works to help educate.

[Often], we’re launching anything that was just approved. So, there’s always a process: a couple of months with social comments off, followed by comments on so that we can gauge comfortability with the approach. When they’re more risk-tolerant, we try to get them to the place where they feel most comfortable with the given brand.

Amanda Powers Han, chief marketing officer, Greater Than One:

 Thinking back to the early days, we were all watching intently, but [we] weren’t quite ready to make that leap. Then we saw the corporate communications play come forward, which was a little safer—social media as an extension of corporate PR. And now, we are seeing disease awareness and branded programs come forward, which is exciting.

Another important aspect of uptake is helping the broader organization understand how impactful these marketing programs can be. In some cases, the ROI we’re seeing for influencer marketing is 5:1. It just can’t be ignored anymore. In terms of being able to build a brand and engage with customers, I’m excited to say that social is no longer an incremental opportunity but, ultimately, is quickly becoming a fundamental part of the marketing mix.

 In terms of the audiences for HCPs and patients, they’re looking to our pharma companies to start playing in this channel—supporting and educating them.

Everyone needs to have a presence; and if you’re not telling your story, someone else may tell it for you. It’s a balance [of] having to educate some of the internal teams who see the need but may hesitate due to restrictions. It’s an exciting time because we’re going to be able to reach them to tell our story and control messaging on our own.

Pollaro: Let’s focus on platforms, specifically. We know there are different demographics on different platforms. Therefore, the delivery of content can vary quite a bit. What are some of the key considerations for pharma marketers when it comes to prioritizing their media dollars, given the evolving landscape? For example, Twitter continues to struggle to get advertisers back, and (conversely) TikTok continues to grow at a rapid rate.

 When we launched Phexxi, we made a huge push into the direct-to-consumer (DTC) market, and it was important for us to map and coordinate where the Phexxi woman was going to be in her day. It’s not just about what platforms are performing well, but where our customer [is]. Where is she visiting and listening? During her day, when she gets up, she’s checking the weather, [or] she’s dropping off the kids, [or] maybe she’s listening to a playlist on Spotify or Pandora when she goes to work out.

We examined all the metrics when we started to use the different platforms. What was performing well for us early on, surprisingly, was TikTok. TikTok absolutely continues to grow, and it outperformed just about everything else for us. We were also surprised to see a lot of the audio platforms performing well. So, we continue to ensure that we’re segmenting and targeting as we receive more claims data. Early on, with the launch, we were doing a lot of awareness. But now that we’ve focused on more conversion, we’ll feed those platforms that are delivering.

 It’s important to know your audience and to tell your story on those platforms based on the data and insights you’re seeing. To take it a step further, we talk about influencers and co-creating content [as well as] building relationships with KOLs, advocates, advocacy groups, [and] patients.

I’ve seen a lot of social listening reports across all disease states. Even in conversations around rare diseases and in smaller pools of communities, we see that there’s a lot of influence and engagement if it’s in the right place. You have to find a balance, using your insights in terms of what worked and didn’t, and combine that with your audience’s needs and where they engage most. Then you can prioritize your media spending and build relationships with those key influencers on those platforms. It’s all about measuring, optimizing, assessing, and shifting, as needed; but at the very least, you should be out there telling your story and creating peer-to-peer relationships online.

 You also want to consider what the primary objectives are for your campaign. Are you at the awareness level or trying to drive conversion? Because that also determines which network you’re going to choose.

You’re going to want to start that awareness campaign across Facebook, Instagram, perhaps a light touch of Twitter, and LinkedIn. But when you’re getting closer to conversion, you’re more focused on specific placement on Instagram and TikTok. You go deeper. Ask yourself: “Where is my audience? Are they interacting in stories? What type of content on TikTok am I utilizing?” On TikTok, I’ve seen pharma brands struggle with only using the animated content that works on Facebook and Instagram. TikTok is very real-world; so, you need to go with real-world footage with a real human approach and personality.

We’ve done a ton of A/B tests because we’ve fought this battle before where we’ve had brands want to run animated content to match a commercial or other content in the media sphere, and we say, “Well let’s do a B version with a human,” and it always does significantly better.

While TikTok is rising more, we still get pushback on the TikTok brand—[there is hesitancy] even though there are places where we can provide important safety information (ISI). They still think it’s for younger audiences, and it’s not. For example, we go heavy on influencer marketing for HCPs there because peer-to-peer teaching and influence is so high that if your objective is that type influence, it’s a must-have.

 One of the trends that we have seen from our clients is moving to more of a quarter-by-quarter approach in terms of how they’re going to address their media planning and marketing. Previously, clients would say, “We’re going to buy our whole media plan for the whole year.” But they were ignoring what happens over the course of the plan, and you’re stuck.

One of the things that’s been forced upon us to help change behavior is social media, which lives in the present moment; so, you need to be able to react quickly. For example, when the Twitter Eli Lilly tweet issue happened, [there was] real-world consequences, like the stock price diving and people believing they were drastically changing the pricing of a drug. How did Eli Lilly react? If they were doing that one year at a time, you’re certainly behind. Social media is pushing us as an industry to be more nimble and agile.

 Another trend that is moving us in the right direction is being more customer-centric. Instead of thinking about the brand at the center of the message we’re trying to deliver, it’s prioritizing the customers’ needs and the way they’re engaging in social media channels to drive value. How can we become a meaningful part of the conversation and focus on what they need at that time?

The brand can’t always be 100% in control. We must recognize that we’re joining a conversation in a community that already has a great sense of purpose and engagement within. Instead of being the loudest voice, we need to be one of the helpful voices—one that makes a difference.

Pollaro: Influencer marketing has become a table stake for CPG brands, and pharma is once again late to the game. However, more brands are testing the waters. Which brands do you see in the industry that are leading the trend, and what role should influencer marketing play in the omnichannel ecosystem for both the patient and HCP activation?

 We’ve launched a ton of these campaigns from AbbVie and Allergan Eye Care as well as Botox and Upneeq, [which] you can see on Instagram. What’s important is where a particular influencer is most active and how it can benefit the brand. From there, it’s a matter of how we’re going to utilize the influencers.

We have a proprietary tool [that] produces a lot of useful data allowing us to identify influencers across any social media platform. The search used to be manual, using different social listening tools; but the data we get now allows us to pinpoint and make lists of influencers based on the criteria we’ve provided.

We love to use another one of our programs to reach out to influencers and take them through a video concept of the campaign so they can get excited to be a part of it. From there, each influencer goes through scripting and storyboarding so it comes out really natural.

 I think you touched on an important thing, which is the process of working with the influencers. It’s not only finding the right person to benefit your brand, the one who has a real, engaged audience that aligns with your brand’s targets, but it’s making sure you cater that value proposition message to them so they understand that they’re not only going to help your brand, but it will help them by elevating their presence in their community. This will help your brand be seen in a positive light with important influencers and will extend the life of the evolving relationship.

 We leaned heavily into influencers in the early days of the Phexxi launch. I don’t want to bring the party down, but it’s important to understand influencers can also be challenging. They have a brand [that] sometimes doesn’t align with what you need to do to ensure that you’re compliant. That’s something you should also watch out for when choosing an influencer. We found it was important to partner with agencies that are flexible and understand how to identify the right type of influencer for our needs.

 From the epocrates side, which leans more toward HCPs and clinical, influencers are important to establish credibility because pharma and life science companies have a tough job trying to maintain market share and simultaneously create better outcomes for patients by enabling HCPs to make better decisions.

One of the ways DOLs can help a brand is to lean into the scientific voice. If you can establish that, you’ll get a lot more credibility with other HCPs who are constantly seeking information to learn.

Two trends are driving this, and the first is video. Because of the speed of science now, no practicing clinician can accurately keep up with everything happening in their specialty. So, instead of reading that 27-page research report, for example, I might have three minutes to watch a video. If it’s a trusted voice that can synthesize it effectively for me, then I’m more apt to listen to that scientific message being provided.

 The HCP influencer opportunities are only going to grow over the next few years and potentially more so than on the consumer/caregiver side. There are so many exciting, video-based opportunities to engage DOLs or the modern KOLs in the space, though they’re sometimes harder to find and bring on board. As an industry, we’re seeing products and innovations that allow DOLs to be a bigger part of our marketing programs, to build some great credibility into the content that’s being developed.

Pollaro: Looking at the next six months, what will be the most important emerging trends in social media marketing? As the space gets more crowded and more pharma companies engage, what are the best approaches to produce a successful and differentiated campaign?

 ChatGPT is interesting because it’s a next-level AI. If you were to ask folks in this space, they’ve already been using AI in different ways. Pharma was one of the more innovative industries to use data to drive their marketing campaigns because they’re using real-world evidence, claims data, social data, and other consumer data. Data allows you to know a whole lot about an individual: how an HCP acts at work, their treatment plans, [and] the types of patients they’re seeing; and so, pharma has already been using AI to drive marketing campaigns.

ChatGPT is interesting, and I’m cautiously optimistic. But it’s not there yet. Pharma marketers should be aware of the space, testing and talking to their agencies and consulting firms about how it’s being used in applications, and then tailoring it to their business use case.

 ChatGPT has been amazing for synthesizing information and connecting things, depending on the prompts you’re using. For example, we’ll have tons of clinical information we need to synthesize for social. So, I use it to make it more brief, succinct, professional, and clinical. I give it direction and then layer in empathy once I get the response back. It’s a great way for me to take something massive and trim it down. I can take seven pages, provide specific instructions in the prompt to crush it down, [and] put it in bullets, and I can read the top line and pull from that.

Here’s another example: how many times have you been trying to write social copy based on a patient photo shoot to connect the patient imagery to the copy with an objective? We use ChatGPT to incorporate the copy that we’ve written with our medical teams and writers and prompt ChatGPT. [For example,] “Pair this copy with an image of a woman doing X.” It will match it together and create ideas for you that you can bring back to your copy team to play with. I think it’s 80% to 90% there.

 On the flip side, we’re going to see a lot more access to data and insights based on what consumers and HCPs are looking for. We already get great insights from social listening on top conversations, keywords, Google searches, etc. But having access to what HCPs and patients are looking for via chat while using their unique, real-world terms is going to allow us to access even more to be able to personalize each channel.

We’re likely going to start seeing the standard chatbot appear on different pages. But, strategically, we’re looking to fit this technology into the entire user experience.

Pollaro: We covered the more known social platforms. What can you share about HCP platforms?

 Many of those sites are private communities, where HCPs are open and honest about different types of treatment options, their actual opinions on efficacy and administration, and messaging for different brands. There are some platforms that we use, like Sermo, where we can listen in on the conversations that are taking place. It’s interesting to look at those conversations and see how they differ from those taking place on some of the more open networks like Twitter or LinkedIn, or where patients are discussing across Reddit threads or Facebook groups. It gives more ability to differentiate between segments and message to them accordingly. While it’s a challenge to access that information, once you do, it’s insightful.

 We like the HCP social platforms because they help brands and customers engage in longer-form, more immersive content. It’s exciting to build out a program where HCPs are spending minutes, versus seconds, engaging with content. HCP social is becoming a significant component in most of the HCP media recommendations we’re making to clients.

It’s also interesting to see the newer products they’re developing, which help connect the dots between non-personal promotions (NPP) and the sales team in the field. Connecting NPP with the field [is an opportunity] for us to deliver baby steps to omnichannel—to give the sales team a trigger that an HCP has engaged with the program and specific content within, so that sales rep can go in and have a much more focused conversation based on the content that that healthcare professional is interested in.

Those are some of the earliest examples we’re seeing of connecting the dots between NPP and the field that help lead to those broader conversations about omnichannel enablement and how we might consider implementing it more internally and holistically within the companies we work with.

Pollaro: What emerging trends do you see coming to the fore in the next six months to a year?

 One of the things we’re seeing across the HCP space is an overburden of technological resources. They have to do everything twice: treat the patient and also input that [data] into two or three different data sources. There’s also a shrinking number of clinicians, either aging out and retiring or not returning after the pandemic, and there are fewer [people] graduating from medical schools.

The real challenge for us as a group is to lean into the scientific voice to make it easier for clinicians to make the correct decisions. If we’re not doing that and our efforts are making it more complicated for HCPs, we’ve failed our users.

Traditionally, we’ve used complicated content that you can’t digest well on a mobile device. So, I think video will continue to play a much larger role as a solution, and we’ll eventually move into these more emerging technologies like ChatGPT, and likely another social platform.

 An important trend we’ll see is an increase in spending. According to the stats I’ve seen recently, marketers, on average, are spending 30% of their overall media budget in social. Pharma is probably less than 10%, depending on the brand. I think Katherine and Evofem are probably on the leading edge in the way. They’ve invested in social, but for most pharmaceutical marketers, it is a sliver of the spend. And yet we’re seeing that it’s as effective, if not more so, than some of those traditionally hardworking channels, such as paid search marketing.

 With some of the new Facebook and Instagram rollouts of new features emerging, I’m wondering if it’s going to help comfort some pharma companies that were hesitant to enter the space: knowing that they can launch with page verification turned on, for example, and [have] lot more barriers beyond just disabling or enabling comments. There are so many levels now through comment moderation and the new page layout. It makes me wonder if that’s going to make some legal teams that were turned off by the presence of Facebook and Instagram feel more comfortable with it. I’m curious to see if that creates any more inspiration on those channels.

I think TikTok is going to continue to be strong. A lot of brands are going to continue to market on TikTok, and I’m curious to just see which brands will make a big splash. I rarely find pharma brands that make me think, “Wow, that was an amazing TikTok.” Many times, they’re still strict, like a commercial; so, I’m looking forward to seeing TikTok open up with more creative ideas that feel personal like a TikTok.

 We’re going to see a lot more spending, likely more channels, events, and conferences—which drive a lot of the conversations online. We’re likely going to see more ties into booth activities to make that omnichannel experience come to life now that pharma is more comfortable. I can see getting a bit more ROI in places like social and digital versus traditional print placements, to get in front of their target audience or begin an influencer campaign. We’re also going to see more engaging content [and] more video content and starting to combine the experiences and personalize them across all channels.

Pollaro: I’ve been reading a lot in the past couple of years about the emergence of the DOL from the KOL. Where do you see the KOLs and DOLs headed in the future?

 I have one quick thought, an example [that] surprised me. At [the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting], there was a presentation with a physician up on stage talking about how to create a brand for yourself in the digital world. Isn’t that just amazing?

With HCPs and influencer marketing, it’s still early. However, there are a couple of different approaches we’re exploring with clients. One is looking to digital channels such as Twitter to identify the influential voices [who] have a digital brand. [This is] because, on one hand, it’s easier to activate and/or engage with them. The other side of the coin is looking at KOLs to see how we can help them extend their influence and to build a voice in digital.

 The conference circuit has changed significantly over the past three to four years. Every single one of the major medical conferences has a Twitter handle tweeting all that’s happening. They all have a hashtag that’s followed by leading clinicians in that specialty.

I read a recent study that stated about 40% of all scientific and medical information that’s published is shared on Twitter. #Medtwitter is a huge place for scientific exchange, and I don’t think that’s going away.

The reason why clinicians use it is for speed of education. Instead of reading everything, you can rely on your network of trusted advisors who are also experts in their field, helping to curate the information you need to know. We keep going back to that, but that’s part of what’s happening in this digital revolution.

 You make a great point about the speed of influence, and I think that the DOL is the leverage. In many instances, they’re a bit younger and perhaps they don’t have the professional seniority as a lot of the KOLs. But their influence is so significant because of the speed of information.

They could be at a conference with someone twenty years their senior, but they’re on Instagram, have the influence online to disseminate information, and educate their peers faster and provide a perspective.

Nothing frustrates me more than when you’re at an event with a great KOL speaking, and then you go to tag them, and they don’t exist on the channel. While it’s less frequent on Twitter and extremely rare on LinkedIn, it happens a lot on Instagram and TikTok. It’s heartbreaking because I’ll go to see what some of these amazing physicians [who] we’ve worked with for 20 years are posting, and they’re not there yet.

 I’ve also seen some of our clients take an interesting approach where their KOL and their DOL lists don’t have much overlap. It’s sort of rare to find somebody who is on both lists. So, they’ve created a program where they match a traditional KOL, who is a more scientific speaker, with one of their DOLs and form a pair. DOLs learn from the KOLs about what it takes to be more of a scientific thought leader, and the KOLs learn from the DOL more about the rigor you need around social.

Executive Roundtable

Marketing leaders discuss the powerful role life sciences companies can play in the expanding digital landscape for healthcare communications—as “one of the helpful voices” in driving the customer and patient conversations that matter most.

The Ascendancy of Social Media: Fitting Pharma Brand Teams Into the Conversation Mix

In the age of digital dominance, social media platforms have become a go-to for healthcare brands to disseminate content to patients and physicians. Among these platforms, TikTok continues to be utilized the least. Pharmaceutical marketing executives have recognized the potential of TikTok as a promotional platform, but brands remain slow to adopt a TikTok marketing strategy. The truth is, in a world where brands are competing for attention, TikTok provides a unique opportunity for pharma brands to stand out and make an impact. Pharma marketing executives need to recognize the social strategy that worked back in 2021 won’t work in 2023.

Let’s explore how TikTok is revolutionizing brand recall and discuss the platform’s demographics and statistics, highlighting its value in reaching both patients and physicians.

Launched in 2016, TikTok has become one of the fastest-growing social media platforms. Although it remains a fact that a significant proportion of TikTok’s users are under the age of 30, the platform’s relevance for pharma companies extends beyond this demographic. 2023 data from Adweek

 suggests that the user base is aging up, which means that TikTok is not just a social media platform for Gen Z. It’s time to shatter the myth that TikTok is only for younger generations.

As a data-driven strategic marketer, I am always interested in letting the numbers speak for themselves. In the US alone, there are approximately 138 million active TikTok users, according to 2023 Statista data.

The gender split is 60% female and 40% male; and on average, users open the app eight times per day.

Let’s challenge some stereotypes. Despite the common perception that TikTok is primarily used by Gen Z, here is a closer look at its user base, according to 2022 Statista statistics:

7% of users are over 50, about 9.6 million individuals.

14% are between 40-49, about 19 million individuals.

17% are between 30-39, about 23 million individuals.

62% are between 18-29, about 85 million individuals.

Next time someone tries to dismiss the platform as irrelevant for “our older target population,” hit them with these numbers from Statista: a staggering nine million TikTok users are over the age of 50, and a whopping 19 million are over the age of 40.

TikTok’s reach to patients and physicians

TikTok provides an opportunity for pharma companies to connect with patients and physicians in various ways. One effective approach is through unbranded disease education content, using popular audio and hashtag trends to create videos that inform patients about various health conditions.

It’s important to note that TikTok users are highly engaged, spending an impressive average of 95 minutes per day on the app, according to Sensor Tower.

 This indicates a preference for longer videos, which generate higher engagement and views. As a result, brands are producing more long-form content, such as vlog-style and storytelling videos, to establish a deeper connection with their target audience.

In addition to unbranded educational content, TikTok also provides an effective way for pharma companies to promote their branded products to physicians. It’s worth noting that 68% of TikTok users—per the platform’s statistics—find advertising content on the platform unique or different from any other platform.

Physicians are actively using TikTok, as evidenced by the numerous hashtags related to various medical specialties, such as #oncologist, #ophthalmologist, and #cardiologist. By leveraging trends, pharma companies can also easily identify digital opinion leaders and engage them in brand influencer campaigns to propel brand narrative even further.

The exponential growth and engagement potential of TikTok in the pharma industry is exemplified by this in-house example. With a modest test budget of $1,000, a single healthcare patient product video featuring real people (not animation) garnered more than 221,000 video views in just nine days. The impressive viewership translated to a total watch time of 189 hours as well as 1,029 new followers and 1,362 website visits, highlighting the significant impact that TikTok can have on brand awareness and engagement. This is a testament to the power of the platform and underscores the potential it holds for pharma brands looking to expand their reach and connect with new audiences.

When it comes to TikTok ads, there are different types to consider. The “Spark Ad” must be posted organically and tied to a completed TikTok profile. While it can appear organically to users in their TikTok feeds, it will look different when it appears as an ad, with a call to action (CTA) button, link, and “sponsored” call-out. Only clicking the CTA button will take users to the landing page.

On the other hand, the “Non-Spark Ad” will only appear to users as a paid ad with a CTA button and a “sponsored” callout. The client doesn’t need to choose a profile picture but should. Clicking the username, caption, CTA button, or profile picture or swiping left will take the viewer to the landing page. It’s important to consider the type of ad that works best for your needs and objectives.

Ensuring compliance for pharmaceutical ads can be a challenge, but TikTok provides a solution much like Instagram’s “See Prescribing Information.” The platform offers an “Add a disclaimer” link that opens within its built-in browser. The disclaimer can link to text on a website or to a PDF hosted on a website. With TikTok’s user-friendly compliance tools, pharma ads can be both effective and compliant.

We often receive questions about TikTok. Here are a couple TikTok FAQs that may be helpful:

 Yes, comments can be turned off when posting a video or setting up an ad.

 Unfortunately, no. Like Instagram, the only place a link works on TikTok is in the profile. Profiles can have one link in the bio once they reach 1,000 followers, and each ad can have one link included in the CTA. Captions are limited to 150 characters, including hashtags, and comments also have the same character limit.

When it comes to video specs, TikTok videos use the same specs as Instagram Reels and YouTube shorts, with a 9:16 aspect ratio or 1080x1920 pixels.

Pharma organizations have a lot to gain by using TikTok as a promotional platform, but it’s important to adhere to best practices. To be successful on TikTok, it’s crucial to create content that is both informative and entertaining, as users are looking for engaging content that resonates with them. Animated content is not as effective as real-world video content, as users want the content to feel relatable.

The primary goal of social media is to foster meaningful engagement with the audience. Thus, it’s important to attempt to keep comments on. By genuinely addressing comments and messages received, pharma companies can establish a loyal following and develop a strong brand identity that resonates with their target demographic. To compliantly achieve this, it’s recommended to have a robust community management process and response protocol in place, which should maintain a human tone of voice. By engaging with users, pharma companies can increase brand awareness and establish themselves as thought leaders in the industry.

TikTok represents a potent platform that has the potential to revolutionize the way pharma companies promote their products and reach out to patients and physicians alike. With its expansive and diverse user base, coupled with an immersive and interactive format, it presents an unparalleled opportunity to connect with audiences and transform brand recall.

Nover, S. TikTok Is Growing Up, and So Are Its Users. 

https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/tiktok-is-growing-up-and-so-are-its-users/

Distribution of TikTok Users Worldwide as of January 2023, By Gender. 2023. Statista. February 6, 2023, 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1299785/distribution-tiktok-users-gender

TikTok - Statistics & Facts. Statista. November 23, 2023, 

https://www.statista.com/topics/6077/tiktok/#topicOverview

Nearly One-Third of TikTok’s Installed Base Uses the App Every Day. Sensor Tower. July 2022, 

https://sensortower.com/blog/tiktok-power-user-curve

Nielsen Study Shows TikTok Ideal Place for “Discovery,” Content More

https://www.tiktok.com/business/en-US/blog/nielsen-study-tiktok-discovery-content-authentic

Feature

It’s time for pharma brands to recognize the potential of TikTok as a promotional platform and develop a strategy to not only stand out but make an impact.

A Brand Game-Changer? TikTok and Pharma Marketing

The pharmaceutical industry’s relationship with key opinion leaders (KOLs) has generated a lot of interest recently. During the pandemic, the industry had to adapt the way it interacted with these opinion leaders. Prior to then, opinion leaders relied on in-office meetings, live events, and conferences to connect with other opinion leaders and industry professionals. When these events shut down, many of these KOLs moved to the online world.

This changed how they interacted with the industry and presented data, leading to the rise of digital opinion leaders (DOLs). Now, as live conventions and events return, KOLs are taking what they learned during the past few years and adapting yet again—this time trying to find the right balance between in-person interactions and digital platforms.

There has been a lot of discussion from the point of view of KOLs about how this current model is working. 

 spoke with Rita Dalal, executive medical director of oncology at Alkermes, about how researchers have adapted to the changes in the ways KOLs operate. Dalal has worked in the pharma industry for more than 20 years and has spent much of that time focused on various elements of drug development. She has spent that time working with KOLs at all stages of drug development, and she explains how she interacts with them in today’s world.

“KOLs are trusted and valuable partners who are very well-known in the scientific and medical community; so, partnering with them really is very important for pharmaceutical companies,” Dalal tells 

. “Currently, as we are embarking on registrational trials in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and mucosal melanoma for our investigational oncology drug, some of these KOLs were key in making the decision on which indication to follow. We had data on an earlier trial to share with them, along with our clinical development plan, and got some great insight. Our KOL partners shared their insights on what our data indicates, what they agreed with, and how we could help to fill the gap in treatment journeys for patients.”

As Dalal explains, it is beneficial to involve KOLs very early on in the drug development process. A company may only have an idea or concept for a new molecule when it starts reaching out to opinion leaders. These experts will then be able to pressure test the concept and provide feedback about what patients and healthcare providers are looking for in specific treatment areas, whether the molecule can meet those needs, and if there are any other innovations that the molecule could potentially be used for.

Pharma companies may share preclinical data with these experts, who are then able to provide feedback about what other data will be needed to support bringing the drug to the clinic. As the treatment moves to clinical trials, KOLs may even help enroll patients for these studies.

“When KOLs see the data, they can become the cheerleader for the drug because they see the science and the possibility of the molecule,” says Dalal. “If a molecule shows potential, KOLs may help provide visibility to the molecule by presenting it at conferences, along with their scientific input on the data and their unbiased conclusion of the data that can help bring attention to the novel drug. This can also bring other KOLs in and get other investigators interested in the molecule. As our data from early trials are presented by the KOLs at various scientific platforms, we are getting interest from other KOLs [who] were initially unaware of the data or our oncology program. Now, they’re paying attention and becoming interested.”

A major element that’s changed in today’s world, according to Dalal, is the ability of companies and KOLs to use their time more efficiently. Prior to the pandemic, many professionals spent signifcant time traveling in order to facilitate face-to-face meetings. When that became impossible during the pandemic, the industry began to rely on video calls and conferences to bring people together.

This initially brought about two major problems. First, the technology wasn’t always reliable and the people using it weren’t used to how it worked. Second, many found it harder to build a genuine connection with someone over video calls.

“It’s very interesting to see how well we were all able to adapt,” says Dalal. “In the past, we always felt you had to be face to face to develop a rapport or at least felt that in-person interactions with a KOL are more productive. Now, with the new norm, we’ve found that many KOLs are becoming more comfortable with virtual interactions. The interesting thing is that, initially, when everyone talked about video conferencing, we all had difficulties. The technology wasn’t advanced enough; we all hesitated because we’d open the video portal and sometimes the video conference would crash. So, we’d often skip video calls and just do voice calls. With the significant improvement in these platforms, virtual meetings became more personal with the video aspect.”

Now, people have become much more comfortable with virtual meetings, she adds. During the pandemic, when Dalal first started regularly conducting video calls and conferences, she blocked out the room she was in and made sure that nobody else was around. Now, Dalal feels more relaxed and believes that the industry has adjusted to the new normal. For example, she no longer worries about what people might think if they see someone walk behind her on screen, whether she’s making the call from home or in the office.

As the comfort level has risen, it’s been easier for individuals to start building a rapport with someone they may have only met through video calls. This has allowed researchers and KOLs to be smarter with their time. While they still enjoy face-to-face meetings, they now also recognize that it isn’t always necessary. Instead, they can determine what type of meeting makes sense and potentially save time by not having to travel to visit someone in person.

“I get a good split, now that things are opening, of KOLs [who] want to keep doing virtual meetings and others [who] want to meet face-to-face, at least once in a while,” says Dalal. “It’s actually good to have both options available, as it helps with managing availability and saving time.”

There is still a difference between a KOL and a DOL, adds Dalal. Researchers may utilize both types of experts but in very different ways. In her experience, DOLs tend to play an important role in spreading the word about new molecules and research, and they can be very valuable in helping to reach new scientists and investigators. The main difference, however, is that DOLs tend to act more independently. They tend to be passionate about certain diseases or treatment types and will conduct their own research into what new therapies are being developed. Unlike KOLs, DOLs do not typically interact with researchers on a one-on-one basis or serve on advisory boards.

That doesn’t mean that KOLs don’t have any online presence.

“I’ve been in the industry for about 20 years and have been part of clinical development for almost 10 years now,” says Dalal. “[W]hen Twitter and LinkedIn became very accessible, KOLs began using those platforms frequently and have been doing so for a long time. I don’t think the pandemic made things much different except that we had to rely more on digital platforms instead of face-to-face interactions during pandemic. In fact, in the last couple of years, we have seen a significant increase in social media-based scientific exchange than ever before.”

As more and more people become comfortable working in the digital world, it becomes easier for professionals to build a large web of contacts. This has become much more important in today’s world for medical researchers. New therapies are taking advantage of new technologies, leading to a rise in digital therapeutics. These new advancements often require a variety of KOLs, with some of those experts focused on the medicine and science and others on the technology component.

Fortunately, as KOLs have become more digital-oriented, they’ve been able to expand their web of connections as well. When researchers connect with one KOL, they are often able to rely on that opinion leader to connect them with other, relevant opinion leaders as well.

Dalal describes it as a tightly knit community—and one she relies on throughout the drug development process.

“As we continue to move forward from early, preclinical phases to clinical trials, we switch around and bring in KOLs [who] have the strengths in the particular aspects of drug development and continue to interact with them,” she says. “When you move to clinical development, you never stop thinking about preclinical. There are always new options, collaborations, or combinations that you’ll want to test preclinically.”

KOLs still play an important role for the pharma industry, and the pandemic did not change that. What it did change was the way that researchers and developers interact with them. It’s become easier for pharma companies to interact with these experts and opinion leaders, which, in turn, allows them to be involved in the drug development process much more frequently. KOLs can obtain data on new molecules and therapies at a faster rate, allowing them to start sharing the info with their peers and the industry at large without having to wait for face-to-face meetings or live events.

After the pandemic forced fundamenta­l­­­­ changes in the ways pharma and key opinion leaders worked together, both groups are using what they learned for a more seamless connection.

An Industry View on KOLs: Adapting to the New Norm in Interaction and Support

When I got my first diversity leadership role in 2003, my goal was to shift the largely compliance-based view of DE&I to a more business-focused imperative. At the time, most leaders overseeing equity issues (and there weren’t many) were focused on making sure their companies didn’t run afoul of civil or human rights laws.

Over the past decade, many more companies have realized that adopting a diverse societal lens can do more than protect against class action lawsuits—it can also drive innovation, better meet the needs of an increasingly diverse customer base, and help retain talent. Thanks to this increased appreciation, the chief diversity officer (CDO) role has evolved to encompass a broad array of responsibilities.

To get an idea of what the role entails today, take a sample week for me in November 2022. For Transgender Day of Remembrance, which fell on a Monday, we had planned a celebration of progress for the transgender community. But the Saturday before, the Colorado LGBTQ+ club shooting happened.

 We had to decide 1) whether to call off the commemoration because it would be tone-deaf to have a celebration in the aftermath of a hate crime, or 2) if calling off the commemoration would be giving short shrift to transgender remembrance. In the end, we kept the event but began with an acknowledgment of the mass shooting and gave colleagues an opportunity to share their feelings about the horrific event.

That same afternoon, I had to make the (new) case for why diversity advances scientific innovation and present my strategy and resource requests for the coming year. Later that week, I worked with my team to design a diversity recruiting and onboarding strategy and coached a senior leader on inclusive messaging for an upcoming town hall.

When you’re wearing multiple hats—and sometimes ones that don’t even seem like they belong in the same closet—mistakes and regrets are part of the job. The good news is that every failure is also a lesson.

Here’s a short list of some of my lessons learned over the decade.

 After an executive board presentation where I spelled out how badly we were lagging on key diversity metrics across recruitment, retention, and development of talent, the head of HR pulled me aside. He congratulated me on the presentation, but he asked me what would I be doing to help him fix the problem I’d called out. At the time, I didn’t have an answer.

I needed to co-create solutions and not just highlight the challenges.

Maintain humility about the limits of your perspective. 

Another time I presented to a global executive team on why we needed to make gender diversity a priority. The head of the Asian-Pacific business called out my US-centric perspective, noting that diversity means very different things in different parts of the globe. His focus was on increasing socioeconomic diversity; so his immediate goal was to recruit from a broader range of universities.

What Smita Pillai, chief DEI officer, Regeneron, learned from two decades in DE&I roles.

Pharmaceutical Executive: April 2023

Unwavering Focus

The Ascendancy of Social Media: Fitting Pharma Brand Teams Into the Conversation Mix

A Brand Game-Changer? TikTok and Pharma Marketing

An Industry View on KOLs: Adapting to the New Norm in Interaction and Support

Tough—But Rewarding: The Evolution of the Chief Diversity Officer

Does the Biotech Sector Have Reason to Be Optimistic?

Kudos and Hurdles for Industry, FDA in Tackling Rare Diseases

The Payer Value Deficit in Orphan Drugs

Seizing On Asia’s Opportune Market for Novel Vaccines

European Policy Called Out as Threat to Drug Trade and Investment

How to Connect with HCPs More Effectively

Pharmaceutical Executive, April 2023 Issue (PDF)