Another year in the books.
It feels like just yesterday that everyone was saying that they couldn’t believe it was already 2023—and now it’s time to get ready for 2024. The last few of years, of course, have been a rollercoaster ride. The COVID-19 pandemic in particular, along with global inflation and economic challenges, among other events, have impacted the life sciences industry—and society as a whole. During that time period, pharma attracted perhaps unprecedented attention and interest, which brought with it both strong boosts in investment and new levels of scrutiny.
In 2023, we saw a continuation of “the return to normal” in many regards, or at least what normal was pre-2020. Unfortunately, this has also translated to lingering volatility in capital market investments in some cases—the biotech sector being one, as emerging and startup developers search for funding. COVID ripples remain as well with elements such as the supply chain that continue to stress the industry.
But there were also plenty of positives in pharma this year. For one, notable technological advances emerged that hold the potential to transform R&D and healthcare practice. Efforts around applying artificial intelligence are starting to reap tangible gains across the product lifecycle, as tech companies and pharma manufacturers step up their collaboration.
It seems like all industry stakeholders—from companies to regulators—now have AI-focused initiatives. While a disciplined approach—separating the hype from the substance—will continue to be critical, there are several examples of life sciences organizations using these new data tools and advances in exciting and promising ways. In 2023, we’ve covered companies applying AI in several areas, ranging from drug discovery to sales and marketing. With all the swirling interest and investment, it doesn’t appear that the AI train will slow down any time soon in healthcare.
As always, thank you for reading. Here’s to a fruitful 2024!
The Transformative Role of Medical Information in Customer Engagement
October 3rd 2024Stacey Fung, Head of Global Medical Information at Gilead Lifesciences, delves into the evolving role of Medical Information (MI) in the pharmaceutical industry. Covering key topics like patient engagement through omnichannel strategies, combating misinformation, and leveraging AI to enhance medical inquiries, the conversation with Stacey highlights MI's critical role in ensuring patient safety and supporting drug development. She also shares her professional journey and tidbits for early career professionals on professional development.
Unlocking value and cost savings in patient services with technology and talent
October 2nd 2024Traci Miller, Director, Sonexus™ Access and Patient Support, Cardinal Health, discusses the current digital trends in the patient services industry and how the optimal balance of technology and talent can transform manufacturer-sponsored patient support programs. Hear how Cardinal Health combines best-in-class program and pharmacy operations with smart digital tools to ensure product and patient success and reduce operational costs.