June 30, 2010 ·
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Industry Insights from Paul Meade, M. Sc, MPH
When a biopharmaceutical company introduces a new medicine to the market, it comes after years of research, years of clinical development, and some times even years of regulatory review. With the patent ticking away from the early days of discovery, recovering the cost of such an investment in time and money requires a rapid and successful product launch. Achieving rapid success requires careful planning and a tremendous amount of valuable advice. This sage advice usually comes from respected thought leaders with years of experience in their respective therapeutic areas of expertise.
>From the early discovery phase, key opinion leaders help guide a company’s basic research to ensure unmet medical needs are met in a meaningful and cost-effective way. After moving beyond the proof-of-concept stage and into clinical development, other thought leaders play a critical role in assisting with the design of clinical trials that will be implemented through a network of investigators. Throughout the clinical development phases, thought leaders help guide a company with the most important messages other physicians will hear about the strengths and weaknesses of such a new medicine. And finally, as this new product enters the marketplace and is prescribed by the medical community, thought leaders play an important role ... read more »
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basic research biomarker discovery biopharmaceutical biotechnology clinical development clinical investigators clinical trials doctors drug development drug discovery drug launch health care professionals key opinion leaders KOL activities KOL engagement KOL identification KOL profiling KOLs media medical experts medicine patents pathway development patient advocacy groups pharmaceutical physicians product launch regulatory review thought leaders
June 24, 2010 ·
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Industry Insights from Paul Meade, M. Sc, MPH
A recent report suggested that patients can have a significant influence on the success or failure of new drugs. The “New Health Report,” conducted by Richard Day Research and published by Quintiles, a large multinational contract research organization (CRO) to the pharmaceutical industry, surveyed executives from biopharmaceutical companies and from healthcare companies, as well as a number of patients. They found that patients are gradually moving into a position of influence over the success of a new medicine, a position long held by the medical community.
There is an old saying in the art of negotiating– “whoever believes he has the power, has the power.” This interesting paradox can be seen in government. The politicians believe they have the power, and so they wield it readily to control the people; whereas the people do not believe they have the power, and are thus subjugated to the will of the government. In reality, it is the opposite. The government derives its power from the people, and the people of the land have the real power. But in most cases, the government believes it has the power, as so it does.
In medicine, physicians have always held a position of power over the interventions of diseases. They make life and death decisions armed with a wealth of ... read more »
TAGS: biopharmaceutical clinical research organization CRO healthcare medicine New Health Report patients Paul Meade pharmaceutical physician-patient relationship prescriptions Quintiles Richard Day Research Thought Leader Select treatments
June 22, 2010 ·
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Industry Insights from Paul Meade, M. Sc, MPH
Ambulatory care is the basic building block of primary healthcare in the United States. From its early origins of a family physician visiting sick patients in their homes to sophisticated group practices that offer secondary and even tertiary care, ambulatory care has evolved to a point where it competes with institutionalized care. However, not to be outdone, larger institutions have encroached the playing field of ambulatory care. Thus, the U.S. healthcare delivery system has gradually dissolved the clear demarcation between ambulatory care and institutional care. So where is this all heading?
There is one more geographical migration of primary healthcare that I believe will occur over the next few decades. But before I present this new frontier for primary care, let me highlight some of the developments that are occurring, and will continue to take place, within the healthcare delivery system that will accelerate this new migration. Information technology is finally changing the landscape of healthcare. Better technology to manage an explosion of new medical knowledge, making this information available anywhere and anytime, is enhancing our ability to manage the health of the nation. With the impetus from managed care to make people more fiscally and clinically accountable for their health and wellness, the average person has become much more aware of his or ... read more »
TAGS: ambulances ambulatory care ambulatory health services biosensors diagnostic devices health and wellness health plans healthcare costs healthcare quality information technology insitutional health services institutional care managed care organizations medical records nurses physician-patient relationship physicians primary care secondary care tertiary care US healthcare system
June 17, 2010 ·
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Industry Insights from Paul Meade, M. Sc, MPH
A recent decision by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to not allow scientists employed by pharmaceutical, diagnostics, and devices companies to give educational presentations to physicians at medical meetings has “stirred up a bee’s nest.” In other words, if you graduated from an accredited university, conducted sound research within academia for several years, then joined a pharmaceutical company to carry on your research and were invited to a scientific congress to present your research findings to physicians, you are now being banned to do so because your work might be tainted and biased by your employer. Instead of addressing concerns of biased reporting or misrepresentation of the facts, the ACCME has decided to “throw the baby out with the bath water.”
I have known brilliant scientists who have spent their lifetimes conducting impeccable research within the halls of academia, only to be asked to come into the private sector to complete their research. Is the ACCME now saying those dedicated individuals have “sold their souls to the devil” and suddenly lost all integrity and objectivity? Have there never been researchers within academia that have falsified their data for personal gain and been exposed to the public? Should we ban all researchers in academic centers from presenting their research to physicians at ... read more »
TAGS: academia ACCME Accreditation Councile for Continuing Medical Education bioethics biotechnology continuing medical education ethics medical ethics medical researchers pharmaceutical physicians research findings scientific congress scientists transparency universities
June 16, 2010 ·
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Daniel Bagi joined Thought Leader Select to steer the company’s business development efforts in Latin America in the spring of 2010. With over two decades working for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, Dr. Bagi brings a high level of industry expertise to his consulting work with Thought Leader Select’s clients and prospects.
Daniel earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Monterrey (Mexico), and he has served the industry in a variety of capacities, including product development, regulatory affairs, licensing, and business development. He directed global clinical development for a suite of anti-cancer drug therapies at Lorus Therapeutics of Markham, Ontario and IGT Pharma of Vancouver, British Columbia.
More recently, Dr. Bagi has served as a senior consultant to EM Diagnostics, a US-based breast cancer diagnostic company, and, since 2005, he has served as a medical consultant to Riso Pharma Tech, a Toronto company dedicated to developing pharmaceuticals for Latin America and the Middle East.
TLS Blog: Good morning, Daniel. Please tell us why you decided to join us at Thought Leader Select.
Daniel Bagi: For me, one of the most important aspects of any professional endeavor is the work environment, which is defined by the attitudes and expertise of your colleagues. Negativity can cause failure. I was first approached by Neil Mellor (principal business development agent for North America), and Neil is ... read more »
TAGS: anti-cancer drug therapies biotechnology breast cancer business development Daniel Bagi Doctor of Medicine EM Diagnostics IGT Pharma investment banking key opinion leaders KOL engagement KOL identification KOL profiling KOLs Latin America liberal arts Lorus Therapeutics medical experts medical school Neil Mellor Paul Meade pharmaceutical pharmaceutical licensing product development regulatory affairs Riso Pharma Tech tennis Thought Leader Select thought leaders University of Monterrey University of Toronto
June 15, 2010 ·
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New press release out today from the offices of Thought Leader Select–
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2010 (CHAPEL HILL, NC)—Thought Leader Select, a North Carolina company dedicated to delivering sophisticated solutions for key opinion leader relationship management in the pharmaceutical industry, announces the launch of its KOL Incubator.
The company, known for its proprietary deep profiling research methodology that promotes industry engagement with the right medical experts in an array of therapeutic areas and disease states, has complemented its web-based tool for identifying medical expert teams for a variety of drug development needs. The KOL Incubator tracks new and young physicians as they engage in breakthrough clinical research, publish in medical journals, and speak at scientific conferences.
The new engine will track the progress of these health care providers, known in the healthcare community as “rising stars,” as they advance medical science. The incubator will gauge the impact of their work at regional, national, and international levels as their landmark work defines treatment guidelines for the next generation of medicines for better public health outcomes.
As these budding key opinion leaders accumulate a body of work that proves their standing of respect within the medical community, Thought Leader Select will move them into their core database of the world’s top medical experts. “This is an ideal role for us to play in advancing the ... read more »
TAGS: advisory boards clinical research clinical trials continuing medical education deep-profiling disease states health care providers healthcare key opinion leaders KOL engagement KOL identification KOL Incubator KOL mapping KOL profiling Maher Noureddine medical experts medical journal publishing research methodology scientific conferences speakers bureaus therapeutic areas Thought Leader Select thought leaders
June 10, 2010 ·
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Key opinion leaders (KOLs) are health care leaders who make a high-impact footprint while advancing medical science. Thought Leader Select specializes in delivering objective, validated data on the skills and experiences of KOLs, so that pharmaceutical companies can seek their appropriate advice and guidance in the development of new medicines.
Thought Leader Select measures many areas where KOLs leave their respective marks in the medical community, including conducting clinical research studies, publishing articles in leading journals, and presenting breakthrough knowledge at scientific conferences.
In a recent assessment of over 300 North American specialists in atrial fibrillation, Thought Leader Select measured the frequency of these global key opinion leaders’ respective participation in regulatory and reimbursement activities. Using keywords to link these KOLs with such activities covering a six-year period, Thought Leader Select found that only 50 of the 300 physicians had any significant, relevant experience related to regulatory and reimbursement issues, such as participation on Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committees, FDA Advisory Boards, etc.
While the overall pool of 300 medical experts in atrial fibrillation showed significant diversity in skills and experience in a variety of areas, there are only a small number of these experts that have any experience in regulatory and reimbursement issues. Pharmaceutical companies wishing to seek consultative advice from these highly specialized thought leaders need to find effective ways to differentiate ... read more »
TAGS: atrial fibrillation biotechnology clinical research studies clinical trials drug development FDA FDA advisory boards health care providers healthcare reimbursement key opinion leaders KOLs medical ethics medical journals medicines Payer KOLs pharmaceutical pharmacy and therapeutics committees physicians regulatory agencies scientific conferences Thought Leader Select transparency US Food and Drug Administration
June 9, 2010 ·
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Cammie Brannan joined Clear Point Health and Thought Leader Select as a research associate in 2005. In her current role managing thought leader relations at Thought Leader Select, Cammie works directly with physicians and other health care professionals to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the data for each key opinion leader assessment. Cammie spent a decade working in accounting and financial management, earning a reputation as a leader in compiling data and optimizing its presentation for decision-makers in a variety of industries. Prior to joining Thought Leader Select, Cammie worked for a North Carolina firm that provided research and consulting services to the pharmaceutical industry, with emphasis on the drug-naming process.
The Thought Leader Select Blog sat down with Cammie to discuss her industry experience and her professional contribution to Thought Leader Select.
TLS Blog: Good morning, Cammie. Why did you join Thought Leader Select?
Cammie Brannan: I had been doing contract market research for a company in Raleigh, NC. We specialized in all of the aspects of naming new pharmaceutical products—market research, market testing, etc. I interacted quite a bit with health care professionals—we surveyed them.—gaining their valuable feedback on potential new names for drugs. For instance, were the names appealing, memorable, and would they be confused with other products on the market. It was a pretty interesting business.
While I was ... read more »
TAGS: accounting Asperger's syndrome biotechnology Cammie Brannan Clear Point Health data optimization drug naming financial planning fishing health care professionals key opinion leaders KOL engagement KOL identification KOL profiling KOLs Laura Nufire Lisa Smith medical ethics medical experts music nurse practitioners nurses Paul Meade pharmaceutical physician assistants physicians research surveying thought leader relations Thought Leader Select thought leaders transparency
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