MM&M Virtual Summit 2012 Topics/Agenda*

Keynote: State of the Industry
The pharmaceutical industry continues to feel the force of a near perfect-storm of trends and events, such as the patent cliff, dwindling pipelines, slowing drug approvals, tightening regulations, economic recession, patient empowerment and healthcare reform. How can companies continue to advance clinical science, improve health outcomes and satisfy the demands of shareholders—not to mention keeping up with digital communications and raising the industry's reputation—in the face of such a battering from these elements? Is there any hope? You bet there is.

The Mobile Phenomenon
The advent of widespread mobile device ownership (feature phones, smart phones, tablets) has changed the game in healthcare communications. And unlike with the dawn of social media, pharma has been relatively quick out of the blocks, particularly on the physician side. But while the impact to date has been large and immediate, it's only the tip of the iceberg. In this session, we explore how texting, apps and location-based activity can further impact wellness, disease awareness, treatment adherence, behavioral change, marketing activities—and health outcomes.

Regulatory Outlook
Are you ready for the Sunshine Act? Do you know what you can and cannot do in social media yet? What else is coming your way in 2012? This session will provide an invaluable crash-course in navigating the regulatory landscape in the year ahead, with plenty of tips for interpreting what's already out there, and a heads up on preparing what's around the corner.

Are We Putting Patients First Yet?
It's been a few years since the evolution of digital communication turned the balance of power in healthcare decision-making firmly on its head. The influence of the empowered patient is paramount, and many pharma companies have long-declared a commitment to putting patients first. There are, of course, hurdles, both obvious and less obvious, to having a seamless and effective dialogue between pharma and patients. In this session, pharma marketing execs and health activists will benchmark the progress made so far and discuss how to strengthen this relationship.  

Between a Rep and a Hard Place
It already seems a lifetime ago that the rep arms race was the dominant factor in pharma field sales. Since 2005, around 30,000 sales reps have been culled in the US. Safety in numbers has been replaced by the need to nurture more valuable, insightful and technologically savvy exchanges with healthcare professionals. This session will explore the current trends in pharma sales and envision the field force of the future, incorprating structure, tactics, investment and technology.

EHRs and e-Scripts: What's in it for Pharma?
The future widespread adoption of electronic healthcare records and electronic prescriptions could, in theory, open all sorts of doors for pharma companies to reach physicians and patients with targeted messages, both branded and unbranded. This session will investigate the potential opportunities of EHRs and eRXs as new channels of communication, and look at ways of overcoming some of the current roadblocks.

*Times will be announced shortly.