Five things for pharma marketers to know: Thursday, June 18
Merck settles a marketing lawsuit for $5.9 million; CVS plans to create diagnostic apps; a survey shows advertising agencies plan to keep head count steady for the rest of the year
New Hire
Guidemark Health jumpstarts rebrand, brings on big-agency grad
Tina Fascetti is the mid-sized agency’s new Chief Creative Officer. CEO Matt Brown (and ICC Lowe alum) tells MM&M the new Guidemark is just getting started.
CDER hires engagement professional
John Whyte of the Discovery Channel is the organization’s new director of professional affairs and engagement.
Smirnoff switches over to Weber’s health practice
Weber Shandwick hired Susan Smirnoff away from the healthcare practice of Ruder Finn, where she had spent more than three decades.
Company news: Amgen and DeCODE Genetics; Porter Novelli
Amgen is buying deCODE Genetics, an Icelandic firm, for $415 million in cash.
JAMA taps NEJM’s Easley as publisher
The American Medical Association has wooed New England Journal of Medicine publisher Tom Easley to Chicago, where he will preside over the society’s publications, soon to be rolled up into the JAMA brand.
People news: Vertex hires Amgen and GSK marketing veteran Arbuckle
Stuart Arbuckle, formerly of Amgen, has been named Vertex’s EVP and chief commercial officer.
Company news: Elsevier, AstraZeneca, GSK
Publisher Elsevier announced Monday that it will increase the number of papers it publishes for the Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications.
People news: Novartis, Qforma and Precision Health Media
Novartis named Brian McNamara as division head of OTC, replacing J&J veteran Naomi Kelman, who spent a year in the role.
