Dorland Launches inRx Medical Education
Independent company formed to respond to increasing regulatory standards. In response to growing concerns about regulatory oversight and the need to separate continuing medical-education programs from company-sponsored marketing activities, Dorland has created inRx Medical Education to provide the necessary firewall security to maintain the integrity of legitimate CME. inRx exists in a separate facility, maintains a separate server and communications system, and has a dedicated staff with broad medical-education experience. With core competencies in educational content, project direction, clinical communications, and professional relationship management, inRx functions as a strategic arm of Dorland, providing third-party accredited education, CME symposia, enduring materials, CME programs using the latest technology, and distance learning techniques, as well as speaker development programs, advisory boards, and grand rounds. “Because of guidelines and changing medical-education dynamics, it has become necessary to provide services that are totally separate from all other marketing activities to medical schools, institutions, and associations along with pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and device industries,” says Rita Sweeney, president of Dorland Global. “By building inRx ourselves, we could confidently provide services in the manner our customers from academia and industry are accustomed to from Dorland.” Heading up inRx Medical Education are Mark Christmyer, Managing Director (left) and Michael Barnett, M.D., Ph.D., Senior VP, Director of Medical & Scientific Affairs, Dorland Global. Dr. Barnett’s responsibilities include ensuring that the content of all CME and nonCME-related initiatives are clinically relevant and scientifically accurate. Mark Christmyer Dr. Michael Barnett Ziment Acquires Consumer Health Sciences Consumer Health Sciences (CHS) has become a new operating division within The Ziment Group. CHS, formerly part of Grey Healthcare, was acquired as part of Grey Global Group’s recent acquisition by Ziment’s parent company, WPP Plc. CHS provides disease-specific, self-reported, consumer data to pharmaceutical and life-sciences companies. The company’s flagship offering is the National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS), conducted annually from a population of 45,000 adults in the United States and 20,000 adults in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy. The survey covers a broad range of health-related topics, including the respondents’ opinions and attitudes toward healthcare, sources of healthcare information, current state of health, personal health history, and the severity and treatment of illnesses. “National Health and Wellness is an important resource for our clients,” says Howard Ziment, CEO of The Ziment Group. “It helps them gain deep understanding of how patients flow into physicians’ offices and what happens after they leave the office.” “We are excited to join forces with an industry leader like The Ziment Group to help CHS reach its goals,” says Jenny Donohue, chief executive of CHS. Ribotsky Worldwide Becomes Core-Create After 14 years as Ribotsky Worldwide, the healthcare advertising agency is changing its name to Core-Create Inc. The name change is the result of a merger that had taken place mid-2004 between Ribotsky Worldwide Inc. of Somerset, N.J., and Paper White Ltd. of London. The union of these two creative organizations resulted in the formation of the Core Group, which was the holding company of both companies. One year later after reorganization and growth, the two companies have united under one common identity: Core-Create. Core-Create provides enh anced capabilities beyond those that were previously offered by each of the original companies. Ribotsky’s past focus was primarily on traditional agency-type creative and brand plus medical-education services through its Alpha and Omega division to the pharma, biotech, device and healthcare industries on a global basis. Paper White’s focus had been primarily on corporate communications, brand development, and custom publishing. Combined Core-Create provides organizations with brand strategy and execution for not only product brands, but for corporate brands as well. “In this increasingly competitive economy, all marketers must be able to leverage their corporate and product brands as fully as possible,” says Ken Ribotsky, the leader of Core-Create’s U.S. operations. “Brands are critical to shareholder value and are measurable assets that must be properly nurtured.” Stephen Page, leader of the U.K. operation adds: “Our business model provides an incredibly experienced staff with broad global reach without the bloated overhead. Core-Create is uniquely positioned to offer both the broad scope and the agility needed to engage with companies and their products.” Core-Create has headquarter offices in the United States and the United Kingdom and affiliates on every continent. The group intends to continue to hone and refine its model, adding further capabilities with like-minded organizations that genuinely engage in their clients’ vision of success. “While we are currently self-financing our activities, there are numerous organizations taking a real interest in our vision as well as in our history of success and creative prowess at a time when even the mighty have crumbled,” says Iain Johnston, chairman of the Core Group. “We are looking forward to the journey ahead and are ready to do whatever is needed to create that support our clients need for their brands.” Core-Create is recruiting for both its offices and is active in many countries through its affiliates in the IN Network of independent communications agencies. The addition of CHS is another important resource in our group mission to help our clients solve their difficult business and marketing problems, says Howard Ziment, CEO, The Ziment Group. July 2005 What’s New GEN Publishing Launches Journal GEN Publishing Inc., a Mary Ann Liebert Inc. company, has launched Industrial Biotechnology, a new journal that focuses on the development of biotechnology as a positive force for environmental sustainability in manufacturing and improved quality of life through consumer goods and services. Industrial Biotechnology made its debut in April at the World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocess in Orlando. The journal highlights biotechnological advances from across the sectors of academia, industry, government, and other institutions. Additionally, Industrial Biotechnology includes up-to-date news reports, expert commentary with methods, articles detailing novel biotech applications, and rigorously peer-reviewed original research and reviews. The quarterly journal, which is available in print and online, is headed by Coeditors-in-Chief Larry P. Walker, Ph.D., of the department of biological and chemical engineering at Cornell University, and Glenn E. Nedwin, Ph.D., MBA, president of Novozymes Inc. Brent Erickson, VP of the industrial and environmental section of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), is consulting editor to the journal. Dr. Glenn Nedwin Industrial Biotechnology takes an in-depth look at our ability to apply biological processes and living organisms across a spectrum of industrial and environmental challenges, says Glenn E. Nedwin, Ph.D., Coeditor-in-Chief, Industrial Biotechnology. Dr. Larry Walker Industrial Biotechnology intends to serve as a catalyst for the creation of strong research and development partnerships among academia, industry, and government, says Larry P. Walker, Ph.D., Coeditor-in-Chief, Industrial Biotechnology. What’s New on the Shelves Learn The Secrets: The Field-Tested, Combat-Ready Guide to Becoming a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative, by Catherine Kaputa and Lynn Zimmerman — a resource for aspiring pharmaceutical sales representatives. Written by two sales and branding experts, this book includes new guidelines, unwritten rules, role-play exercises, and sample sales tools for anyone interested in landing a job in pharmaceutical sales. Additionally, it covers the process of starting a pharmaceutical sales career from developing a stand-out resume and acing the interview to understanding the regulations that govern sales reps and effectively selling in the pharma industry. For more information, visit repworkshop.com. Industry Veterans Launch BrandParents Pharmaceutical sales veterans Terrence O. Tormey and Doug Barton have launched BrandParents LLC, a company offering brand and product management personnel to the pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical-device industries on a contract basis. The company’s personnel are experienced in their respective product categories and are capable of overseeing all functions necessary for the development, maintenance, and growth of prescription pharmaceuticals, vaccines, over-the-counter drugs, diagnostic products, or medical devices. For established pharmaceutical companies, BrandParents provides the dedicated manpower and support required to keep products healthy and competitive and to make sure key dates are met, inventory is properly managed, and existing staff are not overburdened. For emerging companies not yet ready to make long-term staff commitments, BrandParents’ seasoned professionals perform critical functions needed for a successful launch. “BrandParents is a perfect way to fill gaps created by personal or military leave, long-term disability, staff reassignment, or headcount restrictions,” says Mr. Tormey, who is president of the new venture. “When companies have a short-term need to explore niches such as long-term care institutions, military sales, bundling opportunities, or use of the Internet, BrandParents can supply the core competency for as long as the assignment requires.” Specializing in product management medical/legal/regulatory affairs, market research, and training, BrandParents staff can be contracted on a part- or full-time basis for a minimum of six months. Doug Barton BrandParents is a multidimensional organization that provides essential personnel on a contract basis, says Doug Barton, CEO of BrandParents LLC. Terrence Tormey When companies have a short-term need to explore niches, we can supply the core competency for as long as necessary, says Terrence O. Tormey, President of BrandParents LLC. invivodata Introduces Consulting Division In response to demand from trial sponsors, invivodata Inc. has launched PRO Consulting, a new division that provides consulting services to clinical researchers responsible for deciding how to use patient reported outcomes (PRO) data to support their clinical-trial objectives. PRO Consulting employs a team of international scientific experts who help pharmaceutical clients choose the right PRO instrument, construct the correct sampling strategy to test their trial’s endpoints, and plan validation procedures for PRO measures. “The need for consulting services that take a scientific approach to applying PRO data to support drug and medical-device development programs has never been greater,” says Michael Hufford, Ph.D., president of PRO Consulting and VP of scientific affairs at invivodata. “As the importance of collecting PRO data in clinical trials grows and the Food and Drug Administration’s interest in PRO data-capture methods heightens, clinical-trial sponsors need to be confident that their PRO data will provide the best test possible of their treatment, while withstanding the scientific scrutiny of regulators.” Dr. Hufford is joined on the PRO Consulting team by Brian Tiplady, Ph.D., a senior clinical scientist; Saul Shiffman, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh; and Arthur Stone, Ph.D., professor and vice chair of the psychiatry department and director of the Applied Behavioral Medicine Research Institute at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Dr. Michael Hufford As the importance of collecting patient reported outcomes (PRO) data in clinical trials grows, clinical-trial sponsors need to be confident that their PRO data will provide the best test possible of their treatment, while withstanding the scientific scrutiny of regulators, says Michael Hufford, Ph.D., President of PRO Consulting and VP of Scientific Affairs at invivodata. Follow up BrandParents LLC, New Hope, Pa., provides brand and product management personnel to the pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device industries on a contract basis. For more information, call 215-262-0375. Consumer Health Sciences (CHS), Princeton, N.J., is a health-information and market-research company. For more information,visit consumerhealthsciences.com. Core-Create Inc., Somerset, N.J., and London, is the combined entity of Ribotsky Worldwide Inc. and Paper White Ltd., and provides organizations with brand strategy and execution for not only product brands, but for the corporate brand as well. For more information, contact Ken Ribotsky at 732-748-0433. GEN Publishing Inc., New Rochelle, N.Y., a subsidiary of Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., is a privately held, fully integrated media company. For more information, visit liebertpub.com. inRx Medical Education LLC, Philadelphia, is an independent medical- communications company wholly owned by Dorland Global Corp. For more information, visit inrx.com. invivodata Inc., Pittsburgh, develops electronic patient-reported outcomes solutions for clinical research. For more information, visit invivodata.com. The Ziment Group, New York, is a healthcare and pharmaceutical market research consultancy. For more information, visit zimentgroup.com.