A new technology frontier By Taren Grom, Editor Letter from the Editor VIEW on E-Solutions October 2007 Social networks, second lives, virtual Websites, online videos, blogs, interactive communications — can it be that we are talking about the latest technologies for the pharmaceutical industry? While it’s hard to remember a time before Al Gore “invented” the World Wide Web and the fax machine was cutting-edge technology, it’s almost equally as difficult to come to grips with the new and emerging e-solutions that are permeating all aspects of business operations throughout the life-sciences industry. E-solutions and new technologies take many forms and are impacting all functions across the continuum — from discovery to marketing and sales. And while I may never gain a true appreciation for the blog, these online dialogues are part of the new reality. Paper, a five-letter word to the Millennial Generation, is on its way out and digital communications, online registries, electronic data capture solutions, e-diaries, and so on are here to stay. Analysts at PricewaterhouseCoopers believe that pharma will have to use new technologies to improve its understanding of diseases, reduce its R&D costs significantly, and spread its bets to increase the productivity of the lab. These same experts predict the evolution of “pervasive healthcare,” or the use of remote devices to monitor patients on a real-time basis wherever they are, will allow the industry to test new medicines outside a clinical setting. They predict that by 2020, robust, portable monitoring devices and the wireless network across which the data they collect can be sent will both be in place. Outside the clinical, technology and e-solutions will also come into play to streamline the supply chain. The distribution process will be revamped allowing companies to reduce inventories, control product leakage, and lower delivery costs. Already technologies are helping once a product gets to market, particularly in the healthcare setting. New e-sampling, e-detailing, and e-prescribing solutions are simplifying the exchange of critical data in the physician’s office. Sales and marketing initiatives will become more personalized; patient education is more interactive then ever; online videos are simplifying the most complex disease states so as to increase the understanding of therapeutic options, side effects, and adverse events. Instant access to information through Google and Yahoo has become ubiquitous to the way we work, process data, and interact with others. In keeping with the technology revolution, so to speak, PharmaLinx LLC, the publisher of PharmaVOICE and VIEW publications, is excited to announce the development of AccessFYI. AccessFYI.com is a comprehensive Web portal designed specifically for the life-sciences industry. Professionals who operate in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical-device sectors, as well as those who provide services and tools to the industry, will now have a single source to find targeted information related to their fields. Available in beta in January 2008, this content-rich resource will contain industry-related data, from any source. The goal is to continue to grow the content library exponentially. If there’s a specific item out there that can help a professional overcome a hurdle, we’ll deliver it. Taren Grom Editor

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