Hero is a big word. The image it brings to mind is someone who saves the day or who stands up for what is right. The bar is set pretty high for what makes a hero today.
The pharma industry is full of heroes. They don’t walk around wearing capes or rappel down the face of a skyscraper to take out the bad guy, but believe me, you know one when you see one.
Many of them have spent years studying and researching, preparing for a life in healthcare, a life dedicated to developing new therapies and helping people feel better and live longer.
Some spend their weeks traveling, meeting with healthcare providers, ensuring sites are prepared for a study, patients’ rights are upheld and data is collected according to protocol. I’ve known many managers, analysts, developers, and programmers who perform heroic feats to safeguard and secure volumes of data, the result of years of studies.
Heroes in our industry also are focused on safety, dedicated to meeting regulatory and compliance requirements. From drug development to manufacturing and marketing, these heroes manage rigorous processes in a dynamic environment.
Shining a Light on Healthcare Heroes
Certainly not all, but many heroes I know work directly with patients in clinical contact centers, reimbursement hubs, patient assistance programs, and specialty pharmacies. Nurses and pharmacists fill many of these roles, providing patient education, site of care services and long-term advocacy.
Unlike other healthcare workers, however, workers in the biotech and pharmaceutical world typically don’t get much recognition — or gratitude. That needs to change. It’s time to shine a light on the heroes who walk among us, those who discover, develop, and deliver life-saving medicine. The heroes in our industry are humble leaders who wake up every day focused on what they can do to help people live better lives. They don’t seek the spotlight, but they deserve it.
Thanks to a Pharma Hero I know, a friend of mine who suffered for years with a debilitating neurological disorder now has access to medication that is improving his health and quality of life. You probably know a Pharma Hero, too. In fact, chances are pretty good that you yourself may be a Pharma Hero.
At UBC, we’re taking the time to recognize people who embody the spirit of going above and beyond for patients no matter what role they play in their organization. It could be someone who leads the marketing efforts for a new product or someone working long hours to keep a patient assistance program running. Maybe it’s someone with a laser focus on the endpoints of a trial who inspires colleagues to take the same view. A Pharma Hero could also be someone who — in addition to their daily job — dedicates time at conferences and other events to educate others and strengthen the industry’s collective knowledge base.
Together, we can celebrate these incredible individuals and the tremendous work they do every day in this great industry. Join the Pharma Heroes movement today by telling us about the heroes you know — we’ll do the rest, including making a charitable donation in honor of your Pharma Hero. Log onto www.PharmaHeroes.com. (PV)
