R&D opportunities with AstraZeneca

Every day, AstraZeneca takes on scientific challenges that can seem insurmountable. But working together, our 62,000 people constitute one of the most formidable research and development communities ever created. And with that kind of team behind you, just think what's possible.

The following specialists are needed to enhance our team. Bringing both fresh thinking and deep experience, you'll help us work towards a shared future of better public health.

Senior Medical Director -- Anti-infectives Patient Safety
Wilmington, DE; Requisition #: 602372
You'll ensure that all safety surveillance activities are conducted to the highest ethical and safety standards, in compliance with GCP and regulatory requirements. You'll help set the strategic direction for patient safety surveillance and make vital decisions on product safety profiles.

Director/Assistant Director -- Health Economics & Outcomes
Wilmington, DE; Requisition #:601574
Focused on maximizing the commercial success of products throughout their lifecycle, you will design and implement innovative research activities and produce scientific evidence to optimize price and value propositions. In-depth, specialist knowledge of health economics and outcomes research and its application to pharmaceutical development is essential.

Key Roles for Physician Executives in the Pharmaceutical Industry

If you're interested in a pharmaceutical career, then I'd encourage you to read the Physician Executive Journal. Published for more than 20 years by the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE), The Physician Executive Journal (PEJ) is the premier source of information and insight about the business of medicine.

There's an article in the July/August 2010 PEJ titled, "Key Roles for Physician Executives in the Pharmaceutical Industry." The author is Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA, CPE, FACPE, senior director of global clinical development for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals in Wilmington, Delaware.

Here's a snippet from the article:

Many physicians find that working in the pharmaceutical industry is a rewarding alternative to practicing medicine, possibly because there are diverse roles in industry for physicians and they have extensive opportunities to apply their medical knowledge in the service of patient care.

He outlines physician roles in the following areas:

• Clinical research and development
• Drug safety
• Medical liaison
• Medical marketing
• Medical affairs
• Health economics and outcomes research
• Other roles

To read this article, you'll need to join the American College of Physician Executives and click on the link that takes you to the Physician Executive Journal. View the archived issues and go to the July/August 2010 issue of the PEJ.

Visit the American College of Physician Executives: http://www.acpe.org

Pharma and Twitter

We've started seeing more articles related to the topic of Twitter and the corporate world of Pharma/Biotech. Pharmavoice recently published an article titled, "What is the business case for Tweeting?" (to read the article, click here)

Is Twitter simply a cocktail party where you can mingle and exchange information with others? Or, is Twitter much more than that?

According to this article, 18 pharma companies were using Twitter as of last month. J&J (Johnson and Johnson) appears to be the most active, but you'll also see other large pharma companies such as: AstraZeneca, Novartis, GSK, Pfizer, Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novo Nordisk, and several others.

So while we're on this topic of Twitter, let me throw out a few questions:

• Is Twitter simply another marketing tool in this new wave of social media?
• Will the FDA regulate how pharma uses Twitter to communicate with consumers and healthcare professionals?
  
• Is Twitter an effective way to communicate safety issues to healthcare professionals? (the FDA and CDC are using Twitter)
• Is Twitter a way for consumers to send messages directly to Pharma?
• Is Twitter a temporary fad, or is it here to stay?

I encourage you to explore social media and try using Twitter for a few weeks. You won't be impressed if you only try it for a few days. However, give it a few months and see what you think. You have to be willing to follow some people back and exchange ideas (imagine that you're at a social event).

You can start by following my Tweets here: http://twitter.com/DrJosephKim

Symbicort is now FDA approved for COPD

The FDA has approved the use of Symbicort (budesonide/formoterol) for the treatment of COPD. Symbicort is a combination inhaler that was originally approved for the treatment of asthma and is manufactured by AstraZeneca. Like many other new drugs, it has been available in Europe for a while now.