NATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL CONGRESS
Canadian drug makers, biotech execs will meet to tackle issues facing Life Sciences sector
Most sectors would covet the robust and rising metrics put up regularly by the pharmaceutical industry in Canada: $25.5 billion in retail sales in 2016; continuing compound annual growth averaging 2.8 per cent; an expanding national workforce of 30,000.
However, the enviable numbers conceal a business feeling tension from the approaching prospect of disruption.
When more than 250 pharma and biotech executives meet at the Mississauga (Ont.) Convention Centre on Oct. 24 for the 12th annual National Pharmaceutical Congress (NPC), the theme will be “Beat the Clock.” According to event organizers, the focus will be on preparing for disruptive forces in demographics, economics, technology, society, and politics.
“Pharma is designed to be a slow business,” says event co-chair Mitch Shannon, CEO of Chronicle Companies, a Life Sciences media company. “Elements such as R&D and patent protection have always been calibrated in decades. The challenge to the traditional business model is that we live in a ludicrously fast age, where everything else is measured in seconds.”
Mr. Shannon points to two developments in the U.S. that could predict a coming wave of disruption. He notes the entry of Amazon into the retail pharmacy business this June, through its US$1 billion purchase of PillPack, and the September announcement of the startup Civica Rx, a non-profit generic pharma company created by the Mayo Clinic and six other stateside hospital operators.
“Those are notable, but there are dozens of other wellfunded threats to pharma that are coming into view,” he adds. “Not a lot of attention is being paid. They often have off-the-wall names such as Keeps, Quip, Roman and HiMirror. The NPC is one place where they tend to be mentioned.”
Issues to be discussed during the Oct. 24 meeting will range from general topics such as the sector’s need for greater diversity at senior management level, to more arcane subjects such as “The Future of Customer-Facing Deployment.”
Other sessions will examine Canada’s global competitiveness for R&D and manufacturing investment, and “Myths and Facts” surrounding proposed national Pharmacare schemes.
NPC co-chair Joe Knott predicts widespread interest in the scheduled forum on medical use of cannabis, as distinguished from so-called adult use. “There is great anticipation of how this will all play out, especially as legalization will occur exactly one week prior to this year’s conference,” he says. “The two uses have been described as requiring a ‘church and state’ separation. The question to be resolved will be, ‘Which is church, and which is state?’”
Mr. Knott is Managing Director of Pangaea Consultants, a Life Sciences organization with operations in Toronto and Montreal.
INDUSTRY LEADERS TO SPEAK
Faculty for the event will represent more than 25 pharma and biotech organizations, primarily multinational drug makers. Leaders of the two national Life Sciences industry organizations will speak during the panel on investment in Canada: Pamela Fralick, President of Innovative Medicines Canada, Ottawa, and Andrew Casey, President and CEO of BIOTE Canada, Ottawa.
Joining other panelists are Brian Bloom, President and CEO of the Bloom Burton life sciences investment firm of Toronto, and Eileen McMahon, a Partner at the Torys LLP legal practice.
Other senior industry figures scheduled to make presentations include: Peter Brenders, CEO of Waypost Diagnostics, a Toronto startup; Robin Hunter, General Manager of Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Mississauga, Ont.; Kevin Leshuk, General Manager of Celgene, Mississauga, Ont.; Silvie Pilon, General Manager of Lundbeck Canada, Montreal; and Gamze Yüceland, General Manager of Takeda Canada, Mississauga, Ont.
HEALTHCARE MARKETING HALL OF FAME
The Congress is highlighted by the presentation of the 16th Annual Canadian Healthcare Marketing Hall of Fame awards, which honor lifetime achievement. A gala luncheon will recognize the 2018 inductees.
They are: Sybil Dahan of Altius Healthcare, Pointe-Clare, Que.; Frédéric Fasano, Servier Canada, Laval, Que; Brian Hilberdink, Novo Nordisk Canada, Mississauga, Ont.; Manny Kapur, CROMA Canada, Toronto; Richard Lajoie, Bausch Health, Laval, Que.; Eric Tse, Shire Canada, Toronto; and Arima Ventin, Allergan, Markham, Ont.
An award for community and humanitarian service named for the late pharmaceutical advertising executive Phil Diamond will be presented to industry veteran Gregory J. Glenn of Stoney Creek, Ont. in recognition of his service to the mental health needs of children and their families.
LEADERSHIP LESSONS FOR TOMORROW
New at this year’s conference is a workshop session titled “Leadership Lessons for Tomorrow’s Healthcare Leaders,” which will follow the luncheon. According to Mr. Knott, the session is intended to address some of the industry’s interests in encouraging the next generation of managers.
“This workshop will also very much speak to the point of beating the clock,” he says. “We can do more to inspire and assist young talent to invest their careers in pharma and biotech. We’ll provide a rare opportunity for rising pharma executives to get to know and learn from the Hall of Fame honorees.”
The Congress will conclude with a networking session held in association with High Park Brewery.
Delegates to the conference will represent more than 65 private- and public-sector organizations.
SPONSORED BY LEADING ORGANIZATIONS
Sponsoring the 12th NPC are: Ashfield Healthcare Canada of Pointe-Claire, Que.; Bayshore Specialty Rx of Mississauga, Ont.; the Council for Continuing Pharmaceutical Education of Pointe-Claire, Que.; Impres Pharma of Cambridge, Ont.; McKesson Canada of Saint-Laurent, Que.; Peak Pharma Solutions of St. Thomas, Ont.; the Specialty Health Network of Shoppers Drug Mart; Stanley Park Creative of Toronto, and Vanguard Pharma Canada of London, Ont.
Pangaea Consultants, cohosts of the Congress, specialize in structure and talent resourcing, pipeline product launches and commercial readiness. The meeting is organized by Chronicle Companies, which publishes clinical content in print and digital formats, and manages educational events for healthcare practitioners and the lay public in Canada and internationally, through offices in Toronto and Buffalo, N.Y.
Media partners of the event are the National Post, Patient Diaries, and The Chronicle of Healthcare Marketing.
According to Catherine Dusome, operations manager of Chronicle Companies, the Congress is the largest and pre-eminent one day pharma industry conference in Canada. “It is a unique opportunity for learning and networking, and should be attended by managers, directors, senior and intermediate Life Sciences talent, and those who aspire to contribute to the sector,” adds Ms. Dusome.
Delegates may register at the conference website, www.pharmacongress.info, or by calling calling toll free 866-632-4766. Registration fee for the event is $761.73 ($674.10 plus 13% HST.)
A portion of funds from the National Pharmaceutical Congress will be donated to Sandi’s Fund for Camp Liberté, a children’s philanthropy operated in Quebec and Alberta by the Canadian Dermatology Association.