Climate change has been an impending threat to planet Earth for the past several decades. The most significant offenders are often attributed to the industrial fields, including the mining, automotive, and energy sectors. These industries could undoubtedly make a positive impact on climate change with a lessened carbon footprint. However, other sectors that may be culprits have flown under the radar, including the pharmaceutical industry.

A recent study found that pharmaceuticals account for 16.25 percent of our total carbon footprint. This statistic ranks Pharma as the most significant contributor to CO2 emissions out of all industries, even the automotive sector¹. A report found that pharmaceuticals emit 48.55 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) for every million dollars. This output is 55 percent more than what the automotive industry emits, which was roughly 31 CO₂e per million in the same year². The findings are striking – and represent an immediate need for change.

The United Nation’s Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty that aims to mitigate climate change. It includes reduction targets that, if met by the pharma sector, would require reductions in emission intensity of 59 percent from the levels in 2015². While this is a massive undertaking for the pharmaceutical world, several potential solutions exist.

Pharma can minimize its footprint by reducing emissions and waste, practicing sustainability, and investing in renewable energy. For example, several medicinal products that these companies produce can adversely affect the environment. Inhalers, for instance, contain greenhouse gases. These greenhouse gases trap heat, thus increasing the planet’s temperature. In the case of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), inhalers contribute to 45 percent of all its emissions. Leveraging lower-emission inhalers could significantly decrease the production of greenhouse gases³.

In terms of sustainability, Pharma is the culprit of environmental pollution, high energy consumption, and diverse supply chains. To mitigate the environmental impacts of these shortcomings, Pharma will need to focus its efforts on creating green supply chains and materials. To do so, pharmaceutical companies may look to receive a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. LEED provides a framework for developing greener buildings, accounting for things such as energy efficiency and waste collection.

Pharma may also find it challenging to adapt their chemistry and packaging to become greener in the world of stringent regulations. For example, single-use products may often require excess packaging, representing a significant cause of waste. Innovation is needed to develop and utilize recyclable materials. Pharma companies should also implement mitigation measures to minimize the effects of pharmaceutical substances on the environment. These strategies involve lessening waste, decreasing the use of hazardous substances, and ensuring the safety of a company’s employees and the environment.

The pharmaceutical industry can do a lot of good in the context of preventing and treating disease. However, Pharma has a long road ahead when it comes to developing greener and more sustainable practices. As the leading contributor to CO₂ emissions, it is imperative that pharmaceutical companies assess and address the impact of their businesses on climate change.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652618336084?via%3Dihub
2. https://brighterworld.mcmaster.ca/articles/big-pharma-emits-more-greenhouse-gases-than-the-automotive-industry/
3. https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-releases/gsk-announces-major-renewable-energy-investment-and-low-carbon-inhaler-programme-alongside-life-sciences-sector-race-to-zero-breakthrough-at-nyc-climate-week/
4. https://sgkinc.com/en/insights/single-insight/4-ways-to-create-a-more-sustainable-pharma-brand/

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The gut microbiome is a community of micro-organisms existing within your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The gut microbiome is incredibly diverse – with roughly 100 trillion organisms living within your gut. These organisms include mostly bacteria but also involve viruses, fungi, and protozoa. This array of tiny organisms play a large role in your overall health and wellbeing¹.

What are the advantages of having a healthy gut microbiome?

Weight management

There is an intimate link between the gut microbiome and the development of obesity. In fact, studies show that overweight and obese individuals tend to have an imbalance in their microbiome. This imbalance is characterized by lower diversity, meaning there is a limited number of bacterial species present in the gut. In terms of microbiome diversity, it is always beneficial to have high diversity, meaning there is a wide array of bacterial species.

The link between obesity and microbial diversity is supported by mice models. However, long-term weight gain in humans is associated with low diversity of the microbiome. This is likely because the imbalance causes inflammation, immune dysfunction, and other adverse effects that contribute to weight gain¹.

Disease prevention

Low bacterial diversity is associated with more than just weight gain and obesity. It is also implicated in several other diseases, including type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, eczema, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, psoriasis, and arthritis¹.  The mechanisms underlying this association are not always clear, however, there is a link. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, for example, demonstrate lowered microbial diversity compared to healthy patients. In these patients, reduced microbiome diversity has been linked to disease duration and levels of autoantibodies².

Immunity

The microbiota has been shown to activate the immune system, keeping your body healthy and able to fight off illness. The microbiome works by producing vitamins and amino acids that are essential to your health, such as vitamin K and the B vitamins. Additionally, it also helps to break down harmful substances, such as when you ingest contaminated food or beverages³.

Digestion

The gut microbiome is also important to your digestion, particularly when it comes to complex carbs. Complex carbohydrates such as fiber and starch are more difficult to digest than other types of carbs. The microbiome contains digestive enzymes that help to break down these substances. In doing so, it produces short chain fatty acids (SCFA). These provide nutritional value to the body while also helping with muscle function and prevention of certain conditions like cancer. SCFA may also be helpful in treating GI-related conditions like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis³.

Mental health

Surprisingly, what happens in the gut is closely linked to what happens in the brain. In fact, individuals with psychiatric disorders, including depression, schizophrenia, and autism, have pronounced differences in their gut microbiome compared with healthy individuals. Research has shown that promoting beneficial gut bacteria via the use of prebiotics, probiotics, and diet changes can be advantageous for mental health. Doing such can lower feelings of anxiety and improve mood in both healthy individuals and those with mental illness⁴.

Conclusion

The gut microbiome contains trillions of micro-organisms that are small yet mighty, playing several roles in maintaining your overall health and wellness. When supporting gut microbiome and gut health you are likely to experience an array of benefits.

References

1. https://www.bmj.com
2. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41430-021-00991-6
3. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/microbiome/
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31530002/

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has made headway across almost every industry, automating complex tasks and increasing efficiency in the modern world. Likewise, it’s no surprise that AI has found a place within the pharmaceutical industry. In pharma, AI utilizes algorithms to mimic responsibilities conventionally performed by people that require human intelligence. This automation has led to breakthroughs in how we diagnose, treat, and prevent disease. This article will discuss how exactly the pharmaceutical industry uses AI to drive science and innovation within the drug development space.

AI in drug discovery

Drug development is a time-consuming and expensive process with a bleak success rate. In fact, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study found that only 13.8 percent of drugs in development get approved, which is greater than the 10.4 percent reported by Hay et al. and the 9.6 percent reported by Thomas et al. AI provides an opportunity for pharmaceutical companies to increase these odds by playing an important role in drug discovery^1,2,3.

Traditional drug discovery methods are lengthy and costly, but AI can mitigate these issues in several ways. AI can help inform drug design by predicting the structure and shape of drug targets, drug-protein interactions, and drug activity. Additionally, AI can assist in screening drug candidates through prediction of a drug’s toxicity and activity profile. Understanding these factors can aid in more careful selection of validated molecules, resulting in a higher chance of clinical success⁴.

AI in manufacturing

Manufacturing is a large part of drug development. These processes have become increasingly complex and health agencies have become more rigid in their expectations of quality. AI can automate these processes, thereby improving workflow and ensuring consistency and quality of product ⁴.

AI in clinical trials

Clinical trials are one of the most expensive and time-consuming aspects of drug development, yet they are necessary to proving the safety and effectiveness of a drug candidate. Likewise, it can take upwards of 10 to 15 years to complete all three phases of clinical studies.

In terms of clinical trial design, AI is particularly useful in the realm of real-world data (RWD) and real-world evidence (RWE). These terms refer to the plethora of scientific, medical, and research data available in the real world. Oftentimes this data is derived from things such as electronic medical records. AI can help to pull, consolidate, and analyze this data to characterize disease and inform study design, efficacy thresholds, and safety parameters.

An example of how companies leverage AI in clinical studies involves the use of RWE in clinical trial design. Many investigational programs have begun constructing historical control arms using RWE. Doing such eliminates the need for a placebo arm in clinical trials, eliminating the need for patient enrollment in a control arm. This can help to save time, money, and resources for the pharmaceutical company, thereby increasing the efficiency in which drugs get approved.

Conclusion

Pharma can greatly benefit from implementing AI across the industry. Doing so will not only optimize drug development programs but also get drug to patients faster.

 References

1. Wong, C. H., Siah, K. W., & Lo, A. W. (2019). Estimation of clinical trial success rates and related parameters. Biostatistics, 20(2), 273–286. https://doi.org/10.1093/biostatistics/kxx069
2. Hay, M., Thomas, D. W., Craighead, J. L., Economides, C., & Rosenthal, J. (2014). Clinical development success rates for investigational drugs. Nature Biotechnology, 32(1), 40–51. https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.2786
3. Thomas D. W, Burns J., Audette J., Carrol A., Dow-Hygelund C. and Hay M. (2016). Clinical Development Success Rates 2006–2015. San Diego: Biomedtracker.
4. Paul, D., Sanap, G., Shenoy, S., Kalyane, D., Kalia, K., & Tekade, R. K. (2021). Artificial intelligence in drug discovery and development. Drug Discovery Today, 26(1), 80–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drudis.2020.10.010

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If you have ever suffered from a stroke, you know that it is an emergency that requires immediate medical attention. While at the hospital, doctors can make several interventions to decrease the likelihood that you will suffer long-term complications. However, what many people do not consider is the importance of continuing treatment and taking preventative measures after leaving the hospital.

Approximately 25 percent of stroke survivors will have another stroke within five years. Additionally, in the days and weeks following a stroke, you have a 17 percent chance of developing another stroke within the next 90 days¹. These statistics emphasize the importance of managing your pre-existing conditions that may cause stroke and implementing a healthy lifestyle. This article will discuss what changes you should consider making post-stroke.

Management of chronic conditions

There are multiple conditions that can increase your chances of having another stroke. These diseases include:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Atrial fibrillation
• Transient ischemic attacks (TIA)

These conditions are serious and require treatment to manage them and prevent long-term complications, like stroke. If you have any of these diseases, it is important to follow-up with your doctor after your stroke to make sure you are adequately treating these conditions².

Medication

Your doctor may prescribe you new medications to help manage other pre-existing conditions you have that can contribute to your stroke risk. Your doctor may also recommend taking aspirin after having a stroke. Aspirin thins the blood, preventing the formation of clots in the body. Aspirin can also be combined with other anti-clotting agents for additional stroke protection.

Do not take aspirin unless recommended by your doctor. While aspirin can have a protective effect, it also carries some risks such as serious bleeding and gastrointestinal issues. Additionally, aspirin can pose some serious risks if you are over the age of 70, and therefore it is not recommended in this age group³.

Lifestyle changes

There are many non-pharmacologic ways to reduce your risk of stroke in the future. These include engaging in regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and diet, limiting your alcohol intake, and stopping smoking.

Regular exercise

Physical activity is important to maintaining a healthy weight and managing other comorbid conditions. For example, exercise can help to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Experts currently recommend engaging in 2 hours and 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every week. Aerobic exercise could include things like walking, running, cycling, or swimming.

Healthy weight and diet

Being overweight or obese can increase your chances of having another stroke. To manage your weight, it is important to engage in regular exercise and have a healthy diet. Make sure your diet is low in cholesterol, salt, and saturated and trans fats. Choose healthy foods and incorporate vegetables and fruit into your meals.

Stop smoking and limit alcohol

Smoking cigarettes is a large risk factor for having a stroke. Stopping smoking will lower this risk. Your doctor can also prescribe certain medications that can help you quit. Additionally, limit your alcohol intake to a maximum of two drinks daily for men and one drink daily for women⁴.

References

1. Stroke Treatment | cdc.gov. (2021, May 25). https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/treatments.htm
2. Stroke—Prevention. (2017, October 24). Nhs.Uk. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stroke/prevention/
3. Aspirin and stroke. (n.d.). Www.Stroke.Org. Retrieved January 15, 2022, from https://www.stroke.org/en/life-after-stroke/preventing-another-stroke/aspirin-and-stroke
4. Preventing stroke: Healthy living habits | cdc. Gov. (2021, August 2). https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/healthy_living.htm

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The stress response is coded for in our biological nature. In the very beginning of time, our bodies needed to be able to initiate a fight-or-flight response to protect us from the dangers of our environment.

We have evolved as a human race since then, and while we do not face the same dangers that we did thousands of years ago, the stress response persists. You may be very familiar with the symptoms of stress: the pounding heart, the tensing of muscles, and the racing thoughts. For many, our work and our career can be the cause of these stress symptoms¹.

How does work-related stress effect our quality of life?

Approximately a quarter of employees believe their job is their number one cause of stress. When stress is infrequent or transient, it has little effect on your health.

Chronic stress, however, can have negative impacts on your physical and mental health. With persistent stress, your body is constantly in a state of activation. This can cause fatigue and impair your body’s ability to work properly. Chronic stress can increase your risk for cardiovascular disease, weakened immune systems, cancer, musculoskeletal disorders, and mental health issues².

How do you prioritize your mental health in the workplace?

There are many ways to deal with the everyday stress at work in a healthy way to better your mental health. Here we discuss the different ways you can achieve a better work-life balance.

Prioritize your health with adequate diet and exercise

It can be easy to put other aspects of your life on the backburner when you are overwhelmed with responsibilities at work. However, neglecting your physical and mental health will only make things worse in the long run. It is important to take care of yourself and your body.

Frequent exercise at least 30 minutes a day can help to relieve stress and soothe your mind. A proper diet will help to keep you fueled, alert, and positive so that you can maximize your time throughout the workday. Try to minimize how much sugar and refined carbs you ingest daily. Also avoid food and drinks that may negatively impact your mood, such as caffeine and trans fats³.

Build a good support system

Having someone to vent to is perhaps one of the best ways to relieve stress. If possible, try to build some personal relationships with your coworkers. They are likely to best people to understand your day-to-day work struggles.

You can also turn to your friends and family for support to help ground you, offer advice, or help to take your mind off things. Finally, consider seeing a therapist or physician to talk things through and get a professional opinion ³.

Get enough sleep

Sleep is not just for the weak. A proper night’s rest is essential to maintaining a clear mind, focus, and productivity during the day. The optimal amount of sleep for adults is 8 hours every night. Do not compromise a full night’s sleep for work or other responsibilities ³.

References

1. MA, N. J. L., & PhD, L. M. (2019, April 17). How to handle stress at work. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-to-handle-stress-at-work-2019041716436
2. Stress at work. (2020). https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB99101
3. Stress at work—Helpguide. Org. (n.d.). Https://Www.Helpguide.Org. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-in-the-workplace.htm

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In this day and age, medical information is at the tips of our fingers. Countless search engines, social media platforms, and news outlets exist, constantly disseminating health information to the general public. While the immense volume of health content may be convenient and useful, not all of the information online is credible.

This phenomenon has been incredibly damaging to society and the medical community, representing a major public health concern. Misinformation leads individuals to believe that official sources of information are not credible, causing emotions like confusion and distrust. This creates an enormous divide between the layperson and medical community, as those inundated with misinformation no longer feel they can trust their providers. Individuals may stop seeking expert advice from healthcare providers, may avoid treatment, and may make decisions damaging to their health.

How to Find Credible Information

Knowing the amount of false information that is out there, it is important that you are equipped with the tools needed to decipher fact from fiction. Below is a list of the best practices when determining whether or not a source is credible:

1. Determine who hosts the website. Every website has an owner that is funding the content that is being posted. Sometimes, you can use context clues from the website URL to figure out whether or not this source is trustworthy. For example, a URL ending in:
   1. .gov indicates the website is run by a United States government agency
   2. .edu indicates the website is run by an educational institution
   3. .org indicates the website is run by a non-profit organization, such as a scientific or medical research society
   4. .com indicates the website is run by a commercial organization, such as a business or hospital
2. Check out the author. If listed, analyze the education and background of the writer. Any information they provide expertise on should be supported by their credentials. Are they experts in the field? Are they part of an organization? If so, what are the goals and missions of the organization that they represent? Do they have any financial interest in the kinds of information that they are posting about?
3. Find the date the information was posted. The medical landscape is constantly changing, and new research is surfacing every single day. While older information is not obsolete, any health decisions should be made with the most current, evidence-based research.
4. Ask yourself, what is this website’s goal? Many websites are established to promote a product or service. If that is the case, the information included in the site may be biased and inaccurate in order to promote a product and boost sales.
5. Figure out if the article contains references. A credible source will always provide the research, data, and articles that support the information provided. Medical content should always be based on scientific evidence and not personal opinion.

When in doubt, always refer to your healthcare provider for health-related questions and issues. No major medical decisions should be based on information you read online. When you do seek health information, however, use the above toolbox to analyze a website’s credibility.

References

1. Medical misinformation – duke center for healthcare safety and quality. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 2021, from https://www.hsq.dukehealth.org/medmis/
2. Sylvia Chou, W.-Y., Gaysynsky, A., & Cappella, J. N. (2020). Where we go from here: Health misinformation on social media. American Journal of Public Health, 110(Suppl 3), S273–S275. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305905
3. Online health information: Is it reliable? (n.d.). National Institute on Aging. Retrieved October 1, 2021, from http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/online-health-information-it-reliable

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A sufficient diet that contains all the nutrients your body requires is incredibly important. Many health conditions related to poor diet and nutrient intake are on the rise, including obesity. In fact, roughly 22% of men and 23.5% of women now meet the criteria for obese, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30 kg/m2. Obesity is one of the most prevalent public health crises, escalating at a rapid pace. But even outside of obesity risk, it is still essential to maintain a wholesome daily diet so that your body can function the way it’s supposed to. We get our energy and nutrients from the food that we eat, so it is critical that we are constantly fueling up with proper food intake. The combination of a proper diet and active lifestyle yields many health benefits, including a decreased risk of obesity, heart disease, and cancer.

What about fad diets?

Fad diets are popular amongst the general population, as they often catch people’s eyes as being fast and easy ways to lose weight and get healthy. In reality, most of these diets are not evidence-based or researched-backed. In fact, they often involve elimination of nutritious foods, ingredients, and even entire food groups. Some may even instruct individuals to only eat at certain times. Though special diets may be required for particular health conditions or situations, for the vast majority of people, these fad diets are not adequate to support daily nutritional needs. Fad diets can lead to malnutrition, nutrient deficiencies, and an unhealthy relationship with food. They also aren’t sustainable, as they only offer a short-term solution to a long-term problem. These diets almost never include lifestyle modifications, which are necessary to maintaining one’s goal weight. Once these diets are stopped, individuals will often find they regain the weight back.

How do I know that a diet is a fad diet?

It might be hard to spot a fad diet, but there are some patterns that many will follow, including:

• Advertising the diet as a “quick fix”
• Listing out what are considered to be “good” and “bad” foods
• Making recommendations without evidence-backed research and methods
• Eliminating a major food group
• Promising immediate and dramatic results

So, what makes a healthy diet?

A healthy diet consists of a variety of different nutrients. These will include:

• Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
• Carbohydrates
• Protein
• Healthy fats

We can get these nutrients through many different types of food and food groups. A balanced diet will include the following types of food:

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Grains
• Protein foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and nuts

A proper diet that includes all of the above food groups should be accompanied by an active lifestyle. This method is optimal to maintain a healthy lifestyle and lose weight (if that is your goal).

Conclusion

With all the hype surrounding fad diets, it’s easy to get sucked in and fall victim to false claims. However, a diet should never be restrictive and instead should be balanced and nutrient-dense.

References

1. Contributor, N. T. (2005, January 4). Understanding the importance to health of a balanced diet. Nursing Times. https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/nutrition/understanding-the-importance-to-health-of-a-balanced-diet-04-01-2005/
2. Fad diets: Diet, types, tips. (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9476-fad-diets

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Patients who have heart failure do not pump enough blood to meet the body’s blood and oxygen requirements. This impairment can cause a slew of adverse effects such as drowsiness, constant cough, weakness, and more. Heart failure patients usually also have other comorbid health conditions such as diabetes. Those with heart failure demonstrate longer hospital stays and increased frequency of hospital visits. Over 50% of individuals with heart failure will die within 5 years of symptom onset, making it a debilitating and devastating disease.

There are two types of heart failure: heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). These two subtypes relate to underlying pathophysiology of the disease and an individual’s left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). A normal LVEF will be between 50% and 70%. HFrEF is also known as systolic heart failure and occurs due to hypertrophy of the heart’s left ventricle. This enlargement leads to the heart’s inability to adequately pump blood throughout the circulatory system. HFpEF is different in that the left ventricle has adequate pumping power, however, the heart is too stiff. The heart’s chamber therefore does not fill with enough blood.

 What treatments are available for heart failure?

HFrEF and HFpEF are treated differently. HFrEF patients have multiple treatment options available, including angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACEi), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB), beta blockers, aldosterone antagonists, and angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNi). HFpEF patients, on the other hand, have no approved treatment options available. Their disease can only be controlled by supportive care and symptom management.

 The Approval of Entresto for HFpEF

In February, the FDA approved Entresto for the treatment of patients with HFpEF, making it the only approved therapy for this indication. This approval is based on Novartis’ PARAGON-HF trial, which evaluated patients with LVEF of ≥45%. Unfortunately, this trial narrowly missed achieving its primary endpoint with a P-value of 0.06. Because the study just barely fell short of its endpoint, the FDA hosted a Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee in December of 2020. This meeting brought together a panel of experts in the field of cardiology and beyond to review the data and the efficacy of Entresto in HFpEF. The FDA’s Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee (CRDAC) voted 12-to-1 in support of the new indication for HFpEF.

After receiving positive feedback from the expert panel, the FDA expanded Entresto’s indication to include decreased risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for adult patients with chronic heart failure. This indication is all-encompassing, now including HFpEF in addition to HFrEF. Entresto is now the first and only drug approved for HFpEF, bringing hope to almost 2 million patients with chronic heart failure who previously had no treatment options available. Clinical guidelines and treatment algorithms are expected to be expanded to accompany this ground-breaking approval.

References

1. Heart failure and cardiomyopathies. (n.d.). American College of Cardiology. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from https://www.acc.org/Clinical-Topics/http%3a%2f%2fwww.acc.org%2fClinical-Topics%2fHeart-Failure-and-Cardiomyopathies
2. Novartis Entresto® granted expanded indication in chronic heart failure by FDA. (n.d.). Novartis. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from https://www.novartis.com/news/media-releases/novartis-entresto-granted-expanded-indication-chronic-heart-failure-fda

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Even in “normal” times, recruitment can be a rollercoaster ride, placing demands on everyone involved to pivot quickly in order to navigate a fast-changing landscape. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen the usual ups and downs of recruitment exaggerated more than ever before. Still, we’ve also seen our resilient sector step up to these challenges and work hard to ensure it was ready to meet the demands being placed on it.

The COVID-19 effect

At the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak, it was not surprising that we saw a slowdown in the life sciences recruitment market. The beginning of 2020 had started with a relatively slow recruitment market. The impact of COVID-19 resulted in redundancies and furloughs that saw growing hesitation in the sector as making career changes seemed too big a risk to take. While this was the initial reaction, it didn’t take long, however, before the pharmaceutical industry took stock, adjusted to the changes and lived up to its recession-proof reputation.

The science-led fightback against the coronavirus shone a spotlight on life sciences and invigorated confidence, reminding governments worldwide why investing in world-class research, manufactures and all aspects of the ecosystem was so vital. The final quarter of 2020 saw a surge in recruitment and candidates as people responded to make a difference.

Looking forward to 2021 

At the start of 2021, we still find ourselves in a national lockdown but optimistic that the ongoing vaccine rollout will soon mean restrictions can once again be eased. We can also be confident that the surge in recruitment we saw building through 2020 will continue to gain momentum in 2021.

International demand for world-class life sciences facilities will continue to increase as projects are accelerated and new ones given the green light. Governments and the private sector alike will look to build and invest more in capabilities to expand research fields and accelerate progress. This will increase the demand for talented people throughout the life sciences supply chain and peripheral sectors.

The worldwide exposure to life sciences has highlighted this vital work’s impact and has demonstrated its credibility to a wider audience. This will certainly help attract more candidates into the sector, but employers need to be prepared to compete for the best candidates in a fast-moving and dynamic recruitment market in 2021. Forward planning will be essential for any employer who wishes to achieve an ambitious hiring plan to ensure their company realises its full potential.

Leaman Life Sciences

At Leaman Life Sciences, we connect talented life sciences professionals to companies that lead the way in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and CRO. Trusted recruitment partners, we support global recruitment from our offices in London and New York. 

If you are a candidate looking for your next challenge or a company building for the future, contact us to discuss how one of our recruitment solutions can help progress your goals.

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Looking back over 2020 there’s no escaping the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic has defined the year. Our lives have changed in so many ways, and while it has been a year of struggle and tragedy for many, we all search for rays of light and continue to look on in grateful awe as frontline medical staff have battled through unimaginable circumstances.

We’ve also seen the life sciences thrust into the limelight, and in a positive way, as the public has followed every twist and turn of vaccine development and have become experts in the regulatory processes for approving new treatments.

Building a team for the future

We have seen many developments during the past year, discussed in our post What’s new with LLS in 2020, including the need to build on our comprehensive services we offer to clients and candidates to ensure that the right people find the right jobs at the right time.

Integral to our plans in 2020 was to continue recruiting top talent to our team at Leaman Life Sciences, and we are delighted to have welcomed four new recruitment experts into our team:

Aaron Adams, Senior consultant: Aaron has been hired to support Laura Hutchings thriving contract/temporary offering. He is joining us from another life sciences recruitment company, thus bringing with him a wealth of knowledge and experience. His dedication has seen him progress to be the go-to person in our contract resourcing efforts.

Jess Burstow, Contract resourcer: Jess also joined us last year, bringing with her a breadth of resourcing experience in life sciences to the contract team with Aaron.

George Litsardopoulos, Commercial desk: George settled quickly into the Leaman team, already making a positive impact in Kye Cheema’s commercial & marketing team, and we are looking forward to seeing what 2021 brings for him.

Joe Beddows, Permanent resourcing: Joe will have his hands full, supporting the permanent resourcing offering across the business, but he has already made his mark and, again, we are excited to see him build on this momentum in 2021.

Looking forward to 2021

There is still uncertainty over what lies ahead in 2021, but we can be optimistic that with the vaccine role out, things will get better. With that in mind, I recall some excellent advice given by a CEO I spoke with last year and shared in our Business during a period of volatility and uncertainty post last May:

• First and primarily, you need to make sure that your employees are taken care of. Secondly, you want to know and ensure that your customers are being taken care of.
• Lastly, you need to think about the future; how you will survive the pandemic and, ultimately, what will be the new normal.

The lessons of 2020 will give us an advantage in 2021 as we continue to support our industry and those who work in it to perform the critical work they do to return society to normality.

Leaman Life Sciences

At Leaman Life Sciences, we connect talented life science professionals to companies leading the way in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and CRO sectors.

As trusted recruitment partners, we support global recruitment from our offices in London and New York. Whether you are a candidate looking for your next challenge or a company building for the future, contact us to discuss how one of our recruitment solutions can help you achieve your goals.

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