More than 700 pharma leaders attended eyeforpharma Philadelphia 2018 in April to discuss and learn about how the healthcare industry is revolutionizing the patient experience – and, accordingly, companies’ commercial performance. The 16th annual event spanned two days and included more than 123 speakers, 40-plus sessions, and six workshops. The conference is tailored to every role in commercial pharma: business & commercial leaders; marketing gurus; patient advocates and engagers; medical affairs champions; and many more.

Located at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, eyeforpharma Philadelphia 2018 included more than 30 best-in-class case study examples of patient support and engagement, multichannel marketing, customer experience and customer insights. Expert speakers included SVPs and VPs of digital innovation, marketing, sales, patient advocacy, strategy, customer experience, commercial, business insights, and other areas.

As part of the conference, the eyeforpharma Awards were revealed to recognize what really matters in the pharmaceutical industry: providing the maximum value to the greatest number of patients. Julie L. Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H., executive VP and chief patient officer, Strategic Communications, Global Public Policy and Population Health, Merck & Co., was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. “We owe patients our gratitude,” Dr. Gerberding told the audience upon accepting her award.

Dr. Gerberding has been at the forefront of the world’s most pressing population health issues. Her leadership in modernizing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earned Dr. Gerberding recognition as one of Time magazine’s 2004 “100 Most Influential People in the World.” She joined Merck during January 2010 as president of Merck Vaccines and, during her leadership of that business, helped make the company’s vaccines increasingly more available and affordable to people in emerging markets and some of the most resource-limited countries around the globe. Dr. Gerberding helped lead the successful launch in India of the MSD Wellcome Trust Hilleman Laboratories, a not-for-profit joint venture for vaccine development. In recognition of her many accomplishments that have resulted in significant contributions to the healthcare industry, she was honored as Woman of the Year by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association during May 2018.

Jen Horonjeff, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Savvy Cooperative – a patient-owned co-op that helps companies and innovators get the patient/consumer insights they need to build better healthcare solutions – was recognized at eyeforpharma with the Patient Advocate Award. Dr. Horonjeff was diagnosed as an infant with juvenile arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, and five years ago had a brain tumor removed. She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Medicine from NYU and is a patient-centered outcomes researcher at Columbia University Medical Center, a human factors consultant, and FDA Consumer Representative. Dr. Horonjeff additionally serves as a patient representative on various projects, committees and advisory boards worldwide. She uses her unique personal and professional perspective to give patients a platform to have their voices be heard, valued and included to ensure that the future of care is co-designed with patients.

“I am honored to be recognized for our work at Savvy Cooperative,” Dr. Horonjeff says. “Patient advocacy has been my driving force for 15 years, but I know this is just the beginning of what we can all do together. The most effective advocacy comes when we join forces and collaborate.”

For information pertaining to eyeforpharma Philadelphia & Awards 2019, visit www.eyeforpharma.com/philadelphia and www.eyeforpharma.com/awards.