In an often male-dominated industry, a refreshing dialog stemmed from July’s Women in Advanced Therapies virtual event, with a focus on acknowledging and tackling biases in the industry.
Becky Johnson-Kent, director of commercial partnerships and head of WIAT, explained how the program began in 2019 as a small mentorship program with only five pairings. “When I joined Phacilitate three years ago, I took this program and expanded it. WIAT now comprises of a pre-day event at each of our in-person events (Advanced Therapies Europe and Advanced Therapies Week), a flourishing online community, WIAT Global as well as the mentorship program, where it all began, which had 100 applicants and 50 pairings for 2024.”
The virtual event saw 550 individuals registered, with most participants coming from the UK, US and Australia.
Not Legally Binding
Opening discussions pinpointed the overwhelming exclusion women have historically had in clinical research. Before 1993, the inclusion of women in clinical research, while recommended under the National Institutes Health (NIH) policy in the US, was not covered by law.
After a public law in 1993, Congress then wrote this policy into federal law. In consideration of the extensive years taken to develop drugs, the understanding of female health was limited from an early standpoint.
Due to the added time taken to include women more often in clinical research, gender biases remained in the industry as products were not created with the female candidate in mind during both the research and development stages. The reality of these facts was echoed in Johnson-Kent's reminder that “the journey to innovation is fraught with complexities.”
Biases existing within the pharma development space are mirrored in the corporate world, panelists observed. For instance, there are biases that fall within the hiring process.
Jeanette Beuchler, executive marketing director at Pharmatech Associates, stated that the effect of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) extends far beyond a company's walls and “can make an impact when it comes to innovations and patient care.” Speakers discussed why and how employers should be mindful of any tendency to default to hiring candidates of a similar background or personality type as themselves.
While EDI roles, boards and networks are often created to improve diversity in the workplace, issues can often arise from the way these departments are run. A panel during the WIAT event raised this concern. The speakers noted that although the increased use of focus groups or boards was beneficial to keep an open dialog in the corporate environment, it can cause individuals to become singled out based on their race or gender, for example.
'We Are All Dependent On Biopharma'
Each talk emphasized how this industry impacts patients and wider society. The panel session "A Mother’s Journey: Navigating the Emotional Toll of CAR-T beyond Treatment" shared a personal story emphasizing that while our dependency on the health care industry may fluctuate throughout a person's lifetime, its need is a constant.
In June 2023, Lucy Ellerker-Jones introduced the Opie Jones Foundation, named after her now four-year-old son, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) at five months old.
Following multiple hospital attempts and failed chemotherapy, Opie became the ninth pediatric patient worldwide to receive CAR-T therapy, which saved his life.
The charity aims to help families “navigate life in this new normal” by granting mental health therapy bursaries of up to £5,000 ($6,330). The financial freedom offered to start therapy subsequently allows family members to voice their traumas and explore how these experiences have shaped them.
Increasing pediatric patients’ accessibility to CAR-T therapy also remains a strong priority. Lucy recounted how Opie was comparatively sicker during his bone marrow treatment and spent more time in the hospital than during CAR-T treatment.
The foundation strongly believes “CAR-T needs to become a first thought as opposed to a last resort,” she said. Through raising awareness, the group hopes that those who make treatment decisions have sufficient CAR-T knowledge to assess its benefits.
Johnson-Kent noted that Phacilitate has “worked with the Opie Jones Foundation previously and Lucy has spoken at our in-person events.” The other charitable partner was the Phoenix Children’s Foundation, which works primarily as a non-profit organization “dedicated to fostering philanthropic support.”
Additional partners included “Women in Bio, Women in Pharma and The CGT Circle.
Looking Forward
WIAT Global, which is aimed at “all women and their male allies,” believes it has “the potential to connect communities and individuals like never before,” said Johnson-Kent. By connecting groups globally and keeping content accessible, WIAT hopes to both empower and educate women in the industry.
