Members Lounge

Past Meetings

November 16, 2010
Listen, hear & trust

Cheryl-Anne Simoneau,
President The Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Society of Canada
www.cmlsociety.org

Cheryl-Anne Simoneau used to work on the marketing side of the medico-pharma business. She had been an active PMCQ member, going to the Christmas galas, playing in the golf tournament and representing her company. She still cares deeply about the issues that touch each of us as we go about our business. Except her perspective changed dramatically in the fall of 2000. She was diagnosed with CML, chronic myelogenous leukemia, a rare form of cancer about which she knew very little.

So began a journey of discovery about herself and about what patients need, want and have to know, as they become active participants in treating their illness. She also became acutely aware of the communications and behaviour barriers that stand in their way, some of them placed there by current marketing approaches, some by physicians.

"What patients don’t recognize often is that they come into the doctor’s office in a negotiating mode. We have to help these patients understand that they are negotiating because you have to keep these patients proactively talking about what’s best and right for them."

In a riveting presentation she reminded PMCQ members that the patient's perspective "is to be fixed, healed, to be cured and able to access the drug."

She exhorted the industry to work to help well-structured patient groups to allow them to:

• Empower patients through education & guidance
• Proactively monitor their path to a cure
• Navigate their disease and advocate when when have to
• Provide independent patient-based market research to industry & physicians
• Work for equitable access for all Canadians

Together don't we share the same goal? The right drug, at the right time and at the right price for all who need it.