Transforming Medical Communications

How to Build a Therapeutic Area Narrative That Works

What is one of the most unprecedented challenges pharma companies face today? Capturing HCP’s attention in under a minute. This challenge has given rise to a critical yet often overlooked strategic tool: the therapeutic area narrative. In this episode of Transforming Medical Communications, Wesley Portegies is joined by the Director of Scientific Communications and Content at Astellas Pharma, Sean Sheffler-Collins, to explore how cohesive therapeutic area narratives can elevate pipeline visibility, foster collaboration, and build trust across stakeholders.We’ll talk about:How to develop and implement therapeutic area narratives that unify pipeline communications across multiple assetsThe critical role Medical Affairs plays in bridging R&D and clinical development teams to create compelling scientific storiesWhy consistent therapeutic area messaging is essential for building trust with HCPs Cut Through the Noise. Elevate Your Strategy.Guiding Medical Affairs strategy across Medical Communications, Field Medical, or Medical Affairs Training? Wesley Portegies, host of Transforming Medical Communications, is opening up a few exclusive 30-minute consultancy sessions.This is a candid, insight-rich opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, pressure-test your approach, and explore fresh solutions to complex MedComms challenges—from scientific engagement to operational alignment.If you’re shaping the future of Medical Affairs at your organization, this conversation is for you. Reserve your session → Schedule now https://mce.global/consultancyPrevious guests include: Sissy Easo-Joseph at GSK, Barbara Bish at Janssen, Drew Provan at Queen Mary University, Rebecca McCracken at Agios PharmaceuticalsCheck out our three most downloaded episodes:The Human Side of Medical Communications: Building TrustFrom Research to Reach: How Sermo, Kudos, and Figshare Expand Your AudienceModernizing Your MedComms ApproachTransforming Medical Communications is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed by the guest are their own and do not represent any past or current employers.

From Silos to Strategy: Rethinking Medical-Commercial Alignment

For decades, medical and commercial teams in pharma operated in strict silos. But that model is quietly breaking down. In this episode of Transforming Medical Communications, Wesley Portegies is joined by Lynsey Clarke, President, Client Partnerships North America, to discuss how the relationship between medical and commercial functions has evolved and where the real opportunities for alignment now lie.We’ll talk about:How to recognize where your organization sits on the medical-commercial continuumWhy omnichannel execution demands coordinated medical and commercial planningThe disease education sweet spot where both functions can collaborate authenticallyHow intent and compliance now differentiate medical from commercial communicationCut Through the Noise. Elevate Your Strategy.Guiding Medical Affairs strategy across Medical Communications, Field Medical, or Medical Affairs Training? Wesley Portegies, host of Transforming Medical Communications, is opening up a few exclusive 30-minute consultancy sessions.This is a candid, insight-rich opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, pressure-test your approach, and explore fresh solutions to complex MedComms challenges—from scientific engagement to operational alignment.If you’re shaping the future of Medical Affairs at your organization, this conversation is for you. Reserve your session → Schedule now https://mce.global/consultancyPrevious guests include: Sissy Easo-Joseph at GSK, Barbara Bish at Janssen, Drew Provan at Queen Mary University, Rebecca McCracken at Agios PharmaceuticalsCheck out our three most downloaded episodes:The Human Side of Medical Communications: Building TrustFrom Research to Reach: How Sermo, Kudos, and Figshare Expand Your AudienceModernizing Your MedComms ApproachTransforming Medical Communications is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed by the guest are their own and do not represent any past or current employers.

Building a Medical Affairs Powerhouse Without a Big Pharma Budget

Medical Affairs teams face increasing pressure to deliver greater impact with limited resources. As HCPs increasingly consume information through digital channels and abbreviated formats, traditional Medical Communications approaches often fall short. But what if the solution isn’t doing more, but doing less, more strategically? In this episode of Transforming Medical Communications, Wesley Portegies is joined by Georgea Pasedis, Vice President, Medical Affairs at Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., to explore building effective Medical Communications functions with limited resources.We’ll talk about:How to develop streamlined Medical Communications strategies that prioritize physician needs over traditional approachesWhy segmenting HCP audiences into distinct groups based on their information consumption preferences leads to better engagementHow to leverage field insights and basic data to create effective strategies without large budgetsWhy limiting tactical deployment to three to four key initiatives yields better results than trying to do everything at onceHow to build stronger cross-functional partnerships between Medical Affairs and commercial teams for greater organizational impact Cut Through the Noise. Elevate Your Strategy.Guiding Medical Affairs strategy across Medical Communications, Field Medical, or Medical Affairs Training? Wesley Portegies, host of Transforming Medical Communications, is opening up a few exclusive 30-minute consultancy sessions.This is a candid, insight-rich opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, pressure-test your approach, and explore fresh solutions to complex MedComms challenges—from scientific engagement to operational alignment.If you’re shaping the future of Medical Affairs at your organization, this conversation is for you. Reserve your session → Schedule now https://mce.global/consultancyPrevious guests include: Sissy Easo-Joseph at GSK, Barbara Bish at Janssen, Drew Provan at Queen Mary University, Rebecca McCracken at Agios PharmaceuticalsCheck out our three most downloaded episodes:The Human Side of Medical Communications: Building TrustFrom Research to Reach: How Sermo, Kudos, and Figshare Expand Your AudienceModernizing Your MedComms ApproachTransforming Medical Communications is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed by the guest are their own and do not represent any past or current employers.

How to Humanize Clinical Data: The "Listen First" Strategy

How do you turn complex clinical data into actionable insight for HCPs? In this episode of Transforming Medical Communications, Wesley Portegies is joined by Daniela van Eickels, Senior Vice President and Head of Medical Affairs at Kyowa Kirin, to share why great data isn’t enough, how pharma can better listen before it talks, and what it takes to truly humanize Medical Communication.We’ll talk about:Why listening precedes talking in Medical CommunicationsHow to contextualize data without diluting itHow Medical Communication should differ between generalists vs. specialistsCut Through the Noise. Elevate Your Strategy.Guiding Medical Affairs strategy across Medical Communications, Field Medical, or Medical Affairs Training? Wesley Portegies, host of Transforming Medical Communications, is opening up a few exclusive 30-minute consultancy sessions.This is a candid, insight-rich opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, pressure-test your approach, and explore fresh solutions to complex MedComms challenges—from scientific engagement to operational alignment.If you’re shaping the future of Medical Affairs at your organization, this conversation is for you. Reserve your session → Schedule now https://mce.global/consultancyPrevious guests include: Sissy Easo-Joseph at GSK, Barbara Bish at Janssen, Drew Provan at Queen Mary University, Rebecca McCracken at Agios PharmaceuticalsCheck out our three most downloaded episodes:The Human Side of Medical Communications: Building TrustFrom Research to Reach: How Sermo, Kudos, and Figshare Expand Your AudienceModernizing Your MedComms ApproachTransforming Medical Communications is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed by the guest are their own and do not represent any past or current employers.

Best of 2025: The MedComms Strategies That Moved the Needle

In this Best of the Year episode of Transforming Medical Communications, Wesley Portegies brings insights from some of the leading voices in Medical Communications to unpack the most pressing shifts shaping how HCPs consume scientific information today, featuring Simon Priou of bioMérieux, Kimberly Eskridge-Rose of Travere Therapeutics, Janet Davies of UCB, Erin Reineke of Sanofi, Matthew Krzywosz of Astellas Pharma, and Nishal Patel of Pfizer.We’ll talk about:How to identify gaps between intended and actual content usage through rigorous metrics analysisWhy less is more in Medical Communications requires targeted audience segmentationThe case for proactive social media engagement in Medical Affairs to combat misinformationHow to define Scientific Communications Platforms (SCPs) accurately as foundational strategic documentsWhy Field Medical insights must directly inform content development and how to design omnichannel strategies as dynamic, iterative cyclesHow insights-driven content iteration closes the gap between messaging intent and HCP internalization Cut Through the Noise. Elevate Your Strategy.Guiding Medical Affairs strategy across Medical Communications, Field Medical, or Medical Affairs Training? Wesley Portegies, host of Transforming Medical Communications, is opening up a few exclusive 30-minute consultancy sessions.This is a candid, insight-rich opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, pressure-test your approach, and explore fresh solutions to complex MedComms challenges—from scientific engagement to operational alignment.If you’re shaping the future of Medical Affairs at your organization, this conversation is for you. Reserve your session → Schedule now https://mce.global/consultancyPrevious guests include: Sissy Easo-Joseph at GSK, Barbara Bish at Janssen, Drew Provan at Queen Mary University, Rebecca McCracken at Agios PharmaceuticalsCheck out our three most downloaded episodes:The Human Side of Medical Communications: Building TrustFrom Research to Reach: How Sermo, Kudos, and Figshare Expand Your AudienceModernizing Your MedComms ApproachTransforming Medical Communications is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed by the guest are their own and do not represent any past or current employers.