Medical Writing in Canada

Presented at AMWA National ConferenceOctober 25, 2008, Louisvile, KY

Amanda Strongamanda@medicalcommunications.ca514.239.2736www.medicalcommunications.ca

Pharma in Canada

Small market compared to USA:Sales represent only 2% of the world market8th largest world market in salesemployed about 40 000 people in 2005 plus

another 35 000 indirectly Over 80% of industry located in Quebec

and Ontario

Source: Industry Canada. Canadian pharmaceutical Industry Profile. http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/lsg-pdsv.nsf/en/h_hn00021e.html

Pharma in Canada

Source: Industry Canada. Canadian pharmaceutical Industry Profile. http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/lsg-pdsv.nsf/en/h_hn00021e.html

Pharma in Canada

Rank Leading CompaniesR&D

LocationTotal Sales

($Millions)Market

Share (%)

1 Pfizer Montreal 2,288 13.4

2 AstraZeneca Montreal 1,121 6.6

3 Johnson & Johnson Toronto 1,106 6.5

4 GlaxoSmithKline Toronto 996 5.8

5 Apotex Toronto 950 5.6

6 Wyeth Montreal 675 4.0

7 Novartis Toronto 647 3.8

8 Sanofi-Aventis Quebec 625 3.7

9 Merck Frosst Montreal 602 3.5

10 Bristol-Myers Squibb Montreal 552 3.2

Source: 2005 drugstore and hospital purchases audit performed by IMS Health

Top 10 leading pharmaceutical companies in Canada

Pharma in Canada

RankLeading

ProductsTherapeutic Subclass

Total Sales($ Millions)

2005 Growth(%)

1 Lipitor Cholesterol Reducer 625.7 32.5

2 Losec Proton Pump Inhibitor 424.3 1.4

3 Zocor Cholesterol Reducer 291.4 42.3

4 Norvasc Calcium Channel Blocker 250.2 17.1

5 Altace ACE Inhibitor 234.9 40.6

6 Paxil Antidepressant 227.5 8.3

7 Zyprexa Tranquilizer 198.6 17.5

8 Celebrex Systemic Anti-Arthritic 186.1 0.2

9 Eprex Hematopoietic Agent 178.7 17.3

10 Pantoloc Proton Pump Inhibitor 161.1 37.5

Top 10 leading therapeutic classes (2005)

Source: 2005 drugstore and hospital purchases audit performed by IMS Health

Canadian Medical Writers

Highest Education (%)

BSc/BA 21.9

MSc/MA 20.3

MD/PhD 17.2

Other 3.1

Sex (%)

Male 20.3

Female 76.6

61% medical writers who responded to the survey reside in Ontario

Canadian Medical Writers

  Employed Freelance

Academia 4.6 ± 18.9 5.2 ± 11.7

Industry 43.3 ± 50.4 24.5 ± 33.0

Professional Association 4.3 ± 20.9 1.3 ± 4.9

Patient/Disease Association 0 ± 0 1.7 ± 9.3

Journal or Publisher 12.4 ± 32.8 14.6 ± 26.4

Communication or Marketing 13.0 ± 34.4 22.9 ± 32.0

Healthcare Organization 4.3 ± 20.9 3.4 ± 7.9

Contract Research Organization 8.7 ± 28.8 6.2 ± 22.3

Research/Education Organization 4.3 ± 20.9 3.0 ± 9.7

Governmental Organization 0.2 ± 1.0 5.2 ± 11.5

Non-governmental Organization 4.3 ± 20.9 1.4 ± 4.6

Other 0.4 ± 2.1 10.2 ± 25.8

Sectors of Employment of Medical Writers in Canada

Canadian Medical Writers

Salary Freelance

Income

Mean (± SD) $79,524 ± $25,508 $62,482 ± $36,044

Median $75,000 $67,000

Min, Max $40,000, $135,000 $1,000, $150,000

95% CI $67,913 – $91,135 $48,223 – $76,740

Hours worked

Mean (± SD) 38.7 ± 3.7 30.0 ± 9.9(22.5 ± 8.1 billable)

Median 39.0 30.0

Min, Max 30, 50 2, 45

95% CI 37.1 – 40.2 26.2 – 33.8

Yearly Income and Average Hours Worked per Week

Source: 2008 AMWA Canada Salary Survey

Training in Canada

Laurentian University, SudburyGraduate diploma in science communicationFull-time, 1-yearTuition $6000; most students eligible for

entrance scholarships

Training in Canada

Concordia University, Montreal2 introductory stand-alone courses in medical

writing (~$300) Manuscript preparation Pharmaceutical marketing

Has been some discussions around creating a scientific or medical communications cont-ed certificate program available for completion online

Training in Canada

University of Toronto2 MSc programs in Biomedical

Communications, however they focus on medical artwork

Interactive media tools Illustration and animation

Tuition about $7500

Training in Canada

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)Science Writer Scholarships / Health

Research Communications Award $21-26 000 for 2 students enrolled in a post-

graduate journalism or communications programAlso fund health communications awards /

programs Ie, Doctoral Research Award: CHE

Writing

Regulatory Environment

Health Canada. Food and Drugs Actwho can sell a drug and how; what standards need to be met for a drug to

be sold in Canada; how drugs must be labelled and packaged

Codes of Conduct

Rx&D Research Based Pharmaceutical Companies

PAAB Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board

ASC Advertising Standards Canada

CAMP Canadian Association of Magazine Publishers

MAINPRO College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)

PAAB & Health Canada

Health Canada is an ex-officio observer and advisor “without relinquishing authority under the Food and Drugs Act”

PAAB Commissioner works with Manager, Advertising and Risk Communications Section, Marketed Health Products Directorate at health Canada

Bi-annual meetings

(Source AMWA PAAB Workshop 2006)

PAAB Exemptions

PAAB Review exemptions (6.6) personal solicited correspondence government agency requirements price lists (no claims) institutional messages with no product “patient information” direct to patients independent educational materials (no emphasis on

sponsor’s drugs, see Health Canada guideline)

Data on File

PAAB 3.1.2Reviewed as part of NDS AND evidence of

acceptance indicated by inclusion in the PMCitation in bibliography of PM does not

indicate proof of acceptance

Published Articles

Yes-Publication in a peer-reviewed journal (PAAB 3.1.1)

No-Papers published in journal supplements unless the advertiser can demonstrate that the supplement has also been subject to a rigorous peer-review process similar to the attached journal (PAAB 3.1.2)

Published Clinical Trial

Formulation / dose range must be as per PM and the same as used in Canada

Open label trials are generally not acceptable Post hoc analyses and pooled data are generally

not acceptable Statistical analysis must be presented as part of

any data presentation

Other Articles

Review articles: Usually not acceptable

Meta-analyses: Depends on design

Guidelines and consensus statements Usually acceptable Claims must be consistent with PM

Posters and abstracts Not acceptable

DTC

Not allowed in Canada Consumer ads can identify drug or

indication, but not both

Help Seeking Ads

Okay when:No drug is identifiedNo implication that there is one sole treatment

availableNo drug manufacturer’s name is included

Third Party

Content must be 100% independent of Pharma

Pharma involvement limited to funding development and distribution

Reps can not distribute (becomes advertising)

CHE in Canada

Unaccredited must follow PAAB and Rx&D codes of conduct

Accredited programs bypass the Rx&D and PAAB codes

The two most common accreditation bodies in Canada are the two physician colleges: the CFPC and the RCPSC

Accreditation is separate for each province

CHE in Canada

Usually aim for national faculty Programs for Quebec are usually in

French – but often initially written in English

‘Firewall’ requirements between marketing and CHE

Service-orientated Items

Service Orientated Items (Rx&D)Acceptable service-oriented items are defined as items whose primary goal is to enhance the health care professional’s or patient’s understanding of a condition or its treatment. Such items may bear the corporate name and logo of the donor, but must not bear the name of any medicine.

Rx&D 8.2

Miscellaneous

Ad boardsSimilar to US but limitations on distribution

Conference ReportsMust follow PAAB, Rx&D codes unless

involvement strictly restricted to funding

Miscellaneous

Probably similar to USA although market and budgets are generally smaller Hospital Patient advocacy (usually national) Publishers: textbooks, journals… Corporate communications Posters, abstracts, articles PR Conference coverage, journalism

Key differences

Intensive pre-clearance process for marketing / CHE Strict regulations restricting communication to approved labeling Strict regulations on data presentation and acceptable references

No DTC Fallout: website barriers

Less use of technology and new media E-detailing or use of tablet PCs rare Less use of websites

Restrictions on satellite symposia in Canadian conferences as well as distribution of post-conference materials

Smaller budgets overall especially evident in CHE and less use of ad boards

Unique Opportunities

Canadianising global or US materials especially relevant in advertising, sales rep

training, interactive materials Backgrounders based on Canadian

market Although writing is done in English, writers

who can communicate in French are in demand

Finding Canadian Info

For guidelines: CMA Infobase http://mdm.ca/cpgsnew/cpgs/index.asp

Canada Health Portal http://chp-pcs.gc.ca/index.jsp

Health and Wellness Resource Centre at La Bibliothèque Nationale (members) http://bibnum2.bnquebec.ca A searchable database for magazine articles on

health and wellness Statistics Canada

Finding Work

P.R.N Directory (www.prnonline.ca) Directory of pharma companies and suppliers

Canadian Health network (www.publichealth.gc.ca) Provides a comprehensive list of health orgs in Canada:

CharityVillage.ca occasionally has job postings for hospitals, foundations,

academia and advocacy organizations Health Canada (jobs.gc.ca) Workpolis.com / Monster.ca AMWA / CSWA / STC-Canada List your services on AMWA-Canada or writers.ca ‘Headhunters’