Volume 26, Issue 4 - Preclinical Studies
Medical Communications
Abstract
Dear all,
The legal side of our job is something that most of us usually give little thought to. We assume that as scientists, we are automatically on the “right side” and therefore pretty bulletproof. Why should the law affect us, as long
as we have the data to back us up? However, the reality is that this is a huge and complicated issue that can land not only medical writers, but their clients or companies in very deep hot water, very quickly. Considering the high stakes in the pharmaceutical industry and the highly competitive environment, it shouldn’t be a surprise that rival company lawyers monitor all information coming from competitor companies, but the extent of liability that we have as medical writers might surprise and possibly scare you. In this issue, we hear from Joanne Flitcroft. Joanne is a lawyer who has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 17 years. She specialises in navigating the very tricky waters of defending product safety issues and maintaining corporate reputations. In her article, she explains some common pitfalls and why we should all be paying very close attention to the legal side of our work and its implications. With Joanne’s guidance, we will hopefully stay on the “right side” of the law and protect both ourselves and our clients/companies.
I’m sure you will enjoy her article, and it only leaves me to wish you the best wishes for the season – a happy and healthy 2018, and I hope Santa is kind to you all.
Bestest,
Lisa
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