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President's Message

With Change Comes Opportunity, Let’s Embrace It!

“The times they are a changing” or so sang Bob Dylan in 1964, the irony is that these words hold as true today as they did back then and if you think about it the great philosopher Heraclitus had it right all along when he wrote in 475 BC that “change is the only constant.” As unsettling as change may be, history has taught us that it also presents great moments of opportunity for those who embrace it.

Undoubtedly, the pharmaceutical industry globally and locally is not immune to change and is currently experiencing a pronounced period of flux and uncertainty. As we head into our 54th season, the Pharmaceutical Marketing Club of Quebec (PMCQ) has made it our mission to embrace this change by tackling the issues of the day and fostering a community spirit of Education, Expertise and Exchange among our membership. We may be competitors by day but we are colleagues by night and this is why we encourage you to attend our monthly evening meetings series between now and May, each having been carefully planned in collaboration with our Educational partners – BMS, Lundbeck, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi and Shire. Specifically, our educational series will among other topics address the changing landscape of our industry from the evolving role of the public and private payers, the impact of the internet on healthcare and how we can harness its power, the challenge of establishing brand loyalty in prescription pharmaceuticals, to the Quebec government’s biopharmaceutical strategy for this province. And with what is becoming an annual tradition for the Club we look forward to closing out the season with our Presidents Dinner where we will hear from those who are at the helm of many of Montreal’s R&D-based pharmaceutical companies and ask them for their prognostications on how they intend to embrace change and maintain a vibrant industry in this province and country.

And finally if we are going to embrace change why not celebrate it as well. In the sprit of change we have revamped both our Holiday Gala and Golf tournament and if you haven’t been in a while you should ask those who have what you are missing. These events afford you the chance to take a break from the daily grind, get out, relax and spend some quality time with industry colleagues and even your loved ones all the while raising money for local charity. Last year the club donated $5000 dollars to the Montreal Children’s and Ste-Justine hospitals. Our goal is to do even better this year but we need you there to make it happen.

Look for regular e-vites in your in-box announcing all our events. I also encourage you to consult our website for the most up to date information about activities and services that the PMCQ provides and most importantly recognize the opportunity change affords and embrace it by becoming and active member in the Club, I promise you won’t regret it!

Sincerely,

Dan Léger
President, PMCQ