Events

Medicines Australia Conference 2010

Stepping Out, Stepping Up

Embracing the challenges and opportunities for the future

Time: 8am – 5:30pm
When: Wednesday 27 October 2010
Where: Dockside, Cockle Bay Wharf, SYDNEY, NSW

Medicines Australia Conference 2010—the biggest pharmaceutical industry event of the year for members of Medicines Australia and other key stakeholders. It’s a great opportunity to come together with industry peers to take stock of where we are, celebrate our achievements and chart our future. This year’s conference is about Stepping out! Stepping up! Together as an industry.

Our industry has successfully engaged with health consumer organisations for many years to address the needs of health consumers. We will showcase successful partnerships and research commissioned by Medicines Australia into community perceptions of the industry, chaired by Ms Carol Bennett, Chief Executive of the Consumers Health Forum.

No-one knows more than the innovative pharmaceutical industry about the value of the contribution made by science and research to Australia’s economy and society. Our industry also plays a massive part in Australian manufacturing. A panel session facilitated by Mr Peter Roberts, Senior Writer, Australian Financial Review, will demonstrate the industry’s willingness to step up to the challenges it faces to successfully contribute to the Australian economy.

This year represents 50 years of the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct. Over this period the industry has constantly stepped up to the challenges and opportunities of providing a rigorous self-regulatory mechanism to ensure a high standard of ethical conduct. Dr Norman Swan, producer and presenter of ABC Radio National’s Health Report, will lead a lively hypothetical on industry self-regulation into the future.

While our operating environment is very much local, we recognise that we are part of a global family and that we are not immune from the changes and influences from around the world. Mr Chris Singer, Executive Vice President Chief Operating Officer of PhRMA, will provide delegates with a global perspective of the issues facing the industry in 2010 and beyond.

Medicines Australia Conference 2010 - Stepping Out! Stepping Up!

Dockside, Cockle Bay Wharf, Sydney, 26-27 October 2010

Download Programme & Registration Brochure for full details 768k

Medicines Australia Conference 2010 is an annual , held to bring together the major players from the innovative pharmaceuticals industry and other key stakeholders.  It is an outstanding opportunity for you to play an active role in the vigorous discussion and debate about the issues that confront our industry.  Medicines Australia has assembled a highly impressive program of influential speakers to address attendees on a range of key industry issues. 

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the 31 leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies in the United States. As Executive Vice President and President International of PhRMA, Chris Singer provides information and advice to the President and CEO on strategic, policy and operations’ issues, ensures proper support and coordination is available to member companies and represents PhRMA to external groups. Chris Singer’s career encompasses extensive government, commercial and international experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He began in the industry at Bristol Myers Squibb and has also worked for Pfizer, Inc. And GlaxoSmithKline. Mr Singer also worked in the federal government at the Department of Health and Human Services as well as on Capitol Hill as a Professional Staff Member for the United States Congress.

Carol Bennett was appointed Executive Director of the Consumers Health Forum of Australia—the peak organisation for health consumers in Australia—in early 2009. In this time, she has been responsible for the development of policy on key health issues including pathology services, medical technology, medicines policy, diagnostic imaging and the Medical Benefits Schedule. Ms Bennett has worked at the executive level in health organisations for the last 15 years, including as CEO of peak national and state health bodies, and major consultancy roles with organisations including beyondblue.

Peter Roberts is a leading editor and writer on business and management in the fields of innovation, manufacturing and government policy. Peter has held a wide variety of editorial and management roles in Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Singapore, working mainly for Fairfax publications. After founding an internet-based procurement service for small business, Buyerspower.com, he returned to Fairfax in 1999 as Managing Editor, Fairfax Business Media, Asia. In that role he launched IT and business magazines in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, India and China (in Mandarin). In August, 2006 as Managing Editor, BRW he led its relocation to Sydney and relaunch. Peter is a Director of the Australian Business Foundation, a non-profit funder of academic research into business innovation and competitiveness.

In January 2010 Dr Brendan Shaw was appointed Chief Executive of Medicines Australia. Prior to this, Dr Shaw led the Health Policy and Research function at Medicines Australia, representing the industry on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Pricing Authority, the Access to Medicines Working Group, and for two years was the industry member of the Economic Sub-Committee of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. Brendan has been instrumental in guiding the pharmaceutical industry through reforms to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee processes and the Therapeutic Goods Administration. He has driven Medicines Australia’s research programme, and has been pivotal in Medicines Australia’s contribution to the international debate on health technology assessment.

Host of the Health Report, on ABC Radio National, presenter of Health Minutes on ABC NewsRadio and health commentator on ABC Television’s Catalyst, Dr Norman Swan, is a multi-award winning broadcaster and journalist. In addition, he is the medical host in the 2010 season of Biggest Loser on Channel 10. One of the first medically qualified journalists in Australia, Norman was born in Scotland, graduated in medicine from the University of Aberdeen and later obtained his postgraduate qualifications in Paediatrics. Joining the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1982, Norman was named Australian Radio Producer of the Year in 1984 and was awarded a Gold Citation in the United Nations Media Peace Prizes for his radio work. He has won three Walkley National Awards for Australian journalism, including the prestigious Gold, and Australia’s top prize for Science Journalism, the Michael Daly Award, twice.

See Programme & Registration Brochure for full details  768k