The importance of DEI in Pharma
As part of a special supplement on 'Diversity in Pharma', StartCodon CEO and Co-Founder, Jason Mellad, recently spoke to International Clinical Trials (Samedan Ltd) on 'The importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in the pharma industry'.
Speaking on the developments over the past decade, Jason described the positive shift from compliance-driven Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, to many companies making DEI part of their core business strategy.
In his interview, Jason described the benefits of having strong DEI within a pharma company: "By having a strong culture of DEI, pharma companies are starting to better understand and serve diverse patient populations, resulting in more equitable healthcare outcomes."
He discussed the importance of clinical trials becoming more representative of diverse populations to ensure new therapies are tested and validated across different demographics - particularly under-represented groups who may respond differently to treatments. Building on this, he also discussed the importance of representation in upper management and what it means for the workforce and patients.
The interview highlighted how important it is for pharma companies to maintain a focus on implementing inclusive hiring and promotion practices, to ensure diverse representation at all levels, with Jason encouraging creation of mentorship and leadership development programmes to support under represented groups.
Jason also touched on how DEI efforts can contribute to a positive corporate reputation and the ability to enhance partnerships with stakeholders who share core beliefs around the benefits of being inclusive.
"In an industry driven by scientific and complex decision making, diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and ultimately results in novel solutions."
Read the interview in full here: https://www.calameo.com/read/0...