S11 E05: Pharma’s year in review 2025
EMJ GOLD: Pharma news, views and analysis
This week, Isabel brings together three expert voices for an end-of-year round-up, reflecting on the moments that shaped healthcare and life sciences in 2025. Joined by Jonathan Sackier, Chairman, Medical Advisory Board, EMJ, Hanna Svanbäck, Executive Director for Neuroscience, Eli Lilly, and omnichannel expert Yacin Marzouki, the conversation looks back on a year defined by both disruption and progress. Across the episode, the contributors share their perspectives on the biggest setbacks and standout successes of the past 12 months, from regulatory uncertainty and access challenges to...
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S11 E04: The gender health divide: Driving change
EMJ GOLD: Pharma news, views and analysis
In Part 3, Carol Pitcher-Towner, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, explores how the pharmaceutical industry can become part of the solution. She highlights why leadership diversity matters, how trial design still excludes too many women and why embedding sex- and gender-aware science from day one could accelerate fairer, more effective care for everyone. Speaker bio Carol Pitcher-Towner is Senior Vice President and Head of Development Programs at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. Since joining the company in 2014 as one of its first European regulatory leaders, she has gone on to oversee patient...
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S11 E04: The gender health divide: Bias in practice
EMJ GOLD: Pharma news, views and analysis
In Part 2, Carol Pitcher-Towner, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, breaks down the systemic forces driving inequity, from diagnostic bias to the lack of women in key specialties like cardiology, and explains how historical clinical trial exclusion continues to skew the science. Discover why representation isn't just a workforce issue: it’s a scientific necessity, and the first barrier we must dismantle to ensure better care for everyone. Speaker bio Carol Pitcher-Towner is Senior Vice President and Head of Development Programs at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. Since joining the company in 2014 as one...
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S11 E04: The gender health divide: Tracing the gap
EMJ GOLD: Pharma news, views and analysis
This week, Isabel sits down with Carol Pitcher-Towner, Senior Vice President and Head of Development Programmes, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, to unpack the gender inequities that continue to tarnish modern healthcare. Together, they explore the realities behind unequal outcomes and the steps needed to build a more inclusive future for patients. In Part 1, Carol eveals the personal experiences that made gender inequity impossible to ignore and uncovers where today’s biggest gaps still exist. From disease areas where women are routinely misdiagnosed to the persistent blind spots shaping clinical...
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E11 E03: Shaping the future of Alzheimer's care: The future of care
EMJ GOLD: Pharma news, views and analysis
In Part 3, Hanna Svanbäck discusses the future of Alzheimer’s care over the next five to 10 years, how trial design could be improved and reveals her opinion on the most exciting healthcare innovation on the horizon. Speaker bio Hanna Svanbäck is the Executive Director for Neuroscience, Eli Lilly, overseeing operations in the UK, Ireland and the Nordic countries. Hanna has over 15 years of experience at Lilly and is proud to lead the Neurosciences function given Lilly's long-standing commitment to advancing scientific innovation in this field. Hanna's passion for science and her dedication...
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E11 E03: Shaping the future of Alzheimer’s care: Research and discoveries
EMJ GOLD: Pharma news, views and analysis
In Part 2, Hanna Svanbäck discusses the latest and most significant innovations in Alzheimer’s care. She also considers whether healthcare systems are prepared for the anticipated surge in cases, and shares some positive news about prevention. Speaker bio Hanna Svanbäck is the Executive Director for Neuroscience, Eli Lilly, overseeing operations in the UK, Ireland and the Nordic countries. Hanna has over 15 years of experience at Lilly and is proud to lead the Neurosciences function given Lilly’s long-standing commitment to advancing scientific innovation in this field. Hanna’s...
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S11 E03: Shaping the future of Alzheimer’s care: Building a career in neuroscience
EMJ GOLD: Pharma news, views and analysis
This week, Isabel sits down with Hanna Svanbäck, Executive Director for Neuroscience, Eli Lilly, for an insightful discussion on the evolving landscape of Alzheimer’s research. Together, they explore the latest breakthroughs, the challenges ahead and the strategies shaping the future of treatment and prevention. In Part 1 of the conversation, find out about Hanna's journey into neuroscience, her work in Alzheimer’s spanning three key markets and how her teams overcome the inevitable hurdles of brain-based drug discovery. Speaker bio Hanna Svanbäck is the Executive Director for...
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S11 E02: Transforming critical care through innovation: Future of advanced life support
EMJ GOLD: Pharma news, views and analysis
In Part 3 of the conversation, Giuseppe Savoja, Western Europe Senior Business Director, Cardiac Surgery Business at Medtronic, talks about his outlook for the future of his field, his views on how the industry and clinicians can collaborate more effectively and the healthcare changes he is most excited about. Guest bio Giuseppe Savoja is Senior Business Director for Cardiac Surgery in Western Europe at Medtronic, where he leads the business with a focus on transformation, growth, and patient impact. With 20+ years in the medical device industry and leadership roles across Europe and Asia, he...
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S11 E02: Transforming critical care through innovation: ECMO: Then and now
EMJ GOLD: Pharma news, views and analysis
In Part 2 of the conversation, Giuseppe Savoja, Western Europe Senior Business Director, Cardiac Surgery Business, Medtronic, shares how ECMO has transformed over the decades and explores how clinicians and industry can work together to support the most vulnerable patients in intensive care. Guest bio Giuseppe Savoja is Senior Business Director for Cardiac Surgery in Western Europe at Medtronic, where he leads the business with a focus on transformation, growth, and patient impact. With 20+ years in the medical device industry and leadership roles across Europe and Asia, he brings a blend of...
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S11 E02: Transforming critical care through innovation: Building a career in MedTech
EMJ GOLD: Pharma news, views and analysis
This week, Isabel is joined by Giuseppe Savoja, Western Europe Senior Business Director, Cardiac Surgery Business at Medtronic, for a deep-dive into the evolution and future of ECMO, innovation in critical care and the realities of leading in the MedTech space. In Part 1 of the interview, Giuseppe talks about what attracted him to the medical device industry, what his day-to-day role involves and what advice he would give to anyone considering joining the MedTech sector. Guest bio Giuseppe Savoja is Senior Business Director for Cardiac Surgery in Western Europe at Medtronic, where he leads the...
info_outlineCurious to discover what might lie ahead for industry in 2025? Join Isabel and Jade in this special episode of the EMJ GOLD podcast as they reflect on whether last year’s predictions for 2024 came true, while three special guests share their predictions and hopes for pharma in the year ahead.
The line-up includes Jennifer Schranz of Ipsen, Mercedes Diz of Almirall and EMJ’s own Dr Jonathan Sackier - all of whom share their predictions in their areas of expertise.
A little more on GOLD’s guests…
Jennifer Schranz is the Senior Vice President, Global Head of Rare Diseases at Ipsen, where she oversees the Rare Diseases therapy area with a focus on R&D strategy and execution. During her time at the business, she has led talented teams of scientists and fostered strong internal collaborations within the company, leveraging her clinical development expertise to advance Ipsen’s vision of addressing challenging rare diseases.
Mercedes Diz has over 20 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry, having graduated with a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Autonomous University of Madrid. She has worked in a number of different pharmaceutical companies, from J&J to Pfizer, and is also a keen member of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association. At Almirall, she leads portfolio strategy and commercial innovation for global brands, new products and digital and cultural transformation.
Dr Jonathan Sackier is Chairman at EMJ and the host of the EMJ podcast, where he utilises his experience as a physician to discuss the latest breakthroughs and challenges in the medical field with fellow practitioners and experts. Jonathan is a founding partner of many start-ups in the medical technology space and created the world’s first operating room robot.