Getting ReAl

Recently I had the pleasure of speaking with 13 important people who made a significant impact on me. It wasn’t a typical strategy or commercialization meeting that I’m accustomed to; it was meeting directly with social influencers who are living with rheumatoid arthritis or RA. One often hears the phrase “Patients First” within our industry, but it’s a little different at Pfizer. It’s interwoven in everything we do. At the ReAl Talk RA Summit, I had the privilege to ‘walk the walk’ and connect directly with people living with RA and I was excited to participate in an unfiltered dialogue. Going into the meeting I wondered just how open this group would be with someone from a pharmaceutical company. I was delighted with the candor I experienced.

This openness reminded me of the importance of stepping out of our offices and conference rooms to get closer to our beliefs. Our commitment to – and compassion for – patient health guides every action, informs every strategic decision and unifies colleagues in regions and functions across the business. All colleagues in Pfizer I&I own this commitment and are empowered to come up with innovative ways to focus on patients. I was inspired to meet this group of people living with RA and hear their courageous experiences first hand. I very much look forward to keeping the 'real talk' going.