What matters to patients matters to me (and you, and all of us)

In October last year, in the midst of the pandemic, I returned to Switzerland to take on the role of Therapy Area Head for Neurosciences and Rare Diseases here at Roche. For me, this is an exciting opportunity to pursue something that has been my driving passion for many years: focusing on patients’ needs to advance the field of neuroscience.

From cardiovascular to infectious diseases, from endocrinology to oncology, all therapy areas matter. If they didn’t, there wouldn’t be dozens of teams of highly skilled and talented scientists, researchers and healthcare professionals around the world striving to make a difference for people. Neuroscience for me, however, has a special resonance because it gets to the very core of what it means to be human. Evolving the field – whether through breakthroughs in some of the most common disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer’s disease, or in lesser-known rare diseases like spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) – means advancing our understanding of how and why these diseases can so profoundly affect our ability to think, move and engage. That is why it is so important. What could matter more?

Too many of us have experienced the life-changing effect that neurological disorders can have on people and their loved ones. Every single person who is diagnosed is a reason for us to keep working to advance the field, and a vital part of my role is to make sure patients are at the heart of everything we do. But there is another fundamental reason that cannot be overlooked: the socioeconomic impact of neurological diseases on communities and society. Neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide. As populations are growing and ageing, the prevalence of major disabling neurological disorders is set to increase steeply, putting extra pressure on healthcare systems and societies that are already facing long-term strain due to Covid-19.

When we help one person to hold onto his or her ability to think, to move and to live the way he or she wants, we are doing more than making a meaningful difference to that individual and his or her family: we are bringing value to society by enabling these families to lead productive and independent lives for as long as possible, while helping reduce the burden to the healthcare systems on which we all rely. This is why innovation in neuroscience is of such fundamental importance to us all. It is also why the understanding of the macroeconomic implications of healthcare innovations – the bigger economic picture – is something that particularly interests me. I’m looking forward to hosting a LinkedIn live panel discussion on The Value of Innovation for Brain Health with esteemed guest speakers from the neuroscience community to explore this subject further. Join us on Thursday 17th June, 3-3:45PM CEST and RSVP for the event here.

Nearly eight months into my role, I am inspired and excited about the direction that neuroscience research is taking. My colleagues and I are part of a global community of researchers and innovators working in multiple ways to advance the clinical understanding of neurological disorders, and we have already started to uncover new ways to diagnose, monitor progression, and treat some of the most challenging diseases of our time. Together we are making great strides in neuroscience together, while putting patients at the heart of everything that we do. This, I believe, is how true progress will be made.