Welcome to Washington: four key takeaways from the Annual Meeting of ISMPP

The 20th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals (ISMPP) took place at the Grand Hyatt Washington from 29th April to 1st May. Centred around the theme “Storytelling: Its Art and Power,” this year’s gathering delved into both the creative and methodological aspects of medical publications and communications.

Among hundreds of attendees was Steven Fuller, community director for Race in STEM, who took part in roundtable discussions with leading life sciences professionals on all things DEI. Here are his key takeaways.

1. We need a more inclusive hiring process

There’s an argument that the hiring process in the pharmaceutical industry is exclusionary by its very nature. While a written test provides a good indication of a candidate’s acumen, is it a fair mode of assessment? One agency promotes diversity through employee resource groups (ERGs) for the LGBTQ+, disabled and other underrepresented communities. Due to the lack of diversity in the academic pool, the requirement for a PhD can exclude minorities.

2. Studies should reflect the local demographic

In clinical studies, we need to represent various skin tones to reflect the ethnic groups in the patient population. An example was given of a dermatitis study where all the training manuals were on white skin, and there seemed to be a higher placebo rate which wasn’t captured.

3. Training is just the start

DEI is moving so quickly that training quickly becomes outdated. Training and education must be allied to role modelling from leadership, who need to embody and actively display the qualities we desire in all of our people.

4. Allyship can include and inform

There was a feeling that there’s “nothing about us without us.” Education is a big part of being a better ally. By learning about different people’s experiences, we can better understand their perspectives and represent those perspectives in our communications.

Key takeaways

We can never achieve a truly equitable workplace if we keep treating DEI as a separate entity. That means more inclusive hiring processes, clinical studies that reflect the local demographic, continuous training, and allyship that makes everyone feel included.

ISMPP is a professional member association which aims to provide ethical and effective communication of medical research to inform treatment decisions. Find out more about ISMPP here.

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Race in STEM is a community for underrepresented multicultural voices in STEM. If you’d like to find out more about Race in STEM, or you want to talk to us about improving equality and diversity in your organisation, please get in touch now.