The Mindfulness of Medicine Development: Patients as Partners in the R&D Journey

At Pfizer, we know that breakthroughs aren’t created in a vacuum. Every new discovery, every new medicine and vaccine, is the result of the collaboration of many members of our community, each with their own unique experiences, expertise, and insights. The human element cannot be separated from our work any more than the patient experience can be removed from the treatment. 

“The Mindfulness of Medicine Development” series showcases the journeys, experiences, and inspirations of our colleagues, highlighting the key qualities that drive success in pharmaceutical R&D, from discovery through to approval and beyond.

Incorporating the patient perspective across the discovery and development of new drug candidates is critical to advancing medicines and vaccines that will be responsive to their needs. In this second installment of “The Mindfulness of Medicine Development,” we meet Brett, a colleague at the forefront of this work leading patient preference studies at Pfizer.

“I started my career in environmental economics because I wanted to use my skills to have a positive and measurable impact on the world,” reflects Brett. He discovered the survey methods he had been applying in the field of forestry could also benefit biopharmaceutical innovation and, ultimately, patients, allowing teams across R&D better understand their experiences and use those insights to guide clinical development.

Now, Brett and his team aim to incorporate patient input at every stage of drug discovery and development. By working with patients and patient advocacy groups, they can gain invaluable insights into the day-to-day realities of living with a particular condition, which help them identify the health outcomes and treatment attributes that may be valued most.

Regardless of the specific disease, the goal remains the same: to understand the patient perspective and ensure it is consistently reflected in decisions that shape the development of new medicines and vaccines.

"We want to understand what matters to patients, and we want health authorities to make decisions that reflect those values," Brett explains. With this steadfast commitment to this approach, Brett is striving for a future where the patient is not only heard but can more actively help shape the creation of life-changing health innovations.

Learn more about Brett in the next installment of “The Mindfulness of Medicine Development”: 

Tune in to the full series to hear stories from colleagues across the R&D continuum: The Mindfulness of Medicine Development: How Scientists Are Driving the Next Wave of Medical Innovations