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Market Access Director

It is a tough job trying to obtain access for innovative medicines in this country, and you have to want to keep fighting, always with the patient in your mind.

Jenn, Director of Health Economics, Market Access and Reimbursment

​​​​​​​​​​What do yo​​u do?

I lead the market access team of a major pharmaceutical company, and our mission is to achieve patient access to our innovative treatments. ​​​

What qualifications and experience do you h​​​ave?

I have a BSc in Biology/Biochemistry, an MBA in Finance, and a PostGrad in Pharmacoeconomics. I have worked as:

  • A university lab assistant in Vancouver, Canada 
  • A Health Economist in consulting in Sydney, Australia
  • A​ Regional Market Access Lead for a global pharmaceutical company based out of Singapore
  • A Senior Health Economist at the same company but based in Australia

and now as the Market Access Director at a pharmaceutical company in the UK. 

What does your typical day ​​​involve?

Catching up with internal colleagues, answering emails, visiting important external customers such as NICE or the Government, and drinking lots of coffee!

How has your career developed since y​​​ou entered the industry?

I have always been in the area of health economics and market access, with increasingly more senior roles. I started out at an analyst level, worked up to an associate, then to a full economist, a senior economist, then a regional market access role, head of department, and now director.

When did you decide on a career​​​ in the pharmaceutical industry?

When my uncle sadly died of AIDS in 1994, the year before the first reverse transcriptase drug came out that transformed AIDS from a death sentence to a chronic disease. I feel very proud of the fact that our industry had the power to do this.

Do you work mostly on your o​​​​wn or as part of team?

Usually part of a team.

What is it like socia​​lly where you work?

Very collaborative and friendly.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Without a doubt, achieving NICE approval for our prostate cancer drug, abiraterone. I spent four years on this, and everyone thought it wasn’t possible.

Do you think additional qualifications or experience would be an advantage for someone entering the indust​​ry now?

Yes – if you want to be in health economics, you need a health economics degree – trust me, you will never be out of a job – this is an area of high demand!

What possibilities are th​​ere for your career in the future?

Not sure where the road will take me – but what I can say for sure is I believe strongly in this industry’s ability to make a difference to science and to patients, and so whatever I do next will most definitely be in health and science.

What do you think the mo​​​st important skills are for someone in your role?

Resilience, integrity and a strong scientific background – it is a tough job trying to obtain access for innovative medicines in this country, and you have to want to keep fighting, always with the patient in your mind.

What’s the biggest differe​​​nce between working in academia and the pharmaceutical industry?

The commercial pressures in the industry, I would say.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone seeking a career in the pharmaceutical industry​​​​​​​​? ​

Make sure that you have a love of science and the best interest of the patient at heart.​

Case studies

  • Analytical Chemist
  • Analytical Chemist (Discovery)
  • Animal Technologist
  • Apprentice - Higher Laboratory Scientist
  • Biologist (biomarkers)
  • Biologist (DPMK)
  • Biologist (imaging)
  • BioPharmaceutical Scientist
  • Biostatistics Manager
  • Business Engagement Director
  • Chemical Biologist
  • Chemical Engineer
  • Chemist (manufacturing)
  • Chemist (process)
  • Chemistry (discovery)
  • Chemistry Outsourcing Manager and Synthetic Chemist
  • Clinical Data Manager
  • Clinical Quality Assurance Advisor
  • Clinical Research Analyst
  • Clinical Research Associate
  • Clinical Research Manager
  • Clinical Research Project Manager
  • Clinical Safety Scientist
  • Clinical Safety Scientist 2
  • Clinical Scientist
  • Clinical trials supplies
  • Commercial Account Manager
  • Commercial Director
  • Compliance Director
  • Contract Manager
  • Data Sciences Manager
  • Director Medical Affairs
  • Drug Safety Associate – Video
  • Drug Safety Officer
  • Epidemiologist
  • Executive Sales Representative
  • Geneticist
  • Graduate Trainee Biologist
  • Graduate Trainee Chemist
  • Graduate Trainee In Vivo Scientist
  • Head of Drug Safety and Local Safety Officer
  • Head of Health Economics
  • Head of Market Access
  • Healthcare Manager
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Industrial Placement (Medicinal Chemist)
  • Industrial Placement (Medicinal Chemistry)
  • Industrial Placement (Regulatory Policy)
  • Industrial Placement Biologist
  • Industrial Placement Chemist
  • Industrial Placement Pharmacologist
  • Industrial Placement Pharmacologist - Respiratory
  • Industrial placement student – biologist
  • Industry Accountant
  • IT Project Manager
  • Laboratory Technician (biology)
  • Laboratory Technician (chemistry)
  • Lean Coach
  • Learning and Development Business Practice Lead
  • Legal Coordinator
  • Manufacturing Operative
  • Market Access Director
  • Mathematical Modeller
  • Medical department intern
  • Medical Director and Managing Director UK & Ireland
  • Medical Director UK and Ireland
  • Medical Director UK and Republic of Ireland
  • Medical Information Scientist
  • Medical Physicist
  • Medical Writer
  • Medical writer (freelance)
  • Medicinal Chemist
  • Medicinal Chemist – Video
  • Medicinal Chemistry Director
  • Occupational Health Manager
  • Patent Attorney
  • Pharmaceutical Formulation Scientist
  • Pharmaceutical Technologist
  • Pharmacist (formulation)
  • Pharmacist (pre-registration)
  • Pharmacokineticist (DMPK) – Video
  • Pharmacologist
  • Pharmacovigilance Scientist
  • Policy and Public Affairs Manager
  • Product Manager
  • Production Coordinator
  • Project Manager / Director
  • Public Relations Executive
  • Public Relations Officer
  • Quality and Compliance Vice President
  • Regulatory Affairs and Qualified Person
  • Regulatory Affairs Associate
  • Regulatory Affairs Consultant (Freelance)
  • Regulatory Affairs Executive
  • Regulatory Associate
  • Research Project Leader
  • Research Scientist – Video
  • Sales Representative
  • Scientific Affairs Manager (Nutrition)
  • Senior statistician
  • Specialist Medical Representative
  • Statistician
  • Summer placement student
  • Synthetic Medicinal Chemist – Video
  • Toxicologist
  • Toxicologist (Contract Research)
  • Toxicology Study Director
  • Training Director
  • Training Instructor
  • UK and Ireland Medical Director
  • Veterinary Surgeon

ABPI

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales 
(registered number 09826787) and its registered office is at 7th Floor Southside,105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QT.
Telephone +44 (0) 207 9303477

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Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA)

The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) was established by The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry to operate the ABPI Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry independently of the ABPI. The PMCPA is a division of ABPI which is a company registered in England and Wales (registered number 09826787) with its registered office at 7th Floor, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QT.

Office of Health Economics (OHE)

The Office of Health Economics (OHE) is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (registered number 09848965) and its registered office is at 7th Floor Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QT. OHE provides independent research, advisory and consultancy services on policy implications and economic issues within the pharmaceutical, health care and biotechnology sectors.