Christian - International Medical Officer
Name:
Christian
Education:
Doctor of Medicine, PhD, BBA
Job title:
International Medical Officer
Department:
hGH APCD Management
”I work on planning human clinical trials, which shall ensure that through research our products become available for patients. I am medically responsible in Europe and International Operations for a phase III trial investigating the use of human growth hormone (hGH) in adult patients on chronic haemodialysis.”
A kind of detective work
”When a new project is received by the department, it has only been through the initial phases of the early development process that do not include clinical trials involving people. The project therefore has to be formulated and adapted in such a way that it is justifiable to use in human clinical trials.
My contribution is a clinical development plan - a dynamic document that describes which trials should be carried out involving humans. The plan is subsequently developed as our studies progress and new results and knowledge become available. The route from idea to a good product is rarely a straight line.
Hormone illnesses involve considerable detective work. New opportunities have to be analysed and evaluated on the basis of diversified data. I gather inspiration and information from professional literature and at conferences. And I ask myself how can I get it all to add up in a way that is logical in relation to what I know, and how can this knowledge be used for the benefit of the patients.
I find it very fascinating and not least inspiring to work in a team with for example molecular biologists and pharmacologists. We test new ideas on each other and that inspires me. We can thus benefit from each others experience.”
Not a defined career path
”Being employed in the pharmaceutical industry is a big leap. Your career is not as restricted in the same way as in a traditional hospital career. There are many different opportunities, but what happens is not predictable or defined. You can - and should want to - decide yourself. I can live with that.
Here I get asked: Where do you want to go? And what can we do so that you can get there? You become bound by your goals. It is a mutual obligation.”