The vital importance of vaccinations

As the world waits anxiously for a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, there is another question to consider: will COVID-19 help or hinder the quest to increase uptake of other vaccinations? The current publicity campaign from pharmacies and even supermarkets emphasises that, even though our focus is squarely on the coronavirus, ‘regular’ flu still poses a very real danger.

As Rachel Howard says in her article on the importance of vaccinations on page 20: “To date, much of the media focus has been on seasonal influenza vaccines, but with prevention a hot topic more broadly, there is also the potential for manufacturers of vaccines against other diseases to tap in to this. Pneumococcal vaccines, in particular, could also be positioned as helping to avoid the dual burden of other respiratory infections and thus relieve pressure on healthcare systems strained by COVID-19.”

On a different note, in our cover feature by Chris Ross on communications excellence, he talks about mass media and says: “In the digital age, the average person is apparently exposed to between 6,000 and 10,000 promotional messages or branded items every day. Whether that’s via TV, print, digital platforms, social channels or mobile media, that’s quite an onslaught.”

He goes on to say that while communications excellence is a clichéd term, it’s never been more important. That’s certainly the case in pharma, where the challenge of getting high-cost medicines to patients is as much about effective communication as it is about scientific innovation. Read more about the importance of getting the basics right and staying focused on the customer on page 28.

I hope you enjoy this issue!

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