Industry Insights MedComms: 04/02/25
Our Industry Insights series is back with the newest developments in healthcare, artificial intelligence and MedComms.
In this week’s post, we discuss takeaways from the latest issue of Medical Writing, a journal published by the European Medical Writers Association (EMWA).
Follow the Sun: a 24/7 writing model
An article written by Hill et al. describes a model designed to improve efficiency and quality in medical writing. The authors named this model ‘Follow the Sun’. The model sees time zone differences between writers as an advantage. According to the model, writers from different regions can collaborate on projects around the clock, thus reducing project completion times in normal working hours. The authors note that the success of their model depends on detailed planning and task assignment, shared workspaces and communication platforms.
Further reading: Link to article.
The concept of EDIB in medical communications.
Equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB) principles exist to ensure that healthcare information is accessible and meaningful to people from all backgrounds. An article authored by Jeanette Towles explores how the applying EDIB in medical writing can help medical communicators create clear and inclusive materials. The author presents the challenges in applying EDIB worldwide, such as differences in data privacy laws, job requirements and education systems. She also offers solutions to these challenges, including promoting cross-cultural teamwork, offering training and pushing for fair policies.
Further reading: Link to article
Transparency and privacy in clinical research.
Another article from the issue examines the role of medical writers in balancing data transparency with privacy requirements in clinical research. Mehta et al. elaborate on the interaction between the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), EMA Policy 0070 and EU Clinical Trials Regulation (EU-CTR) – documents that mandate anonymising clinical reports and protecting personal data.
According to the authors, medical writers play a vital role in maintaining transparency and confidentiality in research. The article describes medical writers as data processors that aid sponsors (or data controllers) in anonymising clinical reports.
Further reading: Link to article
To learn more about recent news in medical communications, check out our other Industry Insights on LinkedIn or visit elion.nz/insights/.
