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Being able to monitor adverse drug reactions is vital to the ongoing development of the life sciences sector and something that is a focus for patients, clinicians and regulatory agencies. Data is vital to this process - the collection of real-world data can inform everything, from black box warnings to drugs being withdrawn from the market as a result of pharmacovigilance processes. Today, there is a wealth of technology to make this system even more effective and this digitization is defining a new era in pharmacovigilance careers. From spontaneous reporting databases to social media surveillance, the use of digital devices and electronic health record monitoring, there are many opportunities to improve efficiency and accuracy in this field.

While the first sign of the pandemic in many industries was an increase in activity, in the world of R&D jobs in pharma it was when nothing happened at all. The usual supply of clinical data simply disappeared as lockdowns forced people to stay at home and made normal structures and circumstances impossible. 40% of life sciences companies had to delay or cancel a study as a result of the conditions that were triggered by the pandemic and this has forced a rethink in terms of the way that clinical studies happen going forward.

The life sciences sector has faced a broad spectrum of pressures in recent years, including when it comes to an ever more complex regulatory environment, as well as ongoing pricing shifts and the constant change that comes from fast-moving tech. The compliance function of every organization needs to be prepared to meet these challenges, as well as those that have arisen over the past year. As a result, compliance and regulatory jobs are moving away from a hindsight approach and towards being foresight-focused.

The $3.5 trillion new infrastructure package that has been proposed by the Democrats is designed to take President Biden's first term domestic priorities and bundle them neatly up into one single bill. Within this there is a significant allocation for R&D spending, which is perhaps not surprising in the wake of COVID and also given the pressure on this administration to focus on innovation and growth.

The global pharmacovigilance market continues to expand with some estimates forecasting an increase to $12.98 billion by 2027. The need to monitor adverse drug reactions and drug toxicity has been recognized as vital by the World Health Organization, which estimates that around 5% of hospitalized patients are already admitted with an adverse drug reaction. The same source indicates that up to 10% of patients are likely to experience an adverse drug reaction during hospitalization, placing additional emphasis on the need for the essential process of pharmacovigilance.

The Nobel Prize is a much-coveted award and some of the most recent recipients are those who unlocked the secret of pain sensation. David Julius PhD, University of California San Francisco, and Ardem Patapoutian PhD, Scripps Research in La Jolla have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for groundbreaking research. Their focus is on the way that the body senses touch, as well as other stimuli, such as temperature. In particular, the scientists identified two ion channels that are necessary for the human body to respond to these stimuli. As a result of the research, it has been discovered that these mechanical pressure sensors control a broad spectrum of biological needs, from how our organs move to how we sense our body in time and space. The work is just the beginning of looking at how neurons gather information from organs and how this information makes its way to the brain.

Medical affairs is already a strategically important and highly valued role within a pharmaceutical business. However, the spotlight on this area of life sciences looks set to become even more intense as a wave of next generation therapies is predicted in the coming months and years. Key to the future of medical affairs jobs across USA is the ability to understand and deal with the needs of a constantly expanding stakeholder group.

Advancements in technology are creating significant opportunities across the life sciences sector to streamline and optimize the way that existing workflows are handled. In an area like quality control there is a huge amount of change incoming that could have an impact across the sector. Tech such as automation, digitization and online testing forms the basis of a new approach to quality control that is seriously smart.

Biometrics is an area that offers opportunities for a wealth of progress and evolution. But it can also have its challenges. During the Trump era of presidency, a system was proposed that would collect the biometric data of immigrants, no matter what their age. The proposal also sought to include anyone who was connected to an immigrant, including someone who was acting as a sponsor, who was a beneficiary or associated with that person.

We are going through an unprecedented period of innovation, which has the potential to change the clinical world for the long-term. The past year or so has seen huge digital and cultural transformation that has opened the door to a new era, and a new approach, when it comes to clinical trials and clinical operations careers. Now, the opportunity exists to reframe the way that clinical trials are handled and switch to a model that is far more agile and much more patient-centric.