Seeing the role that patients can play in access

The evidence matters, but so do the voices that help explain what that evidence could mean for patients in the real world

My first job in industry was as a project coordinator in a UK Medical Affairs oncology team. I was supporting across pipeline projects, but one launch experience has really stayed with me.

A treatment was being considered for earlier use in an oncology indication treatment pathway. The clinical rationale was strong, but reimbursement was not straightforward. It was not enough to show the data in isolation; the team needed to understand what earlier access could mean in real life, both for clinicians making treatment decisions and for patients living with the disease.

As part of my role, I was helping to coordinate advisory boards with healthcare professionals and patient representatives. I saw how valuable those conversations were. Clinicians helped explain the practical barriers, questions and confidence gaps that could affect use in practice. Patient representatives brought a different kind of insight: what it means to live with the condition, what treatment decisions feel like, and why timely access can matter so deeply.

That experience changed how I thought about launch. Patient engagement was not something that happened after the strategy had been written; it helped shape the case for why earlier access mattered.

For me, the learning was simple: launch success depends on understanding value from every angle. The evidence matters, but so do the voices that help explain what that evidence could mean for patients in the real world.

– Abianne