Benefit/Risk Management

The balance of benefits and risks of a product is the basis for all key decisions in the pharma industry. Thus the balance must not be left to chance – it can be and should be effectively managed. This intensive course explores current opportunities made possible by the new legislation, advances in information technology and a new scientific methodology to enhance and modernise the approaches in the product lifecycle management.

The course starts with the current regulatory thinking about the benefit/risk methodology, including the relevant project of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) / Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). It gives a basis for the second part of the course, exploring the new European benefit/risk management planning - a notion stemming from the experience gathered over five years with the EU Risk Management Plans (EU-RMPs). Participants will learn how to take advantage of the efficacy follow-up options given by both the European Paediatric Regulation and the Advanced Therapies Regulation. A practical training in drafting key aspects of the regulatory submissions is included.

Although a lot of things may be planned and controlled, there are always unforeseen scenarios. The last part of the course will help participants to deal with the most dangerous ones – when the benefit/risk of the product is suddenly affected by emerging information. Participants will be trained on how to deal with such a situation, using the most effective techniques in risk communication and media crisis management.

Key Topics

• Take advantage of the new legal possibilities for benefit optimisation and risk minimisation of your products in the EU
• Enjoy a comprehensive and practical training in designing benefit/risk management systems using current, as well as new, regulatory tools, including EU Risk Management Plans (EU-RMP), Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS), Development Safety Update Report (DSUR), Periodic Safety Update Report (PSUR), Follow-Up Measures (FUMs), and potentially EU Benefit Risk Management Plan (EU-BRMP)
• Learn which study designs are best for safety and efficacy follow-up, and how to measure their effectiveness
• Get trained for situations when benefit-risk of your product is at stake and you need to manage a media, legal and regulatory crisis

Professionals most likely to benefit from this training have 2-5 years of experience in regulatory affairs, risk management, pharmacovigilance, drug safety, medical affairs or similar positions within the pharmaceutical industry. Those charged with the design and maintenance of risk management systems, Qualified Persons for Pharmacovigilance (QPPVs) and heads of benefit/risk management, patient safety, or lifecycle management will find all the necessary information and skills needed for successful benefit/risk management included in this course.

At the conclusion of this course, participants should be able to:

• Describe safety, efficacy, and effectiveness profiles of drugs
• Plan safety and efficacy follow-up systems, including the best choice of study designs and available registries
• Optimise benefits and minimise risks of products, including the best use of an evidence-based toolbox
• Present the first three bullet points to key regulatory authorities and health technology assessment bodies
• Measure effectiveness of the planned actions – both risk minimisation and benefit optimisation
• Save the product if things go wrong and benefit-risk seems negative