The Ethos Podcast

The Ethos Podcast (Episode 5) - Responding to complaints - how to ensure your company is prepared

Our industry comes under great scrutiny and while complaints to the PMCPA are something we strive to avoid, they're a reality all companies face at some point or another, and they need to be prepared for. In this episode, we are joined by Natalie Whittle (Director of Code Development at the PMCPA) and John Dangerfield (Director of Governance, Process Assurance and Foundational Capabilities at MSD) to delve into the best practices with respect to preparing for and responding to complaints to ensure they are dealt with as efficiently and effectively as possible.

The Ethos Podcast (Episode 4) - Is it time to provoke pharma’s marketing playbook?

In this episode, Dr Nick Broughton is joined by guest Paul Simms to put pharmaceutical marketing under the spotlight and question whether it is time to provoke our marketing playbook.If you've ever felt like pharma marketing could do with a shake up, this one's for you.In the discussion, they cover:💡 What "provoking" pharma marketing means and why it's needed📉 Where traditional marketing still delivers… and where innovation is needed⚡ Why we are slower to evolve than other industries and how to change that🚀 Practical ways to spark disruptive ideas and bring them to life⚖️ How to innovate boldly inside a highly regulated environmentWhether you're in medical affairs, commercial, comms, or marketing, if you're involved in promoting medicines in any way, this conversation will challenge the way you think.

The Ethos Podcast (Episode 3) - How do you make sound decisions?

In this conversation, Dr Nick Broughton, Dr Sheuli Porkess and Ravi Pawa delve into the question: how do we make good decisions when the world of pharma is anything but black and white?A few themes we explore:🔹 What does “good” decision-making actually look like?🔹 Why understanding the bigger picture matters more than the finer details🔹 The reality that absolute clarity is rare, and why the best teams need to get comfortable operating in the grey🔹 How healthy teams create space for constructive disagreement🔹 What makes a strong justification vs. a lousy one in ambiguous situationsIf you’ve ever struggled with tough calls, debated competing priorities, or wondered how to improve teamwork in your company, this episode is for you.

The Ethos Podcast - Congresses and the ABPI Code

In this episode, Dr Nick Broughton sits down with Dr Ravi Pawa to unpack one of the most complex areas of pharmaceutical compliance: how the ABPI Code of Practice applies to congress activity.
Together, they explore the questions keeping compliance teams and medical leaders up at night:
Does Clause 8.2 mean UK clinicians at international congresses fall under the UK Code?
How should companies handle UK delegates who attend global events?
What does recent ABPI guidance mean for who can (and cannot) access congress exhibition areas?
How can pharma balance regulatory expectations with the realities of global science and collaboration?
Drawing on their deep experience as signatories and senior decision-makers in pharma, Nick and Ravi share practical perspectives on maintaining ethical standards without isolating UK science or overburdening compliance teams.
If you work in compliance, medical affairs, or commercial pharma, this conversation will give you fresh insight into how to navigate congresses with confidence under the ABPI Code.

The Ethos Podcast - What is the point of having company signatories?

Ethos Podcast: Do Companies Still Need Signatories in Pharma Compliance?
This episode of the Ethos Pharmaceutical Ethics & Compliance Podcast explores a key question in the pharmaceutical industry:What is the point of having company signatories in today’s compliance landscape?
With compliance reviews increasingly outsourced to specialist agencies and AI-powered tools becoming more common, we ask whether in-house expertise is still essential.
Hosted by Dr Nick Broughton with guests Dr Ravi Pawa and Dr Sheuli Porkess, this discussion covers:
The business case for maintaining in-house expertise
Why accountability matters in compliance decisions
The limitations of AI in compliance and ethics
How effective oversight depends on subject-matter knowledge
This is a must-listen for anyone working in:
Pharmaceutical compliance
Ethics and regulation
ABPI code of practice
AI and compliance technologies
🔗 Watch the full discussion and subscribe for future episodes on pharmaceutical ethics, compliance best practices, and the evolving role of signatories in the life sciences industry.