LONDON – WE Communications has launched a scientific engagement and medical education offering in response to a rapid evolution in pharmaceutical stakeholder engagement, driven by Covid-19.

The agency, which now generates around a quarter of its European income from healthcare communications, has hired Terry Bradley (pictured, right) and Ben Fisher (left) as directors of the new division.

Bradley and Fisher have worked together for many years, as directors at Ogilvy Healthworld, Pollen Health, medical education consultancy Rock Unlimited and specialist agency Health Unlimited. In their new roles, they are tasked with driving new business and supporting clients at a country, EMEA and global level, and will be based in London.

The new offer extends WE’s existing specialisms in technology, healthcare and pharmaceutical communications, and will include digital engagement, partnerships with the clinical community, scientific narrative, and strategy development.

WE’s head of health and UK deputy MD Catherine Devaney said: “Covid-19 has triggered a ‘vital revolution’ in the way that pharmaceutical companies need to engage with their stakeholders. The pandemic has been a catalyst for speeding up the use of technology by pharma to quickly reach and educate audiences, especially given the demand for rapid progress in resolving this health crisis.”

Bradley said: “Pharma companies need help understanding the role technology can play in their ‘new normal’ and how to effectively deploy it to increase audience engagement and understanding. I look forward to partnering with clients to navigate this rapidly changing environment, extending the agency’s data-driven, creative communications offer to scientific engagement and medical education.”

Fisher added: “Scientific engagement enables our clients to tell the human story behind the data. Behavioural science will be at the heart of everything we do and all our programmes will be designed with the purpose of illustrating the positive impact of our clients’ innovations in this unprecedented time.”