Medical writing is one of the fastest growing areas of writing and journalism there is these days. It’s also one of the most exciting areas. Medical writers (myself included) keep up with new discoveries in drug and pharmaceutical development before the public ever knows about them. We follow clinical trials and we talk with the doctors and researchers who are working behind the scenes. Often, the public won’t hear about the material we are covering for years to come – if at all. We explore new controversies in medical technology such as stem cell research and cancer discoveries.
For almost 20 years now I have been on the leading edge of medical writing, working as a staff reporter, editor and roving correspondent with major medical publications, including peer-reviewed journals. Since 1995, I have attended more than 175 medical conferences worldwide where I have taken on projects for companies in the US, Canada, Britain, Germany, Austria and New Zealand.
The lion's share of my work involves writing about ophthalmology issues, including treatment modalities for macular degeneration and glaucoma. I have covered virtually every major ophthalmology conference worldwide over the past five years. I also attend the major cancer and cardiology conferences.
Part of my work involves writing summaries or highlight reports of what is going on at the conferences I attend. These reports may be a page or two long, or they may be many pages long and incorporate detailed graphics such as PowerPoint slides to illustrate the information I have collected.
My business also involves writing reports that provide my readers with what I call “actionable information”. I describe in detail the current environment for a particular drug, a class of drugs, or a disease state, and I offer forecasts as to how that environment might evolve and what it means to my readers.
Above all, I deliver to my clients the kinds of information they need - on time, on target.
My reports are synthesized from information collected at press briefings, podium and poster presentations, meet the professor sessions, satellite symposia, and any other venues requested by my clients. I gather any and all information, including posters, hand-outs, PowerPoint presentations, and company promotional literature whenever possible.
My main areas of therapeutic focus include ophthalmology, oncology, cardiology (cardiovascular stents), respiratory disease, Alzheimer’s disease and stroke.
Everything I write is geared toward healthcare professionals, pharmaceutical company executives, and well-educated healthcare consumers.