HR – more than a department

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The EFPIA view

HR – more than a department

10.02.15

We have all come across Human Resources. HR is a well known acronym and ought to be associated with only good things: hiring and retaining good people; developing the best brains; and adapting organisations so we work better together. But I have in 26+ working years not thought about HR as a resource also in our external work. Until I came across Laura. Some time ago I spoke at the annual meeting of the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform, EMSP in Dublin. Laura McKeaveney, is Global Head of Human Resources at Novartis Pharma, one of my member companies. Laura spoke about how her HR colleagues were engaged in training young patients diagnosed with MS.

Imagine you are a teenager, at university, or has just started working when you get the diagnosis. How to go on with your life; with boyfriends or girlfriends; or in your professional life – may be as important as medication. Thanks to fantastic new medicines, young people with MS can look forward to a long life, living with the disease. In this situation, coaching and support is so important. Patient groups like EMSP and its national associations do fantastic work. But I was so surprised, and proud, to find out that HR experts in my companies help out as well. Great work, Laura.

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