MSc in Clinical Research

January 2011

Module 7:

The Role of the Consultant

Kamal Sehdev

Aims of lecture

To provide an overview of the types of consultancy called upon by the industry

Consultancy

Industrial

Academic

Health Service

Private

Technical

Market

Strategic

Types of Consultancy

Why is Consultancy Required?

Industry is Changing

Cuts in permanent staffOutsourcing more commonSpecialist skillsSpecialist facilitiesSecond opinion

Staffing Cuts

Reduce payrollRetain only essential staffHolidays, sicknessPension contributionsAffects R&D and specialist jobs first

Outsourcing More Common

Virtual WorkforceFlexibleHire as requiredFixed term contractsNo holiday or sickness costsNo employers pension contributions

Specialist Skills

Why employ specialists?Permanent staff flexible and generalHire specialists when required

Examples: Patent lawyers, marketing,technical specialists, managementstrategists

SpecialistFacilities

Laboratories expensive to maintainRequirements changeChange takes timeTime is money!

The benefits of a second opinion

Medicine is constantly evolving. Diagnostic and treatment methods need to be correctly interpreted and applied.

In certain cases mistakes can be rectified or avoided by performing a second diagnosis which will be of benefit to the patient as well as the medic treating them.

Contract Research

Consultant works with industrial partner to provide practical solutions which exploit leading-edge technology

Either runs a complete research project or can assist with one aspect of a project

Not what is usually thought of as consultancy, but a very common approach by industry these days

Today, Companies need assurance that a project is a viable proposition before investing large sums of money in it.

Project feasibility is time consuming and costly for industry. Consultants can provide the confidence that they need before making the important decision on investment.

FeasibilityStudies

Finding reliable and accurate market information is one of the most difficult tasks faced by many companies. Without it, the value of any technology is impossible to judge.

Market research is one of the most frequently requested pieces of consultancy. Importantly, a consultant may be able to offer a unique experience of the technology and marketplace, enabling precise interpretation of the information and allowing sound recommendations to be made.

Market Research

Consultants may have been at the forefront of research and development in an area for many years

This gives them the experience to best advise clients on the optimum approaches in a particular field. A technical consultancy stage saves considerable expense during product development by ensuring that the best avenue is exploited for a particular company's requirements

Technical Consultancy

Intellectual Property (IP)

One of the most common problems encounteredby industrial clients involves IP

Patent consultants are frequently required,particularly during the early stages of starting-up a technology company

This may be when a company is least able toafford a permanent patent expert - a moreversatile employee is more valuable at this stage(and if a scientist - cheaper!)

So, Who’s Doing It?

UniversitiesMedicsSpecialist CompaniesDiagnostics Companies“One man bands”

Often attractive - low overheads

Example - Sagentiahttp://www.sagentia.com

“Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, since 1986, Sagentia, formerly known as Scientific Generics, has always been closely associated with the ‘Cambridge Phenomenon’. We have now grown to become a significant international technology management and product development business.”

“We work in partnership with our clients to identify, develop and deliver, business opportunities, products and services, enabling them to reach their business goals. We take pride in our work, and enjoy the stimulation of sharing our clients’ challenges.

We have a growing list of clients drawn from six global sectors. Over half of our clients are based outside the UK, particularly in the USA and mainland Europe, and this figure will increase in line with our continued international development.”

Sagentia

“We develop new technologies, products and services that change the basis of competition. We take a multi-dimensional approach to opportunity discovery and problem solving, drawing on our combined technical expertise, business acumen and industry experience.”

Sagentia