Numerous states have imposed regulations challenging US pharmaceutical sales and marketing. These regulations encompass physician spend limitations, data restrictions, pharmaceutical detailing/marketing controls, and more--and have a wide variety of associated compliance, business and cost implications. They create a new market landscape that poses risks and opportunities, particularly meaningful as the industry continues to evaluate changes in the traditional field sales model.

The Wharton Club of NJ invites you to a panel of key stakeholders – pharmaceutical manufacturers, physicians, service and advisory organizations, and state representatives – to discuss passed and pending legislation and the implications for the healthcare industry.

Confirmed panelists include:

• Thomas Abbott (President, i3 Pharma Informatics)
• Bill Buzzeo (VP/GM Compliance Solutions, Cegedim Dendrite)
• Dave Carver (Senior Director, Sales Operations, Schering-Plough)
• Justin Dillon (Associate Director, Federal & State Reporting, Merck)
• Naomi Grobstein, MD (Family Health Center of Montclair)

Susan Dorfman (VP Global Marketing, Skila) and Mark Hurwich (VP Professional Services, marketRx) will moderate. Read bios of panelists below.

The panel is sponsored by the Wharton Club and its Healthcare Special Interest Group, for which this is its debut program.  This event will take place Thursday, July 24th, starting at 6:00 p.m. at Cegedim Dendrite’s Executive Briefing Center in Bedminster, NJ. 

The evening's agenda will include:

• 6:00pm - 7:15pm  Open networking (Bar opens at 6pm)
• 7:15pm - 8:45pm  Panel Discussion
• 8:45pm - 9:30pm  More open networking 
Light dinner and Wine/Beer will be provided.

Registration is Open Click Here

July 17- 23: $40 for WCNJ members; $50 members’ guests; $60 non-members
July 24/onsite: $50 for WCNJ members; $60 members’ guests; $75non-members

Location and Directions

Cegedim Dendrite
1425 US 206 South
Bedminster, NJ 07921
908-443-2000

Get text directions by clicking here

Get a map or directions from Google by clicking  here (note: “official” street address does not work; you must use Somerset Financial Center Drive as the destination for maps online or GPS).

Panelist Bios

Thomas A. Abbott III, President - i3 Pharma Informatics, leads i3’s newest business unit focused on applying i3’s data assets and technology to support pharmaceutical, biotechnology and device manufactures’ sales and marketing activities.  Dr. Abbott has over 16 years of experience managing, designing, and conducting market research and health outcomes studies.  He began his career as a faculty member at the Graduate School of Management, Rutgers University in 1987.  In 1995 he joined the pharmaceutical industry as a Director, Outcomes Research and Management at Merck & Co. Inc. where he held several other leadership positions.  In 2004, Dr. Abbott assumed a leadership position at Thomson-Medstat and most recently was Vice President Brand Analytics at Wolters-Kluwer.  He has a PhD in Economics from Harvard (1987), a Post-Doc in Health Services Research from Yale (1993) and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (2003).

William E. Buzzeo, Vice President and General Manager, Cegedim Dendrite’s Compliance Solutions, is a leading authority on regulatory requirements facing today’s pharmaceutical industry, specifically those involving the Prescription Drug Marketing Act (PDMA) and the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). He hosts several sold-out conferences in these areas each year, helping pharmaceutical companies to mitigate risk, remediate potential violations and stay ahead of the changing regulatory landscape. Before joining BuzzeoPDMA in July 1999, which Cegedim Dendrite acquired in 2005, Mr. Buzzeo worked with Knoll Pharmaceuticals in sales, sales management, and sales operations, as well as in Sports Medicine prior to entering the pharmaceutical industry on the staff of Syracuse University’s Athletic Department and with the Philadelphia Eagles. Mr. Buzzeo earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech. He also holds a Master of Science degree from Syracuse University.

Dave Carver, Senior Director US Sales Operations, joined Schering Plough Pharmaceuticals  in 2004 after spending 18 years at Ciba-Geigy and Novartis in a series of positions of increasing responsibility in HR, Marketing and Sales Operations, in the US, Switzerland and Australia.   He currently directs all operational support of the sales and marketing process including PDMA Compliance, promotional materials review/approval, packaging label and design, state reporting requirements, fleet, physician contracting and compliance with the Corporate Integrity Agreement.   Mr. Carver received his undergraduate degree in Accounting from the University of Tennessee and his MBA in Economics from Fairleigh Dickinson University.  He is also an alumni of the Center for Creative Leaderships Leadership Development and Leader Lab Programs.

Justin Dillon, Associate Director of Business Practices & Compliance at Merck, has more than 10 years of leadership experience in sales, sales management, marketing services, training and business practices & compliance.  Mr. Dillon received his BA from Saint Anselm College with degrees in Philosophy and Political Science.   He has continued his coursework at the Harvard Business School for Executive Education.  Mr. Dillon is an active supporter of the Special Olympics and enjoys cycling and running where he resides in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Susan Dorfman, VP Global Marketing, Skila, brings more than 17 years of sales, support and marketing experience with various national and global organizations to her current responsibilities for overall global marketing strategy and product positioning. Prior to joining Skila, she was the Senior Marketing Strategist at Dendrite International, reporting directly to the President of Global Operations. Other roles have included Vice President of Sales and Marketing for various Pharmaceutical Marketing Services companies, including PharmaWay (a CCG Group) and Pharmagistics.  Ms. Dorfman completed an MA from NYIT, and is just completing a Doctorate in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix.   She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Disease Management Association of America, the Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals, the Healthcare Business Woman’s Association, and numerous other groups

Naomi Grobstein, MD has been in private practice since 1983 at what is now the Family Health Center of Montclair, a group practice she founded.  She was born in Newark, NJ, went to Antioch College, New Jersey Medical School, and completed her residency training at Mountainside Hospital in Family Practice.  Dr. Grobstein recently appeared on The Today Show to support the “pro” side of doctor/patient emails through providers like Relay Health—and has also achieved some notoriety and even anonymous hate mail for her perspective on rep practices in the pharma industry.  When she’s not taking care of patients, Dr. Grobstein enjoys cooking on her aga (a special type of stove) and embroidery.

Mark R. Hurwich, VP Professional Services at marketRx, has consulted for 30 years on general business strategy, sales and marketing tactics, and incentive/organizational design for a variety of clients focused on health care.  He’s most interested in developing behaviorally-savvy business strategy: translating industry change to company strategy to effective front-line tactics in a way that accelerates success, builds healthy organizations and helps people within them grow and improve their satisfaction at work and in life.  Mr. Hurwich has been a partner in firms like The Monitor Group, The Wilkerson Group, and Towers Perrin.  He just completed certification in Neuro Linguistic Programming to augment his coaching skills, and has a Wharton MBA and a BS from MIT. 

Registration is Open Click Here

The Wharton Club of NJ gratefully acknowledges the support of Cegedim Dendrite as event sponsor for this evening’s program.