The role of FPM’s PCG in advancing pharmaceutical medicine
Posted on: Thursday 25 June 2026
Author: Dr Birge Berns FFPM
The Policy and Communications Group (PCG) of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FPM), described as “the voice of FPM”, played a central role in shaping the interface between science, policy, and society from its formation in 2017 until its recent conclusion.
The PCG was more than just a committee – it was a strategic engine ensuring scientific advances in pharmaceutical medicine were effectively communicated by informing, educating and shaping policies that benefit patients and society as a whole.
In an era where innovation in healthcare is rapidly evolving, effective communication ensures that complex scientific information is translated into clear, actionable insights for our members and for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and the public.
In pharmaceutical medicine, the impact of policy and communication extends far beyond professional circles. Decisions about drug development, regulation, and access directly affect patient outcomes and public trust. Robust policy development ensures that innovation is guided by ethical standards and aligned with societal needs. Throughout its lifetime the PCG embodied this dual responsibility—ensuring that the voice of pharmaceutical medicine was both authoritative and accessible.
FPM has matured and grown over the last few years and with it, the staffing and governance structures have needed to evolve, as evidenced by the changes to FPM’s Articles of Association that were approved at the 2025 FPM Annual General Meeting. As part of this evolution the PCG, as a formal structure, has been discontinued. This in no way represents a lessening of importance of this aspect of FPM’s work. It rather represents a renewed focus and momentum at this pivotal time.
Here we look back at our achievements, as this vital function continues to develop and evolve.
Key Functions and Responsibilities
One of PCG’s main strengths was the diversity of its membership. The group was composed of members of FPM of all kinds – from very experienced professionals, who had worked in and around pharmaceutical medicine for decades, to trainees and younger FPM members, who brought fresh ideas and perspectives. There were usually up to two external ‘lay’ members, who came from a wide variety of roles, including the legal profession, patient advocacy, and allied science and professions. All these volunteers worked closely with the FPM staff team – who brought a range of communication, digital and policy skills and experience.
The PCG operated across several important domains:
1. Leading Communications and Media Engagement
The PCG supported both internal and external communications, ensuring consistent messaging across all channels. It also led media engagement and public relations activities, enabling FPM to respond effectively to external enquiries and emerging issues. This was particularly important in times of crisis, such as during the COVID pandemic.
2. Convening Expertise Across FPM
The PCG established and supervised FPM’s expert groups, integrating their insights into cohesive policy outputs and advocacy. Initially set up in 2018, these expert groups were revised and streamlined in late 2022 to the current set of diverse groups, with a clear structure to better define their responsibilities within FPM:
- Clinical Trial Science and Regulation
- Infectious Diseases
- Oncology
- Rare Diseases
- New Technologies
In areas where no formal expert groups existed, the PCG sought input from appropriate FPM Fellows and Members and reviewed the output to ensure a consistent standard. This ensured that communications were evidence-based and reflected the collective expertise of FPM.
3. Shaping Policy and Advocacy
The group worked with the evolving FPM strategy and shaped policy goals accordingly, addressing current and emerging issues in pharmaceutical medicine. This included drafting position statements and contributing to consultations that influenced healthcare policy, regulation and market access.
4.Promoting Awareness of Pharmaceutical Medicine
A key priority was – and remains – raising awareness of the role pharmaceutical medicine plays in improving public health. By advocating for the specialty, the group highlighted how innovation in medicines, vaccines, and medical devices benefits society.
Some key achievements
The PCG initially ran FPM’s Annual Symposium, the organisation’s flagship event held each November. As both the event and PCG’s wider remit grew, the PCG founded the Symposium Programme Group – a dedicated working group of rotating volunteers – to take on that responsibility, with a PCG member maintaining a link role. That growth culminated in a landmark 2024 edition at the Royal Society, featuring keynotes from Dame Sally Davies and Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, which was rated FPM’s most successful to date.
During the COVID pandemic, the PCG took on a critical role. The group produced a stream of communications, including media responses, and thought leadership papers to ensure rapid dissemination of accurate information. The group ran events and workshops with senior leaders from academia, MHRA, NHS and NICE and produced guidance, leading to the creation of the award-winning Managing Respiratory Diseases e-learning series for professionals and the public to train them and support their understanding of COVID and other respiratory infectious diseases. The group also contributed to discussions on COVID vaccine development and regulation, thus reinforcing public confidence in medicines and regulatory processes.
The group enabled FPM to respond effectively to consultations and participated in working groups with regulatory and governmental bodies such as the MHRA, the Academy of Medical Sciences, The Royal College of Physicians, and the Department of Health and Social Care. Topics covered a wide range, including the design, conduct and regulation of clinical trials, transparency in research, the efficacy and safety of our medicines, prescribing and market access, and AI.
Over the last five years, the scope of the PCG’s work has shifted from education-oriented activities, such as leading the FPM Annual Symposium, to more proactively shaping policy with stakeholders, whilst maintaining responsibility for communications.
Looking Ahead
Having helped position FPM as a trusted leader in global health innovation through collaboration, transparency, and evidence-based policy, the PCG’s work now continues through FPM’s External Affairs team, who have taken on the policy and communications function previously led by this volunteer group. As healthcare challenges grow increasingly complex, from emerging diseases to advances in precision medicine and economic pressures, embedding this function within FPM’s staff will support a more consistent and agile response to these challenges.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank all past chairs and recent members who all volunteered their time to the PCG.
Past chairs:
- Dr Rav Seeruthun
- Dr Gillies O’Bryan-Tear
- Dr Sheuli Porkess
- Dr Allyah Abbas-Hanif
Recent members:
- Dr Swati Bhat
- Dr Harjeet Dhillon
- Dr Marianna Lalla
- Dr David Montgomery
- Dr Anouchka Seesaghur
Thank you also to the FPM staff operations team, especially Dr Ben Cottam and Mr Will Strange.