Bristol-Myers Squibb Company in association with Accenture, a leading management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, has set up a centre for pharmacovigilance in Chennai. The centre, which will be operated by more than 140 Accenture employees, will undertake the processing and coding of adverse event data and the generation of regulatory periodic and aggregate reports on safety as well as physician medical review of adverse events.
It is the first time that collaboration for 'end-to-end' safety case processing has been established and is inclusive of specialized activities, such as medical review of the reported adverse reactions. The team is organized as a parallel process and extension of the Bristol-Myers Squibb pharmacovigilance headquarters' operations. It allows for the seamless handling of data and reports between Accenture and Bristol-Myers Squibb while not compromising patient safety.
"Building a joint team with a specialized focus will support the continued growth of our robust product pipeline, improving scalability and increasing overall productivity. Working with Accenture, Bristol-Myers Squibb will continue to access world-class talent to deliver on our regulatory obligations, while enhancing our focus on patient safety," said John Balian, senior vice president, global pharmacovigilance and epidemiology, Bristol-Myers Squibb.
The new centre is part of Accenture's Life Sciences Centres of Excellence in Bangalore and Chennai that Bristol-Myers Squibb already utilizes. Part of the multi-year R&D agreement signed in April this year, the pharmacovigilance centre furthers Bristol-Myers Squibb's efforts to significantly expand its R&D capabilities in India as an integral part of the company's overall global strategy.
"Leading companies are re-thinking their operating model to drive sustainable growth and productivity. Through a truly collaborative partnership with Bristol-Myers Squibb, we have established an industry leading operation that is delivering substantial efficiency and improved flexibility for Bristol-Myers Squibb's pharmacovigilance organization," said Eric Sandor, managing director, Accenture Pharmacovigilance Services.