5 Ways Ipsen Keeps Compliance at Our Core
It’s no secret that the biotech and pharma industries are highly regulated and for very good reason. We have an important role to play in ensuring new, innovative medicines reach the people who need them. But the rules that govern our industry are complex – so, to help navigate these complexities, most pharmaceutical companies operating in the United States have a robust compliance program. Ipsen is no different. However, an effective compliance program doesn’t just ensure our compliance with rules and regulations – it also allows our Ipsen colleagues to better focus on our goals and retain trust with the communities we serve.
In recognition of Corporate Compliance & Ethics Week (November 3-9), Jesse Siegel, Head of U.S. Business Ethics at Ipsen, reflects on 5 key components of our strong compliance culture and how we navigate an ever-evolving industry landscape.
Our compliance is collaborative
As Head of U.S. Business Ethics at Ipsen, I lead a team that considers the latest laws and guidance from the U.S. government so that we can minimize potential risk in our day-to-day activities and strategic initiatives. To ensure Ipsen’s compliance across all activities, we serve in an advisory capacity to our stakeholders across the business. This means we’re integrated into key discussions from the beginning, so that our guidance can be accounted for early in the planning phase of various initiatives that may touch healthcare providers, patients, caregivers, patient advocacy organizations and the wider healthcare community.
Everyone is responsible for “owning their compliance”
We have an expectation that compliance is something everyone across the organization takes ownership for. This dynamic creates a culture of accountability and demonstrates our true commitment to compliance. As an example, suppose a team wants to embark on a new project or initiative. The Business Ethics team will review those plans and advise on risks and relevant guardrails. But it’s ultimately the team’s responsibility to put these recommendations into action – whether that’s by collaborating with Business Ethics on training (even taking the lead where appropriate), supporting monitoring efforts, or, most critically, by making the ultimate risk decision with our advice in mind.
Compliance is always evolving
Although we follow the rules from the U.S. government and take their guidance seriously, it’s important to understand that these things change over time. A compliance program is only effective when it can be nimble and ready to evolve with changing guidance and Ipsen’s evolving business. And it’s not only new guidance we have to be aware of but new technologies. One very prominent example is the growing impact of artificial intelligence (AI). This technology was already on our radar at Ipsen, but over the last year it’s taken the industry (and the world) by storm. Today’s compliance programs have to account for the potential risks of AI. At Ipsen, we’re already keeping a close watch to anticipate the next big technology wave that we’ll not only implement into our business, but in our approach to compliance, too.
Ethics is broader than compliance
Beyond compliance itself, Ipsen also prioritizes our ethics – which goes even deeper. Ethics means doing the right thing in all our interactions. In that sense, ethics certainly includes compliance, but it also means doing what is right and being mindful of how we show up for one another, patients, and the broader community. Here, too, our business colleagues play a crucial role. The Business Ethics team in the U.S. doesn’t own responsibility for ethics. Instead, we bring a unique perspective to conversations by raising viewpoints pertaining to ethics that our business colleagues can then consider.
We focus on what matters
Ultimately, it all comes down to doing the right thing. Staying vigilant and retaining a compliance culture go hand-in-hand with achieving our mission: staying focused and helping to improve outcomes for patients and society.
Jesse Siegel
Head of U.S. Business Ethics
