It’s Recycle Week in the UK this week, and to mark the occasion we thought we would take a look at how to improve recycling – and reduce the materials we use – at medical education events.

For a large event, there might be a wide variety of materials produced, from welcome letters and departure instructions, to signage, agendas and delegate notebooks, to name badges, lanyards, bottled water, stage sets, and more. Here’s some pointers for the kinds of things we try to do at Remedica to minimize production, maximize recycling, and generally be kinder to the planet. 

Gadgets are taking over the world 

Ray-Ban’s popular “Never Hide” advertising campaign launched in 2007, and is still regarded as one of the most creative and impactful for their brand. The campaign targeted the non-conformist spirit, centred on being true to oneself, personifying the desire to be an individual.

Slide decks are something of a staple in med comms and come in all shapes and sizes ‒ long, short, simple, and all too often, rather complicated. At AS&K we are often tasked with creating eye-catching decks from scratch, or transforming dull complicated slides into punchy, engaging ones that will capture an audience’s attention, and keep it. This can be challenging, even for seasoned PowerPoint users, especially when you factor in diverse therapy areas, products and audiences, and throw the odd tight deadline on top.

Atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as eczema, is the most common inflammatory skin disease in the world, with a lifetime prevalence of up to 20%.¹ It is an autoimmune condition characterized by intensely itchy skin lesions.  

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) policies and initiatives have long been considered a pinnacle of ethical business practice. These seek to create an inclusive company culture, i.e. the absence of exclusion or perceived exclusion by team members. These relate to protected characteristics under the UK Equal Opportunities and Discrimination Act (Equality Act 2010): age; disability; gender; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion; sex; and sexual orientation.

Welcome to the Metaverse

We can’t be right all the time – and perhaps we learn more from mistakes than we think. But it’s important to be wrong in the right way. Leadership that honestly acknowledges uncertainty and that invites opinion and feedback from the wider team is key to good decision making – and a strength rather than a weakness, even when the ultimate decision ends up wrong. 

Thomas Edison said “I never quit until I get what I’m after. Negative results are just what I’m after. They are just as valuable to me as positive results.”  

It’s a phenomenon that is seen in all sorts of situations, from comedy panel shows to government summits and medical congresses. In fact, all-male panels are such a common occurrence they’ve even been given their own name: the manel. 

The manel, or its brother the manference, is often a consequence of oversight, rather than a purposeful planning decision. It takes time and effort to ensure a diverse speaker line-up, but broadening the perspectives brought into a discussion creates space for fresh viewpoints and more engaging debates.