Life Science Explorers – Uncovering Scientific Intelligence
Within the information technology community, the volume of corporate information is doubling every 12 to 18 months, according to estimates. This is especially true in life sciences. In drug development alone, companies are facing growing volumes of data from traditional case report forms, electronic data capture systems, medical records, genomics, central laboratory facilities, medical devices, business partnerships and patient diaries, to name just a few sources.

To cope with this growing data deluge, companies are turning to new classes of software focused at managing the life cycle of data. Enterprise information management (EIM), a term cited by Gartner, typifies this new focus on understanding the process of managing data over time, as well as the relationship between that data and other information available within the company.

But the challenge facing life sciences firms is not just developing an EIM strategy. In the day-to-day course of business, data is used many different ways. Transformations are conducted, views are created, analyses are designed and executed, and important medical decisions are made. So EIM for life sciences is not just about aggregating and integrating the data – it should also address how the information is processed and used. Read more

SAS Helps Executives at Aeris Therapeutics Breathe Easier
Patients suffering from advanced emphysema today have very few options for relieving their symptoms. One option is high-risk, open-chest surgery to remove damaged tissue from the lungs. Aeris Therapeutics, a start-up biopharmaceutical firm based in Woburn, MA, has pioneered the Aeris BLVR System, a treatment regimen that, with FDA approval, would provide a non-surgical alternative for reducing the damaged portions of patients’ lungs, thus helping them breathe more comfortably.

In an effort to accelerate the clinical trial process for the Aeris BLVR System while substantially reducing costs, Aeris Therapeutics has selected SAS® Enterprise BI Server to serve as a platform for improving operational efficiency and decision making, establishing consistency in data quality, and delivering more timely information in the approval process and beyond. Read more

WHO International Trial Registry Platform
A BetterManagement.com Webcast
March 16
11:30 a.m. ET
The World Health Organization (WHO) has taken the global lead in setting international norms and standards for trial registration and reporting. It has initiated the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform project. In this Webcast, WHO project leader Dr. Ida Sim describes the objectives and progress of this important activity. More information

SUGI 31 Executive Conference
March 26 – 27
San Francisco
Join us at the SUGI 31 Executive Conference and learn firsthand how leading life sciences organizations are approaching clinical development and sales and marketing in new, innovative ways – using enterprise information management to bring new therapies to market faster and more effectively. Keynotes for the life sciences session are Salvatore Salamone, senior IT editor at Bio-IT World, and Carol Rozwell, research vice president for life sciences at Gartner. In addition, presentations will be given by several leading life sciences organizations, including OSI Pharmaceuticals, Daiichi Medical Research and IMS Health.

Attendees can also join the cross-industry track to learn how to analyze their organization’s data to gain a competitive advantage. Keynote speakers Michael Lewis, best-selling author of Moneyball, and Paul DePodesta, former general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, will provide examples of how baseball organizations have adopted an innovative methodology for analyzing people, process and purpose to improve decision making and business performance. They will discuss the difference between perceived value versus real value and how putting intelligence behind your data will allow you to differentiate the two, thus giving your organization a true competitive advantage.

If you would like more information on this invitation-only event, please contact Shari Salz.

SUGI 31
March 26 – 29
San Francisco
There’s still time to register for SUGI 31. Visit the SUGI 31 Web site for the latest SUGI news and information! New for 2006: a healthcare and life sciences focus session featuring keynotes from Dr. Michael Gustafson, M.D., vice president of the Center for Clinical Excellence at Brigham & Women's Hospital, and Kenneth I Kaitin, Ph.D., director of the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. In addition to the keynotes, there will be industry-specific demos, seminars and more! Learn more

World Health Care Congress
April 17 – 19
Washington
Renowned authorities and practitioners will assemble at the Third Annual World Health Care Congress to present recent results and to develop innovative strategies that foster the creation of a cost-effective and accountable U.S. healthcare system. On Tuesday, April 18, SAS will host an executive roundtable discussion in the Emerging Healthcare Issues series. Moderators Richard Ingraham, senior healthcare industry strategist at SAS, and Robin Downey, vice president and head of product development at Aetna, will discuss how to put intelligence into consumer-driven health plans. The session will be held during lunch in the executive networking area.

PharmaSUG
May 21 – 24
Bonita Springs, FL
Make plans now to attend PharmaSUG 2006. Meet fellow SAS users, learn from your peers, see live software demonstrations and more. Early-bird registration ends April 14, so register today!

SAS Healthcare Executive Conference
May 24 – 25
Cary, NC
Quality, Safety, Consumerism: Leveraging Healthcare Data for Improvement …that’s the theme for this year’s SAS Healthcare Executive Conference. Make plans now to attend this conference, which will address specific concerns within the health plan and healthcare provider sectors. The conference provides a forum for participants to collaborate on and explore ways to support improvement in healthcare delivery, cost management and medical outcomes. In addition to keynote speaker Gail Wilensky, an economist and senior fellow at Project HOPE (an international health education foundation), presenters include Yale New Haven Health System, Maine Medical Center, Baylor Health Care System, BCBS of Minnesota, Aetna and BCBS of Florida. If you would like more information on this invitation-only event, please contact Kelly Miller.

G2006: The Genomics Discovery Event
June 19
Cary , NC
We invite you to discover how researchers can use JMP Genomics to analyze high-throughput data including genetic marker data, RNA transcript abundance data, and spectral data on peptides or metabolites. The program will include presentations from Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina, Duke Center for Human Genetics and North Carolina State University. Read more

Third Annual JMP® User Conference
June 20 – 21
Cary, NC
If you use JMP statistical discovery software from SAS, you’ll want to take part in the biggest event of the year: the Third Annual JMP User Conference, June 20 –21 in Cary. Attend insightful sessions on topics such as design of experiments, process improvement methodologies, issues in the pharmaceutical industry, and issues in service and transactional industries. Additions to this year's conference include roundtable discussions, a scripting workshop and new training courses. Register before April 1 to save $200 with the early-bird discount. Read more

Analytics in Healthcare
Electronic medical records (EMRs) and electronic health records (EHRs) hold great promise for improving the efficiency and quality of patient care while reducing cost and errors. Even so, there are still drawbacks. Electronic record-keeping systems are expensive. Physicians are hesitant to change their work habits. Until everyone adopts electronic methods, the truly paperless healthcare environment remains a pipe dream.

But even when that point is reached, EMR and EHR systems alone will not offer up all of the benefits that they should. These systems will automate transactions, support research and make records more accessible. But clinicians and researchers will still need business intelligence to answer elemental questions about the quality of those patient interactions. Download this white paper to learn about the technology that is available today to gather, cleanse and analyze the extremely diverse data found in these systems.

Innovating for Growth: Consumer Driven Healthcare
For the past 25 years, consumers have been largely isolated from healthcare’s escalating costs. Simply paying a co-payment and in many cases only a small portion of their premium, patients have consumed healthcare resources with little understanding of the cost of the scientific basis of their treatment. However, employers and government organizations simply cannot afford to continue absorbing the spiraling cost of healthcare coverage. These cost pressures, growing employer concerns, the need to engage consumers and government support all have propelled the consumer-driven healthcare (CDHC) movement. This report from First Consulting Group discusses in detail the CDHC movement and the implications it has on health plans, healthcare providers and life sciences organizations. Read more

HHS Renews SAS Contract
SAS will renew an enterprisewide contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide business intelligence and analytic software, services, and training for the department over the next three years. The agreement extends the nearly 25-year collaboration between SAS and HHS to apply software to help protect the health of all Americans and provide important human services.

The renewed contract will enable the department to continue to use SAS to support a multitude of crucial programs, such as the cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBig) for cancer research and patient care, and BioSense for bioterrorism and emerging infectious disease surveillance. Read more

Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Courses Deliver Top-Notch Training
Unlike other SAS training courses, where SAS software takes center stage, Business Knowledge Series (BKS) courses are unique, taking a big-picture approach. Using industry experts to share the latest business theory, methodology and best practices in a given field, the program boasts three pharmaceutical or healthcare courses that have proven to be a tremendous boon for professionals in the healthcare field.

"Thousands of SAS users work in the healthcare industry,” said Herbert Kirk, vice president of SAS Education, “and there are few industries that need continuing education as consistently as they do. Our BKS healthcare curriculum taps into top thought leaders and visionaries in the field and delivers to our users the latest training on issues such as compliance and data management, critical issues that all healthcare organizations must contemplate."

Currently, the BKS program offers more than 15 regularly scheduled courses, with three that specifically address the pharmaceutical and healthcare fields: Risk-Based Approach to Computer Compliance Focusing on Clinical Trials; Health Care Data and the SAS System; and the new course, Error Proofing Healthcare. Read more  

New Introduction to SAS® Business Intelligence Live Web Class!
Learn how to use the SAS®9 BI Server throughout your organization. Find out how everyone – from IT experts to top executives – can turn data into useful information for better business decisions. Using a Web browser and telephone, the Live Web class provides you with an instructor to guide your learning and answer your questions in real time – all from the comfort of your desktop. Register online for the upcoming April 12-13 class.

Introducing SAS Press Web Seminar Series!
SAS Press has launched an exciting new Web seminar series featuring free live discussions with SAS Press authors. Pick up valuable tips on using SAS software with authors Jack Shostak (Statistical Programming in the Pharmaceutical Industry), Kirk Lafler (Tips and Techniques for Producing Quick Results with PROC SQL), and Alex Dmitrienko (Using SAS Software in the Design of Clinical Trials). Visit the SAS Press Web Seminar Series page for registration details and presentation descriptions.

Power Talk with Sunil Gupta
Sunil Gupta, a senior consultant with the statistical programming group for Quintiles, says SAS has allowed him to quickly and easily generate analysis and reports as required by his clients. "Programming in SAS has been fun and enjoyable," he acknowledges. Read more

Have a question, comment or suggestion? Want to see something covered in the next Health and Life Sciences Special Edition? Simply e-mail the editor.