Novartis Vaccines appoints new Medical Affairs Director for North Europe
14 April 2014 – Novartis Vaccines is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr John Porter to the position of Medical Affairs Director for Cluster North Europe. Dr Porter joins Novartis Vaccines from Pfizer UK, where he held the role of UK Medical Team Lead, supporting a range of therapeutic areas, including vaccination.
This new appointment follows the recent recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to include Novartis Vaccines' Meningitis B vaccine Bexsero® (Meningococcal Group B Vaccine [rDNA, component, adsorbed]) within the National Immunisation Programme (NIP)1. Dr Porter will be responsible for building medical capability across the Novartis Vaccines business, and will be closely involved with the implementation of Bexsero on the UK NIP.
"We are delighted to welcome Dr Porter at this exciting time for the division as we prepare for the implementation of routine Bexsero vaccination in the UK," said Mark Collinson, Head of UK, Ireland and Nordic countries at Novartis Vaccines. "His wealth of experience in the field of vaccination makes him the ideal candidate for this position and we look forward to welcoming him to the team."
"After nearly 20 years in development Bexsero will now be made available to those who need it most. I look forward to working with the team here at Novartis Vaccines to ensure the swift introduction of Bexsero across the UK, preventing further unnecessary death and disability from Meningitis B" said Dr Porter.
Before entering the pharmaceutical industry, Dr Porter graduated with a medical degree from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne Medical School and has over 12 years of clinical experience, predominantly in paediatric medicine. Dr Porter also holds an honours degree in Physiological Sciences from Oxford University and a PhD in Medicine from the University of Birmingham.
ENDS
References
1. JCVI position statement on use of Bexsero® meningococcal B vaccine in the UK: March 2014. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/294245/JCVI_Statement_on_MenB.pdf Accessed April 2014
Contacts:
Novartis Vaccines
Susan Stuart
Communications
Tel: 07884 731253
Media relations
Beth Williams, Ruder Finn
Tel: 07841 009252
Charlotte Collins, Ruder Finn
Tel: 07872 33872
UK/BEX/14-0022
Prepared: April 2014
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