Warren Xu, MSc
Payer Solution Strategist
Warren is currently a Payer Solution Strategist at GlaxoSmithKline. In 2016, he earned his MSc at the University of Calgary specializing in inflammatory bowel disease and pre-clinical research. His former roles include Public Policy Analyst and Territory Associate.
*The views and opinions expressed in this profile are those of the professional and do not necessarily reflect the official policies of their employer.
Tell us about your career path
After graduate school, I was interested in working to solve interesting and challenging questions in healthcare. I spent two years in public policy and had the opportunity to see how government policy affected the pharmaceutical industry.
While in this role I was exposed to the work of our market access team, who worked to bring novel therapeutics to Canada and I got to see the difference this made for patients.
The challenges around funding new, really cool, and specialized biologics really interested me, and I was drawn to the negotiation and strategy development side. Ultimately, I hope to impact how new scientific discoveries make it to market and impact patients.
Tell us about your role
Solutions strategists are experts in healthcare economics and drug reimbursement who negotiate funding with government bodies to bring company drugs and therapeutics to regional markets. This involves working both independently and collaboratively to develop pricing and drug plan proposals with the goal of increasing patient access to life-changing therapies.
What are the biggest challenges and rewards with your current role?
“Make sure that you can demonstrate the skills you are showcasing on your resume - how you think, the results of your experiences, and what you learned from them.”
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I think the toughest part of the job is getting provinces to understand the value of the product you are trying to get funded. There is a finite budget for drugs in any given province, so you are competing for the budget by presenting the clinical and economic information the government needs while emphasizing the true value and impact the drug can bring to the patient population.
The reward is being able to successfully negotiate product funding with the government—you are basically 95% of the way to the finish line. It is a wonderful payoff to know patients can access your drug. You know that you will be benefiting many patients that are now able to take the product.
What other advice can you give graduate students who would like to pursue careers in this industry?
For graduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in market access, the best way you can prepare yourself is by building a strong understanding of statistics, trial design, and study design as these can supplement your application in this sector.
You may not have the experience, but if you come with the basic, necessary skill-set and ability to learn, you will be able to scale the learning curve quickly.
I am also a strong believer that graduate students have developed critical thinking skills compared to those who have not had the same training in research. This is an aspect that should always be emphasized in applications and interviews.
Lastly, I would recommend developing a strong network of people in this sector. Market access is a small world. Reach out to people working in the space to learn more about the work they do and the roles that exist in the space.
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