Dr. Janet Gottlieb: Leading the Charge in Medical Promotional Review
Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Govise, Inc.
Behind the sales brochures, TV advertisements, and digital content produced by pharmaceutical and medical device companies, there is an intricate and fascinating process that underpins the trust we place in the information about the medications we rely on. Before any of these materials are ever seen externally or used in promotion, a team of specialized experts will first collaborate to ensure that the material is accurate, reliable, balanced, and of the highest scientific quality. This team is made up of representatives from medical, legal, regulatory affairs, corporate compliance, and marketing. Their goal is to advise, review, and make certain those messages comply with FDA guidelines and associated regulations before use.
Dr. Janet Gottlieb’s journey to becoming an expert in this specialized area was not a direct one. However, it was fueled by her passion for science since childhood, which drove her to pursue an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences and become the first member of her family to attend and graduate from college. Dr. Gottlieb’s commitment to the study of science led her to earn a Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology and Molecular Virology from the University of California, Irvine, furthering her expertise in the field.
Despite facing numerous obstacles, including being raised in a low-income household, an inconsistent family dynamic, and a lack of role models, she remained focused on her education and growth. With hard work and commitment, she completed her Ph.D. and found an opportunity in the pharmaceutical industry.
In 2011, she had the opportunity to join the Medical Affairs function at Allergan, Inc., working in Medical Information. There, she discovered the world of medical promotional review. Her role consisted of confirming that all product promotional claims were accurate, balanced, non-misleading, and could be substantiated by the clinical data. This process ensures manufacturers compliantly communicate important information about their products, including usage instructions, safety, pharmacology, clinical studies, efficacy results, storage and handling, and patient selection and counseling.
Over the next decade, Dr. Gottlieb’s interest and passion for the field led her to become a subject matter expert and eventually form and lead a team of over 20 people internationally. Her expertise and leadership led to successful commercial launches and greater efficiencies within the function. Dr. Gottlieb’s extensive experience and expertise, combined with her leadership skills and dedication to building strong relationships, made her a valuable asset in ensuring the safety and compliance of pharmaceutical promotions. Her approach to negotiations and having a solutions-oriented mindset were instrumental in successfully navigating the complex and evolving landscape.
During that time, Dr. Gottlieb quickly realized that identifying qualified medical reviewers who possess the necessary skills and expertise in advertising regulations, scientific and medical acumen, as well as strong communication and negotiation skills, was challenging. Finding qualified support with experience who could step in and cover the consistent waxing and waning of the workload during a product lifecycle was difficult. This led her to revisit the idea of starting a company (which had always been an ambitious career goal) to fulfill this critical need.
In 2022, after Allergan was acquired, Dr. Gottlieb partnered with her mentor and manager, Dr. Jimmie Overton, who has worked in the industry for over 20 years. Together, they founded Govise, Inc. The company name was derived from a combination of the first letters of the co-founders’ last names and a play on the word “advise,” alluding to using one’s knowledge, expertise, or experience to help someone make informed choices to achieve a particular outcome.
Govise, Inc. is now a leading provider of medical promotional review services for pharmaceutical and medical device companies. The company is committed to delivering high-quality medical reviews that maximize the impact of scientific research while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements. Govise’s team of medical promotional reviewers work with their clients to collaborate with stakeholders across commercial/marketing, regulatory affairs, legal, and compliance, providing cross-functional solutions and recommendations to ensure the final material is ready for external promotional use.
Dr. Gottlieb’s passion for improving public health through science and medicine is evident in her work at Govise, Inc., and she continues to inspire and contribute to the medical promotional review community. “Govise, Inc. is more than providing high-quality services; it’s time to elevate the medical promotional review function and execute the full capability of this role. The company is working to support education and contribute to the knowledge within the promotional review community,” said Dr. Gottlieb. She added, “I began my career to improve people’s lives through science and medicine and couldn’t be happier that Govise, in its support of pharmaceutical and medical device companies, is doing just that.”
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