Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I am pleased to invite you to join us for 4 days of training, discussion, and networking at the 28th EMWA Conference to be held between 26th and 30th May 2009 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Over 40 workshops are on offer for credit from the EMWA Professional Development Programme (EPDP) for members to continue working towards certification, with many newly approved workshops that have been added to the repertoire.
This conference has a special focus on Regulatory Writing. For those of us who work in regulatory documentation, it is clear that what sounds like a rather unassuming theme is anything but. The world of regulatory writing is constantly in flux with the creation of new regulations and revisions to old ones. In addition, with the constant growth of the European Union, new countries continue to join in the foray of decision making on a pan-European drug authorisation process, bringing with them their own cultural insights and priorities to the discussions. With so much to keep track of, this is a topic that everyone can be continuously learning about, whether a new writer or one with many years of experience. I am quite excited about the programme we have put together, which includes speakers from The Organisation for Professionals in Regulatory Affairs (TOPRA), The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the vein of new regulations, our Hot Topic Series offers a seminar on the new EU regulation of advanced therapy medicinal products.
To continue to provide for writers outside of the regulatory domain, we have also incorporated several events from the translation and the communications themes of the last 2 years into part of our ongoing seminar programme. As has been my goal since I came into office as Vice President, we continue to strive to have something on offer for all our writers, and I think you will find that this year really does just that. So take a close look at the full programme and discover what there is on offer to fill your niche.
Ljubljana is a city rich in scientific and literary history. It has played a considerable role as a seat of learning over the centuries and is a wonderful backdrop and inspiration for our conference. We will certainly put the city to use as part of our networking activities in the evenings, which will give you the opportunity to explore a fascinating old city while establishing new acquaintances and building working relationships with fellow medical writers from around the globe.
I look forward to seeing you in Ljubljana and sharing in the opportunities that await us there.
Julia Forjanic Klapproth
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Our tradition of lunch discussion topics will continue again this year. They will be held during lunch on Thursday, 28 May. This is another opportunity for members to come together in smaller groups to exchange ideas and experience on a topic of interest. There will be a book-club discussion again this year (so start reading) and several other topical themes to discuss. You can sign up to join a table at the conference, but places on the lists will be on a first-come first-serve basis, so take note of the topics below and sign up early to be sure you get a seat at the table you are interested in.
| Topic | Leader |
| Book club: Lucky Man (Michael J. Fox) |
Alison McIntosh |
| Freelance vs. Employee: Which is better? |
Phil Leventhal |
| Frames of references: regulatory vs marketing messages |
Leanne Walsh |
| Medical writing management challenges |
Kari Skinningsrud |
| Online social networks – kickstarting a freelance career |
Laurence Auffret |
| Conference reporting |
Lisa Chamberlain James |
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