We meet with Domien Verdonck, Regulatory and Pharmacovigilance Officer, who shares an insight into his role and what it’s like working at MAP x AxTalis.
Tell us about your professional background and why you joined the company.
I’m a pharmacist by education with a master’s degree in drug development from KU Leuven University. During my final year, I got the opportunity to join MAP x AxTalis as an intern. Having been given the chance to stay after my graduation, I took the opportunity with both hands! In my first two years, I was allowed to combine getting a second degree in healthcare policy with my job working 4 days a week.
What does your role of Regulatory and Pharmacovigilance Officer entail on a day-to-day basis?
It is quite difficult to describe a typical day at work for me as there is no real daily routine to my job. Right now, I support the local Pharmacovigilance (PV) team of a large multinational organisation 2,5 days a week. The remainder of the time, I’m responsible for medical information in Belgium for one of the largest generics companies; I support a global medical affairs team of another multinational; I function as a local contact person PV in the Netherlands for another company; and I work on some smaller market access dossiers. It can often be complicated to combine all these tasks and still get the job done at the end of the day, but on the bright side, it never gets dull!
What do you enjoy about your role?
I like work where you have to use your head and not mindlessly repeat the same tasks over and over. I feel challenged by the work I do, which also makes my job feel valued. In addition, my role is not solely regulatory and pharmacovigilance. While those parts take up most of my time, I like that there’s space for other projects. While that sort of flexibility can sometimes be demanding, it makes for a varied work day that enables me to tap into both my creativity and thoroughness.
How has MAP x AxTalis supported your professional development and career growth?
A great deal! I am aware that I have been able to benefit from opportunities at MAP x AxTalis that I likely wouldn’t have had at other firms, especially being still young and fairly inexperienced. For lots of dossiers, I am visible in the foreground and directly in contact with the client. I also get the opportunity to represent AxTalis at congresses and other events. That encourages me to put myself out there! Internally, I’m also greatly supported by colleagues who genuinely care about the development of everyone. That’s something you can really feel.
Can you share some of the key things you have learnt from attending conferences and events such as the ones you mention?
I recently had the chance to go to Amsterdam with Wim, our Regulatory Affairs Director to attend the World Drug Safety congress and a symposium on advanced therapies by the EMA.
The congress was my first time experiencing such a large event, so I had to acclimatise a bit. Still, it was a great experience seeing a day full of presentations in the field of PV. It’s clear that AI and data were the focal points of this year’s edition, and it was interesting to see the input of experts from the field. During the day, we also took some time to network and introduce MAP x AxTalis to some new contacts.
The symposium the day after was equally as interesting. Getting an overview of the efforts that the EMA has made to make crucial advanced therapies available for the patients who need it most. I feel that represents the mission of our company: doing everything possible to get patients access to therapy that they need.
How would you describe the company culture at MAP x AxTalis?
All of our work is driven by excellence and curiosity. We push each other to deliver the best we can do. This is not always easy, but we make it possible because we treat each other with respect and an open mindset. Everyone understands their value and is very amicable with each other. We’re not afraid to ask questions and we can handle feedback maturely.
What excites you about the future at MAP x AxTalis and your role in it?
The thing that excites me the most is that our collaboration is only the beginning of something bigger. We have the opportunity to bring so many talents together, and I can’t wait to share my expertise with colleagues from all over Europe. I’d also love to learn about the pharmaceutical landscape and processes in the other countries that we work together with.
What would your advice be for anyone looking to start a career in Regulatory Affairs?
Good question. If you start without any previous experience like me, I’d suggest starting with a mindset of taking in every bit of information that comes your way. Regulatory Affairs (RA) is a field where precision and thoroughness are key, and it might feel overwhelming at the beginning. That’s why it’s important to be willing to learn from your colleagues who have more experience in the field, as every bit of intel is useful along the way. MAP x AxTalis is a great environment for this as people love to share their experience with each other, you just have to be prepared to listen.
You should definitely come to us if you’re intrigued by the RA environment, but still like the challenge of new tasks in other fields.
If you are interested in joining the Regulatory Affairs team at MAP x AxTalis, please get in touch for an informal chat.
