Season 03: episode 13
This week, Helena and Isabel share a very special edition of the podcast to mark World AIDS Day. Featuring a chat with Dr Nneka Nwokolo, Global Head of Patient Affairs, ViiV Healthcare, and a story of patients fighting for change from Claire Gillis, CEO, VMLY&R Health, it is an episode not to be missed.
Tune in to learn about the impact of stigma on HIV patients, including the difference between ‘internal’ and ‘external’ stigma, the importance of enhancing medical education for healthcare professionals and key milestones in the treatment of HIV to date.
Also, in ‘news you might have missed’, Laurence Woollard, Director, On the Pulse Consultancy, and haemophilia patient advocate, returns to give listeners his verdict on the recent FDA approval of a gene therapy for haemophilia B.
A little more on GOLD’s guests…
Dr Nneka Nwokolo is Head of Global Patient Affairs at ViiV Healthcare and a practising HIV physician in London. Her special interests include the sexual and reproductive health of women living with HIV, particularly with regard to contraception and the menopause. Since joining ViiV Healthcare, she has been active in efforts to provide workplace support for women experiencing menopause, helping to set up a Menopause Support Group with GSK colleagues. Nneka is also involved in initiatives to raise awareness of the need for, and increase the participation of, women living with HIV in clinical trials. She is passionate about engaging people in conversations to raise awareness of HIV, spreading the message of U=U and reducing the stigma associated with HIV.
Claire Gillis is CEO of VMLY&R Health. A formidable leader in the health and pharma space, she is passionate about using data, creativity and integrated communications to help more people around the world access better healthcare. She has a background in pharmacology and health economics, and founded the specialist medical access consultancy WG Group in 1996. In 2010, WG Group was bought by WPP, and she became International CEO of WPP Health Practice from 2016-19, during which time she was named the inaugural winner of Women in Marketing’s ‘Best Marketing Leader in Creating Change in Health and Wellness’ award. Claire joined VMLY&R as its CEO at the agency’s conception in September 2020.
Laurence Woollard is the Founder and Director of On The Pulse Consultancy, and a passionate haemophilia patient advocate. He has extensive patient advocacy experience, having advised on and implemented a broad scope of community awareness, research and educational initiatives. Highly driven by his own journey and the challenges of living with severe haemophilia A from birth, Laurence campaigns for and effects real change in improvements to quality of life and care for his peers.
