Dr Danie du Plessis FFPM
An FPM Voices Q&A

What first sparked your interest in pharmaceutical medicine, and what has kept you passionate about the field?

I came into Pharmaceutical Medicine completely by chance! I had a primary care practice in South Africa for several years and wanted to do something more. I had completed a master’s in clinical pharmacology directly after medical school and my dad suggested I try the industry. Multiple personal development opportunities combined with an appreciation that we are making a difference for patients, kept me in the industry for more than 30 years!

What does FPM represent to you, both professionally and personally?

I came to the UK in 2001 and with eight years’ experience at that time, there was no expectation to complete any formal additional training in pharmaceutical medicine in the UK. I have become actively involved with FPM only recently, after becoming a Fellow. I enjoy learning and development and as Chair of the Education and Standards Committee, I am appreciating more and more the great role that FPM has played over many years.

In what ways have you helped champion FPM’s mission for the next generation of pharmaceutical physicians?

Although I didn’t know the mission of FPM, I have always been an advocate for advancement of the science and practice of pharmaceutical medicine. I believe in ethics and integrity and my primary care experience has given me a constant awareness that our end users are people and not diseases.

What’s a recent innovation or lesson—whether from colleagues, patients, or scientific advancements—that has inspired or changed your perspective?

I recently listened to a talk on the future of Medical Affairs which started with a historical look stating that Medical Affairs is an invention of the industry. I am now curious whether the purpose of Medical Affairs in the context of pharmaceutical medicine and medicines development is as clear as it can be.

How has mentorship shaped your career, and how do you support and guide those entering pharmaceutical medicine?

I was fortunate to have supportive line managers who focused on development and who were good mentors (at least most of the time!). They emphasised the value of transferable skills and being open to try different roles – which is why I worked in marketing and sales, pharmacovigilance, clinical operations, data management and regulatory affairs in addition to medical affairs. I often mentor with a coaching approach and have helped many people transition into pharmaceutical medicine and develop their careers.

What is one key change or advancement you hope to see in pharmaceutical medicine in the coming years, and why?

I believe the future of pharmaceutical medicine will be much more influential than in the past. It will have to be much clearer why we are doing what we are doing, and what impact we hope to achieve to improve outcomes for people living with certain conditions or combinations of conditions. This desired impact should of course be co-created with appropriate groups. I can also see that we may assume a conductor role for different stakeholders in a Health Care System.

If you weren’t a doctor, what completely different career would you want to try?

I would have loved to be on stage as an entertainer of sorts, maybe acting because that is one way of helping people to forget about stressful situations – at least for a short period of time.