My DIA Annual Meeting Experience
I recently attended the 47th Annual Meeting of the Drug Information Association (DIA) in Chicago. This was my 10th visit to the annual meeting, but my first as an IntraLinks employee. It was interesting to think about how much both the themes of the DIA and the life sciences industry itself have changed over the past decade. I still remember hauling servers and equipment to some of those early shows just to be able to give a simple demonstration of software. It was an incredible contrast this time to walk around with an iPad to show off the new IntraLinks app.
During my first few years at the DIA most of the conversations were about moving from paper-to-electronic processes, and then gradually the focus shifted towards electronic efficiencies and globalization. This year some of the key themes were about the impact of social media, system interoperability and cloud computing. This shift made it exciting to speak to conference attendees about IntraLinks' cloud-based platform and our clinical study management and safety document exchange solutions, which deliver the level of interoperability, collaboration and harmonization life science professionals are looking for.
Our shiny, brand new booth received plenty of compliments while our demo stations were busy showing how IntraLinks helps streamline clinical processes like study feasibility, start-up, safety document distribution, and eTMF collaboration.
In addition our conference theme, “Connecting the Clinical Community,” spoke to how technology can tie all the partners together during the clinical process—something that has proven value with our customers and users and tied nicely with the purpose of DIA as a whole.
There was also some good buzz at the conference about the findings from our Global Investigator Site Survey, which were released just before DIA. IntraLinks’ Linda Bowers had the opportunity to present these findings during an analyst roundtable discussion. Overall the survey found that respondents have a strong interest in adopting web-based clinical document exchange tools to improve efficiency. IDC Health Insights’ Research Director Alan Louie, Ph.D. also took part in the discussion and talked about the need for the life sciences industry to better use automation and shift from paper to electronic processes in order to streamline processes and produce better results.
Of course, it wasn’t all work and no play at DIA. This year IntraLinks sponsored a customer event at Moto. The popular restaurant is known for molecular gastronomy and has been featured on the Food Network. Over 70 customers and associates joined us for a 10 course dining experience, which, as best as I can put it, is food that doesn’t look like food.
All-in-all, this year’s DIA was a tremendous success. It was a wonderful week to reconnect with the life sciences community, as well as customers and partners, both new and old, and make a few new friends I hope I will see again soon.