On June 4, 2026, over 80 pharmacovigilance professionals joined DrugCard for an online conversation with two experienced practitioners — Artem Horilyk and Julia Appelskog. We talked about careers, leadership, community, and where pharmacovigilance is heading. No checklists, no corporate messaging — just an open discussion between people who work in this field every day.
The audience responded in a way that stayed with us.
“Pharmacovigilance — for specialists who strive for continuous development.”
The session covered five themes: career journeys and turning points, leadership and communication, building professional communities, the role of events and knowledge sharing, and the future of the profession. Julia Appelskog brought more than two decades of experience across Sanofi Pasteur MSD, Merck Group, Novavax, and now CSL. Artem Horilyk added a view from the point where technology meets day-to-day PV operations. Together they covered a lot of ground — and the questions from the audience showed just how much it landed.
“Same mission — patient safety — but different perspectives, approaches, and strategies. Thinking outside the box matters.”
One of the topics that sparked the most reflection was leadership — not as a title, but as a mindset. The conversation pushed back on the idea that career growth is mainly about moving up. What came through instead was something more practical: the shift happens when you start owning the bigger picture, not just your own tasks.
“Key career turning points are traditionally associated not with a change of position as such, but with a willingness to take responsibility for the broader context and consequences of decisions. Leadership in pharmacovigilance is primarily about influencing a culture of safety.”
AI and automation came up throughout the session — and the conversation was grounded. The field is already moving toward automated triage, real-time monitoring, and AI-assisted signal detection. The professionals who will do well are those building data literacy alongside their PV expertise, not waiting to see how things develop.
“The growing role of AI and digital technologies in pharmacovigilance. The importance of proactive drug safety monitoring and real-world evidence. The need for global collaboration and data sharing to improve patient safety.”
“My key takeaway from this webinar is that the future belongs to those who master AI.”
At the same time, the human side of the work kept coming back into the conversation — the value of community, of good working relationships, of a culture where people actually feel comfortable raising concerns.
“Human interaction and esteem are still most important. Try to keep a nice human atmosphere at work.”
For people earlier in their careers, the session offered something that is hard to find: a clear, honest picture of what PV looks like in different settings — MAH, CRO, global biopharma — and what each actually asks of you.
“It was really clear — the differences in job descriptions for different types of companies.”
“Real-world take on a PV career at various settings was insightful for me as I am about to begin my PV journey.”
Looking at the feedback, what stood out was how many people left with something concrete — not just a general feeling of inspiration, but a specific thing they wanted to try or think about differently.
“Reflect on our deep aspiration before choosing the company type we will work for.”
“Find your place in PV and enjoy.”
Over 80 people joined. The conversation is still going.
The full recording is now available on YouTube — whether you want to revisit something or are watching for the first time.
🎬 Watch the recording
Thank you to everyone who joined and shared their thoughts. And a particular thank you to Julia Appelskog for her time and openness.
See you at the next one.
Interested in how DrugCard helps pharmacovigilance teams work smarter? Visit us at drug-card.io or reach out at sales@drug-card.io.
