Mark your calendars: Medical Meetings and the Center for Business Intelligence are currently planning the Second Annual Pharmaceutical Meeting Planners Forum, scheduled for March 2006 in Philadelphia. The program will include several session tracks; closed-door industry exchanges for pharmaceutical planners, independent planners, medical education and communication companies, and suppliers; as well as expanded networking and breakout opportunities.

Topics we are exploring include:

• Update on how federal and state scrutiny of pharmaceutical marketing practices affects meeting planning

• Practical strategies for producing successful events to comply with the evolving climate

• Creating effective advisory/consultant, investigator, and dinner meetings

For more information, visit www.pharmameetingplanners.com, call (800) 817-8601, or e-mail cbireg@cbinet.com. For more on the First Annual Pharmaceutical Meeting Planners Forum, visit mm.meetingsnet.com and search for “Take Charge: Why Pharma Planners Should Partner Now with Sourcing, Legal, and Finance.”

Attendee Comments from the First Forum:

• “This conference was extremely insightful. It not only facilitated ease of information transfer between all appropriate parties, but also provided a venue where sponsors, suppliers, third-party vendors, and hotel industry personnel could all network and share best practices. Overall, an excellent and worthwhile event.” — Michael Galindo, Medical Program Financial Manager, Merck & Co., Inc.

  “Excellent opportunity to discuss the current issues impacting the pharma industry's medical meetings!” — Brenda Hurst, Associate, Eli Lilly

• “Fantastic meeting with cutting-edge insights and training. I will definitely be back next year!” — Theresa Kukie, CMP, president/owner, Conference Management Solutions, LLC