Allison Gawlik
Associate Director, Market Access Strategy
AstraZeneca
Impact of Lupus in Marginalized Communities
Information is power. Allison Gawlik understands that, which is why when she took on the challenging task of entering the lupus treatment landscape with a new product that featured a unique mechanism of action, she knew the most important thing she had to do was get people informed. To ensure formulary decision-makers were educated about this new approach to lupus treatment, Allison led the creation of various materials highlighting the challenges facing patients with lupus and the impact of these challenges on marginalized communities.
Allison used her strong leadership to help guide this new product launch last summer. She worked tirelessly—through weekdays and weekends—to ensure these educational materials were pushed through and approved. From there, she hit the ground running, using these materials to educate payers about the disease state and the new medication that could serve as a solution. Her prioritization of both humanistic detail and economic data is a key element of her educational approach—it gets payers’ attention and helps them focus on the patient as an individual.
Since launch, Allison has shown no signs of slowing down. In 2022, she spearheaded a social media awareness campaign to highlight racial disparities seen in the lupus population. She has also planned for other communications focused on the major problems facing patients with lupus today—because only by identifying a problem can one begin to solve it.
Beyond this, Allison is a fantastic collaborator, striking a delicate balance between decisiveness and openness to learn from other team members’ perspectives, all while making efficient and productive decisions. She is exceptionally personable, making it easier for her AstraZeneca team members to mesh seamlessly with their external partners. All of these attributes help to establish an environment where ideas can grow and evolve to create the most accessible educational resources possible.
Allison’s passion for ensuring patients in need are heard is admirable. Further, her particular focus on educating decision-makers about the unique and underserved lupus population will undoubtedly make a real-world impact and help patients access the care they need.
