In this episode of The Will Soliman Podcast, William Soliman sits down with Dr. Cristian Massacesi, high-energy Chief Medical Officer & Head of Drug Development at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS). They explore how AI is reshaping drug discovery and clinical development, from target validation to trial execution.

Topics include:

• How AI is already accelerating drug discovery and clinical trials

• Why neuroscience and neurodegenerative diseases have been so challenging—and why there’s new hope

• The coming $500B patent cliff and what it means for Big Pharma and investors

• The future of synthetic control arms, digital twins, and real-world evidence

• How AI can augment medical affairs and MSLs, not replace them

• Big changes in healthcare innovation

Perfect for listeners in pharma, biotech, healthcare investing, clinical research & development, and medical affairs who want an inside view of where drug development is headed next.

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Related Sites:

• Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs
• Medical Science Liaisons
• Prior Authorization and Field Reimbursement
• White Manna Capital Partners

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In this episode, Dr. William Soliman sits down with Dr. Michael Ybarra, Chief Medical Officer of PhRMA, the pharmaceutical industry's largest trade organization, for a candid conversation on drug pricing, healthcare policy, pharmaceutical innovation, patient access, and the future of medicine.

Dr. Ybarra challenges some of the most common assumptions about prescription drug costs, explaining the role of PBMs, insurers, hospital markups, the 340B program, Medicare drug price negotiations, and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The discussion also explores vaccine innovation, rare disease research, cancer breakthroughs, GLP-1 therapies, and the policies shaping the next generation of medical innovation.

Whether you’re a healthcare professional, policymaker, patient advocate, investor, or simply trying to understand why healthcare costs continue to rise, this episode offers an inside look at one of the most important debates in healthcare today.

Listen now to hear one of the leading physician voices from one of the largest trade organizations explain the forces shaping the future of medicine.

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At just 22 years old, Rob Long was living the dream, preparing himself to be one of the nation’s top football prospects out of Syracuse University, when everything changed in an instant.

After being diagnosed with a rare, incurable brain cancer and undergoing surgery that removed 25% of his brain, Rob was forced into a fight far bigger than football. What followed is a story of survival, resilience, identity, and purpose.

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