Pfizer welcomes new chief medical officer

Pfizer welcomes Dr Freda Lewis-Hall as its chief medical officer and senior vice-president.

The company’s chairman and chief executive officer Jeffrey B Kindler explained the latest appointment ? who takes the place of the retired Dr Joseph Feczko – will be the senior physician in the firm.

As well as outreaching doctors and medical professionals, Dr Lewis-Hall will be responsible for quality assurance, patient safety and regulatory affairs.

Most recently, she has worked for Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Prior to this, she has held positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Lilly and the National Institute of Mental Health.

The new member of staff will be able to make a distinctive contribution to the business as it tries to establish itself as a first-rate biopharmaceutical company, Mr Kindler asserted.

“Her achievements as a biomedical researcher, patient advocate, academician and organisational leader fit perfectly with our goal of applying innovative science to improve world health,” he said.

Last month, Pfizer released its first quarter 2009 financial results. Despite a challenging economy, Mr Kindler stated the company remained focussed on meeting its goals.