About Shwen Gwee

Shwen is currently VP of Digital Health at Edelman’s NYC office, where he is responsible for leading and developing the digital health offerings and expertise within the Health Practice.

Shwen's experience was forged on the "client-side" of pharmaceutical marketing, where he most recently led Digital Strategy and Social Media for Vertex Pharmaceuticals and launched an award winning disease education website. During his pharma tenure, he contributed to the launch of over three Rx brands.

Shwen joined Edelman from Vertex Pharmaceuticals, where he most recently led Digital Strategy and Social Media within the Marketing department and focused on New and Social Media, Web 2.0, and Health 2.0. He led the development of a comprehensive digital strategy for commercialization, including the launch of a corporate Twitter account and a digital awarness campaign consisting of YouTube, Slideshare and an interactive website.

Prior to Vertex, Shwen managed the respiratory franchise Speakers Bureau and oversaw KOL-related meetings and events, as part of the Marketing Communications department at Sepracor, where he was also heavily involved in various Web 2.0 and new media activities. During his tenure at Sepracor, he contributed to the launch of 2 brands. And before Sepracor, Shwen was a Web Producer and Scientific Editor at the Neuroscience Education Institute — a medical communications agency that develops continuing medical education (CME) programs in Psychopharmacology.

Shwen is also heavily involved in healthcare and social media (#hcsm) . He founded Social Health (SXSH) - an unconference and movement - which led to the adoption of a health track at South by Southwest (SXSW). He also founded PharmaFresh.TV, Social Pharmer Network, Med 2.0 Blog and is a prolific Twitterer.

Shwen speaks regularly at various industry events, sits on a variety of advisory boards, and provides strategic counsel to various organizations. He has co/chaired the Digital Pharma East conference since 2009 and currently sits on the advisory board for the Digital Health Coalition; Medical, Marketing and Media; and the SXSW Health Track. He has also advised such organizations as AIDS.gov and IAmBiotech.

Shwen obtained a BS (suma cum laude) in behavioral neuroscience from Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Subsequently, he completed his doctoral research in behavioral pharmacology at the University of Cambridge (England, UK), where he also earned a certificate in entrepreneurship.

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