Myrtle Potter

Myrtle Potter Speaking Topics

• The Perfect Storm: Will Americas Most Successful Industry Fight off Demise

  The pharmaceutical industry is facing the Perfect, Category 5 Storm: pipelines, patents, pricing and profits, are all converging in a manner that makes many gravely concerned. Here are a few facts:

  Currently 40% to 60% of industry pipelines are comprised of drugs that are externally sourced (in-licensing or acquisition, versus drug that are discovered in house. Approximately $218 billion of current worldwide branded drug sales are expected to come off patent between 2008 and 2015. The ever-growing U.S. healthcare costs means pricing pressures are expected to continue. It is not surprising then, that pharmaceutical company profits are also in decline, with the industry losing its position as the most profitable U.S. industry.

  All these factors together create the Perfect, Category 5 Storm that has the potential for widespread and lasting damage to the pharmaceutical industry.

  Yet, this perfect storm isnt just about pipelines, patents, profitability, and pricing. Its mostly about patientsand the inability of the pharmaceutical industry to meet their medical needs. A large proportion of the medications available dont work for large segments of patients. Drug adverse reactions remain a leading cause of death in the U.S. despite efforts aimed at making drugs safe. This results in tremendous waste in terms of healthcare spending, human quality of life, and life itself.

  So where does this vital and important industry find shelter from the storm? In this stimulating talk, Myrtle shares her views on what the pharmaceutical industry must do NOW to regain its position as a strong, innovative, leading business sector. She will also speak candidly about why she believes we should all be concerned. Change will not be easy and certainly it is not for the faint of heart. But, change is essential if this sector is to regain its place at the forefront of value creation for patients and investors.

• Breaking The Glass Ceiling and Shooting Beyond

  Against all odds, a young black girl from the dusty, dessert town of Las Cruces, New Mexico, has grown to be one of the healthcare industries foremost leaders and Americas Trusted Voice in Healthcare. Myrtle Potter has dedicated three decades of service and leadership to saving and enhancing the lives of patients through her leadership of Americas most successful global life science companies. Myrtle Potters story is a true American story of hard work, determination, and passion for making a difference.

  With the mastery of a great leader and the storytelling gifts of a great coach, Myrtle shares her life story and the 10 secrets to her success. You will walk her life journey she will take you from her candid discussions about her childhood, to her revelations about her experiences running multinational, multi-billion dollar healthcare businesses, right through to the offices and board rooms of her own successful companies where she is shooting beyond the glass ceiling as a trailblazing entrepreneur.

  This talk is will make you laugh and cry and you will be inspired by Myrtles belief that anyone can do what she has done. You will leave knowing that you too can break the glass ceiling and shoot beyond.

Healthcare Reform: The Good, The Bad, and The Unintended

Healthcare reform has captured all of our attention over the last twelve months, and yet, no topic in recent political history, has caused such divisiveness in our country. To understand why this topic has emerged to be such a lightening rod, one needs to understand the facts, the intended and unintended consequences of the decisions that have been made and the implications for the Country, your business and your family.

Myrtle Potter, a 30-year healthcare industry veteran and one of Americas foremost healthcare leaders, has made healthcare her business. She shares her candid, straightforward assessment of U.S. healthcare reform as only a strong, seasoned insider can. Her talk will leave you motivated to make healthcare your business too.

MPower! Control Your Healthcare NOW!

At 45, Myrtle Potter was at the top of her game. At the time, she was president of Genentech, Inc., the worlds most successful biotechnology company, and was directly responsible for bringing life-saving medications to patients. She simply seemed unstoppable.

Yet, Myrtle lay in a hospital bed fighting for her lifefailing lungs, failing liver and no kidney function. She was losing skin so badly that a vacuum was used to pick up her remains as it shed off her frail body. Myrtle was literally dying, ensnared in the same U.S. healthcare system for which she had made so many profound contributions. Myrtle ultimately wrested control of the direction of her care in order to save her own life.

Myrtle came out of her frightening experience with one single focus: to dedicate her remaining working years to insuring that no-one goes through the same life-threatening healthcare maze that she endured.

There are 85 million Americans just like Myrtle who bear the responsibility for directing and providing healthcare for themselves, their family or their loved ones. In Myrtles, MPower speech, Myrtle introduces the audience to her emotional, true story and shares the lessons she learned about being a confident, effective director of your and your families healthcare. Myrtle believes that it is essential for all of us to take control and be MPowered! to get the most out of our healthcare system where resources, time, and personal attention are increasingly difficult to come by.