Q&A with Isabel O’Brien, EMJ GOLD

In the latest on our series of life sciences journalist Q&As, we caught up with Isabel O'Brien, Content Manager at EMJ Gold. Isabel provides an overview of the publication and gives advice on what makes for a good story.

How did you get into journalism?

Growing up, I always loved writing, so I chose to study American Literature with Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. That’s where I first got a taste of journalism – and I loved it. After graduating, I did various internships, including social media marketing and a stint writing listicles for the dating app Badoo. This led to my first journalism internship at the fashion magazine Phoenix. Soon after, I landed my first full-time role as an Editorial Assistant at EMJ, where I’ve been ever since. I’m now Editor/Content Manager here.

Can you tell us more about EMJ GOLD?

EMJ GOLD is an online magazine and podcast for people working in the life sciences industry. Our content is most relevant to marketing and medical affairs professionals, but we also cover leadership topics, wider health challenges and daily news. As we are part of EMJ (European Medical Journal), we also produce infographics on healthcare professionals’ content consumption habits. These are put together using EMJ’s own data, making them really unique.

What are your biggest areas of interest within the life sciences sector?

For me, it has to be women’s health. When I realised the extent of inequities women face across diagnosis, treatment design and outcomes, I made it my mission to use our platform to shine a light on these issues. Things are improving, but there are still many challenges. One example I learned about recently is pain during caesarean sections: over 25% of women in the US report feeling pain during the operation. It’s shocking how many statistics like this exist.

Any advice for PRs out there that want to pitch stories to EMJ GOLD?

For earned media, we look for pitches for guests rather than advertorials. For the podcast, we mainly want to speak to marketing and medical affairs leaders. For our Catalyst interviews, we are looking for established figures in pharma with a track record of change-making. For our Five minutes with series, we’ve refocused on rising stars – people earlier in their careers who are set to make an impact. Otherwise, we will reach out when we have articles or roundtable slots to fill.

What is your biggest frustration within the PR community?

Generic press releases and repeated follow-ups. We do write stories based on releases, but if we’re interested, we’ll pick it up. Also, I think PRs should treat subject lines more like a front page headline. Don’t just rely on the science alone. We’re all human beings, so make it quick and easy to understand the newsworthy angle.

Who would you most like to interview, and why?

She has just announced her resignation, but I’d love to interview Emma Walmsley, CEO, GSK. As a female-led team, we have always been interested in her journey and would love to hear how she’s navigated leading a major pharma company through so many global challenges, while also balancing the demands of raising four children. I’d ask her if women truly can have it all.