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Generative AI, storytelling and patient inclusion: key publications trends in 2024

July 24, 2024 | Generative AI, ISMPP 2024, Publications, patient inclusion, storytelling 

By Teal Brechtel and Jennifer Gillman

- PMLiVE

Now that we are halfway through 2024, clearly the publications space, like many areas of our industry, is predicting a massive change. Trends at the forefront of publications innovation (such as the use of AI) are emerging, while discussion has continued on how to enhance patient inclusion in publications.

Here are our key takeaways for the first half of 2024, including highlights from the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals (ISMPP) annual meeting.

Generative AI is a reasoning tool, not a knowledge tool

At the ISMPP annual event, the opening keynote speaker addressed the elephant in the room – “AI will never be able to tell original stories”. A sentiment that is echoed by many who believe human input is essential to bring data to life.

With fears that ‘AI will take medical writing jobs’ allayed, the key question is how we can use this new tool to augment our work.

Generative AI is a tool we are still learning to use. Many publications professionals are experimenting with AI, and the best use cases are yet to be determined. The primary uses of generative AI currently being explored are writing plain language summaries (PLSs) of manuscripts, writing first drafts of deliverables, grant writing and writing more tactful emails when you may not be feeling diplomatic! In one use experiment, a medical writer took 90 minutes to write a PLS, whereas generative AI (with a well-worded prompt and editing by a medical writer) took 10 minutes. At the ISMPP meeting, many poster presentations agreed that PLSs written by generative AI were more accessible to readers than those written by medical writers. Indeed, this is a powerful tool: not a knowledge tool (eg Google), but rather a tool that we can use for reasoning.

Stories have evolved to help us think about unexpected results; generative AI cannot tell an original story

A common refrain at the annual ISMPP meeting was that ‘human beings are wired for story’. One point that stood out was that storytelling has evolved to help human beings think and the most powerful stories stimulate our curiosity. For example, a story can start ‘in the middle’ with noticing something unexpected, then go back to explain how we arrived at the unexpected point before revealing the resolution. Generative AI cannot notice the unexpected and thus cannot develop original narrative communication.

Visual storytelling can make complex information and ideas more accessible. Visual content is trending, and publications with visual abstracts are downloaded more often than those without. Presenting too much information overloads the brain and impedes learning. Visuals help to simplify the story and make complex data and information understandable.

Storytelling may not always seem possible within the confines of a manuscript; however, intentional storytelling makes for better publications. Publication extenders, such as visual abstracts or infographic summaries, can enhance the story but should be used with a goal in mind. Less is more with storytelling, even in publications; resist the urge to data dump.

Patients can and should be included in development plans at all stages of a therapeutic’s lifecycle

At ISMPP, many panels included patient speakers and discussed how to better integrate patients into medical communications. Patient inclusion has been a recurring theme for several years, so advocates continue to focus on successfully executing this goal. Speakers felt strongly that patient involvement should begin at the design of clinical trials and continue through product launch. Patient insight may lead to better trial enrolment and more meaningful endpoints. For example, patients consider many grade 1 or grade 2 adverse events intolerable, yet medical communications typically state these are mild and indicative of a tolerable safety profile. Current patient-reported outcome measures were developed without patient involvement and are often not meaningful to patients. In the age of shared decision-making, including the patient perspective is crucial.

During an ISMPP plenary panel, journal editors discussed their inclusion of patient reviewers for PLS publications and encouraged sponsors to consider the employment of patients as authors. Patients should be fairly compensated for their time, including that spent authoring publications.

Lastly, blockchain-powered patient-friendly electronic product information (ePI) is a hot topic. While we remain in the early stages of ePI, successful and secure application of this technology could evolve the use of product information and increase accessibility to patients.

How will the rest of the year unfold?

Generative AI was at the forefront of conversations in medical publications for the first half of 2024 and will likely remain there as the year continues. The power of human storytelling cannot be forgotten in the conversation around this important emerging tool. Delivering engaging publications – both written and visual – requires human oversight. Including patient perspectives and involving patients in medical communications remain important, especially as PLSs become the standard.

We look forward to seeing (and hearing) how the rest of the year unfolds.

If you’d like to find out more about how we can support your publications activities, please contact adam.handler@amiculum.biz. For more insights, visit the AMICULUM News and Insights page.

This content was provided by Amiculum

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