Blackwell reveals plans for healthcare PR move

Oxford-based medical publisher Blackwell Science is moving into PR

consultancy with the launch of Blackwell Healthcare PR and a major

acquisition in the pipeline.

The consultancy offers a full service specialising in medicine, science

and healthcare and is currently working for Johnson and Johnson

subsidiary Janssen and pharmaceutical company Merck.

Together with the clinical publishing and medical education arms of the

company the agency forms the Blackwell Healthcare Network.

Director of medical publishing, Peter Saugman, who is overseeing the new

company, said: ’We are looking to establish a full business through

acquisition.’

Saugman said a substantial sum of money was available for an

acquisition, which he expected to be completed by mid-summer.

Explaining the decision to establish a PR arm he said: ’It is a logical

extension of the range of services we can put before our pharmaceutical

industry client base.

’The publishing industry is an embattled industry and this move brings

stability to our base that competitors can’t match.’

Saugman has recruited Siobhan Wastie as an account director. Wastie left

her job as a senior account manager at Counsellor PR in mid-March.