The review, which has so far involved asking PR agencies to submit credentials, has been triggered by the recent arrival of Helen Bray as head of corporate affairs and Sophie Binks as comms manager for primary care.
Binks declined to elaborate on the timescale or aim of the review, merely saying: ‘We are reviewing our PR offering across our primary-care products.’
Bray joined in mid-September from BOC Gases Europe, where she was corporate relations manager (PRWeek, 17 September). Binks, meanwhile, joined in August from Myriad PR, where she promoted Durex (PRWeek, 13 August).
Shire Health London is the two-year incumbent on Schering’s contraception brands, part of the business affected by the review.
Shire Health London MD Matt de Gruchy said the agency would not repitch for the business, citing ‘a business decision at our end’.
It is understood that Bray, a newcomer to healthcare PR, and Binks are keen to sound out what different firms could offer Schering before deciding how many to invite to pitch. Prior to BOC, Bray worked for eight years at Northern Foods, where she was group comms manager.
Schering Health Care is behind fertility control brands such as Microgynon and Mirena. It also has treatments in areas such as cancer, neurology and dermatology.
Schering has launched a PR push targeting 18 to 24-year-old women via an online game on www.compatiblepartner.co.uk. As part of the campaign, contraception information leaflets are being sent to universities in association with sexual health charity Brook.
