In this installment of our “Meet the Team” blog series, we talk to Aarekh Shrestha, Senior Manager, Drug Safety and Device Vigilance, Pharmacovigilance and Postmarket Surveillance, about his professional trajectory, the importance of pharmacovigilance, and what he loves about Veranex.
Tell us a little bit about your background.
I earned my Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) at the College of Dental Sciences, followed by a Postgraduate diploma in clinical research from the Institute of Clinical Research in India. After graduation, I began my career at Bioclinica (now Clario) as a drug safety associate and worked my way up from Team Lead to Project Manager of Drug Safety. During my time at Bioclinica, I was awarded Best Performer – Drug Safety 2013 and Best Performer 2014. After more than seven years with the organization, I took a position as Manager, Safety Operations Team, responsible for Drug Safety at IQVIA. From there, I moved to Veranex, where today, I serve as Senior Manager, Drug Safety and Device Vigilance.
What inspired you to join Veranex?
I was very attracted to the vision that Veranex has for the medtech space. As an organization, we emphasize high-quality, timely, and reliable services at a cost-effective, global scale. My time with the Pharmacovigilance and Postmarket Surveillance team has proven this to be the case. I joined knowing my colleagues had decades of experience in closely monitoring safety concerns for phase 1 to 4, bioequivalence, and bioavailability studies, and I continue to be impressed by them.
What intrigues you the most about the industry? And Veranex?
My interest in healthcare was solidified while completing my bachelor’s degree in dental sciences. More than anything, I realized that I wanted to join the clinical trial space to help people. At Veranex, that passion has grown. I continue to build my professional acumen as I learn more about medical devices and the critical regulatory aspects that impact their approval on a global scale. It is an honor to work with experts who are truly making a difference in patient health.
Has there been an interesting professional experience that’s stood out for you?
Yes! This past October I presented at the Drug Safety Congress, Americas 2022. My presentation, “Medical Device Vigilance: EU MDR perspective” discussed the evolving EU regulatory landscape for medical devices and how surveillance methods need to adapt to meet the new requirements. I’ll be expanding on this topic in our upcoming webinar on March 14th, with my colleague Garima Tripathi, Sr. Drug Safety Physician, Veranex.
Share a fun or unique fact about yourself.
I am a football and cricket enthusiast! I’ve spent much of my free time watching the World Cup these past several weeks.
What vacation destination are you dreaming of?
Egypt is definitely on the list!
Don’t forget to register for the upcoming webinar, “EU MDR: Compliance Requirements From the Pharmacovigilance and Vigilance Perspective,” to hear from Aarekh about the essential EU MDR requirements for medical device registration and vigilance.