Senden Kaigi Award, Junior High and High School Student Category
Interviews with the winners
The words that describe the future of the pharmaceutical industry have been chosen!
SendenKaigi Award, Junior High and High School Student Category
Interviews with the winners
As part of its efforts to deepen understanding of the JPMA industry among the younger generation, the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) sponsored the 63rd "Senden Kaigi Award for Junior High and High School Students", a public advertising award sponsored by Senden Kaigi Co.
The theme for this year's competition was "a catchphrase that expresses that the pharmaceutical industry is an innovative industry. Among the many entries received from junior high and high school students across the country, the sponsor's award went to "Make the future of treatments that have yet to be seen a reality. The sponsor's award was given to "Make the future commonplace with treatments that have yet to be seen.
Asuka Miyabashira (TAKEDA PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY LIMITED), Chairman of the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA), said, "We are deeply grateful and feel great hope that this contestant has taken a highly specialized subject in the pharmaceutical industry and expressed it in her own words.
This article introduces the background of the catchphrases selected for the sponsors' awards and the thoughts of the winners, as well as comments from the winners on the "Future Co-Creation Partner Award," a unique award newly established from the fresh and sharp perspective of junior high and high school students.
Catchphrase selected for the sponsor's award
More than 100 people participated in the selection process, including members involved in JPMA activities as well as representatives of member companies. During the multi-stage discussions, one entry in particular resonated with many: Masamune Nomura's "Make the future commonplace with treatments that have yet to be seen. Why is this so?
I would like to contribute to the world in the future by providing treatments that have not yet been seen at
.
Mr. Miyabashira, the chairman of the committee, commented on the deciding factor in the evaluation of the entries in the final judging.
The deciding factor was its brevity, yet the essence of the drug discovery and its promise to society. Until a new treatment is born, it is an "unknown" entity. However, researchers are working to make the unknown a reality and eventually change it into something that is "normal" for society. The challenge was expressed in a straightforward and positive manner.
He also commented on the theme of the exhibition, "Innovation," and how it embodies JPMA's Vision for 2035.
Innovation is not just technological innovation; it is an activity that changes the common sense and daily life of society. The idea of imagining something 'unseen' and making it 'the norm for the future' is at the very heart of innovation. The fact that we see the future not as something that will be given to us, but as something that we can create on our own, is of great significance to us. These words also coincide with our "Industrial Vision 2035. To create innovative pharmaceuticals originating in Japan and deliver them to patients around the world. To challenge diseases for which there is no cure, and to bring new options to society. This is nothing short of creating the "Normalcy of the Future. This work shows that direction in an easy-to-understand and hopeful message.
Why was this word created? Interviews with the winners
The winner of the sponsor's award was Masamune Nomura, a junior at Natori High School in Miyagi Prefecture.
We interviewed him about the background of his work and his thoughts behind it.
--Why did you choose the issue of "JPMA" from among many other issues?
Because medicine and medical treatment are very important for a healthy life, and in particular, medicines help me on a daily basis when I have colds and other symptoms, so it was a field that I was familiar with and interested in.
--How do you frankly feel about receiving the award?
I was very surprised, but more than that, I was very happy. I was also surprised that so many people were involved in the selection process and that this work was chosen. The fact that the copy I thought up was evaluated gave me confidence, and I feel glad that I took on the challenge of writing the copy.
--What was the moment when you came up with the idea for this work? Please tell us about any research you did in the process of creating it.
The idea came to me when I learned that it takes a long time to develop a drug and that it requires the efforts of many people. Drugs that we usually take for granted have a history, and I began to think that I want the future to be better through the development of new drugs. This copy expresses my hope that "even treatments that do not exist today will become commonplace in the future.
--How did you feel when you learned that the probability of developing a new drug is about 1 in 30,000 and that the development period is so long? And how did you try to turn that into a positive?
At first, I was surprised that there were so many hardships and failures. I realized that there is a world that we, who take the product in our hands, do not know about. On the other hand, I put into words the value of being able to save many lives through the development of new drugs and the positive image that future medical care will be developed through the accumulation of efforts, despite such hardships.
--Did your image of the pharmaceutical industry change before and after your research?
Also, do you have any requests for the pharmaceutical industry to "create this kind of future"?
Before my research, I had a vague image of a job making medicines, but after my research, I realized that it is a job that requires many years, the efforts of many people, and a strong sense of responsibility. I also realized how rewarding it is to know that the accumulation of each and every action can lead to a major change in the world.
I also felt a strong will to continue creating new treatments. In the future, I would like to see the development of an environment in which more people can receive treatment on an equal basis and medical treatment for diseases for which there is no cure yet. I have a strong desire to contribute to the world in the future.
The "Future Co-Creation Partner Award", an original award that highlights diverse perspectives
Drug discovery is not something that can be described only in one aspect.
It is a combination of the perspectives of various stakeholders, including the challenges faced by researchers, the lives of patients, the existence of medicines integrated into daily life, and hopes for the future.
For this year's competition, we have selected five works that express the multifaceted value of drug discovery from different perspectives from those of the sponsor awards as our original awards, the "Future Co-Creation Partners Awards.
The award-winning works are introduced below.
A.S. (Niigata, Japan, 2nd year high school student (at the time of application))
Supporting someone's "life" today.
--Please tell us how you feel about receiving the award.
I am very happy to receive this award. I created this work while thinking once again about the social role and responsibility of the pharmaceutical industry. I am very happy that this thought was accepted. I hope that this film will help convey the value of the pharmaceutical industry to many people.
--Please tell us about your "thoughts" and "aim" behind this work.
In this catchphrase, I wanted to convey the fact that the pharmaceutical industry supports people's lives and livelihoods in a way that we take for granted every day. I was conscious of giving the impression that the industry is a familiar yet indispensable presence, focusing on its contributions not only in special situations but also in everyday life.
We felt that we had a solid insight into the role of the pharmaceutical industry as "a presence that supports us in our daily lives. I feel that the perspective of supporting not only special moments, but also the casual accumulation of our daily lives, makes us rethink the role that pharmaceuticals play in society. The words "even today" express our ongoing contribution and responsibility, and convey our commitment to society.
T.E. (Tokyo, Japan, junior high school student (at the time of application))
I will continue to challenge the disease of impossibility.
--Please tell us how you feel about receiving the award.
I am very happy to receive such a prestigious award. I have always had a strong interest in AI and learn about the technology on a regular basis. This year's competition was a challenge to see how far I could go in creative expression together with AI. To have my passion and technology recognized in this way gave me great confidence.
--Please tell us about your "thoughts" and "aim" behind this work.
In this production, I struggled with how to express in a single word the "cutting-edge technology" of the pharmaceutical industry and its underlying "warmth for people". After much trial and error, we came up with more than 100 ideas, but of all of them, we feel that this one is the one that most straightforwardly conveys "the feeling of cherishing life that lies beyond technology. I aimed for words that conveyed body warmth.
I was impressed by the fact that you considered "impossible" to be a "disease" and used words to describe how you continue to face it. It also conveys the process of devising ways to express the technology and the thoughts of people. These words, which use a unique metaphor to capture the activity of drug discovery that continues to face difficulties, give us a sense of the passion of the people behind the creation of a new drug.
Y.Y. (Chiba, Japan, 2nd year high school student at the time of application)
I believe that medicine is a condensed form of hope.
--Please tell us how you feel about receiving the award.
Thank you very much for the Future Co-Creation Partner Award. I am very happy to receive this award this time, as I was disappointed last year when I was selected as a finalist but did not win the award.
--Please tell us about your "thoughts" and "aim" behind this work.
When I catch a cold, I sometimes feel anxious as well as physically ill, but I can rest assured that I will be all right because I have medicine. We came up with the catchphrase based on such experiences. Also, knowing that pharmaceuticals take a lot of time and money and involve the efforts and thoughts of many people, we used the word "hope" to express these feelings. We used the word "condensation" to convey how various thoughts are packed into a small grain.
I was impressed by the viewpoint that considered the medicine as a "condensation of hope. I feel that this is a straightforward expression of the fact that in a single grain of medicine, the researcher's longtime challenge and the wishes of the patients who are waiting for the medicine are combined. I find the words thought-provoking and thought-provoking, as they make us think about the role of pharmaceuticals while starting from our daily realities.
Y.M. (Yamaguchi, Japan, 3rd year high school student at the time of application)
Without challenge, there is no new medicine.
--Please tell us how you feel about receiving the award.
When I heard about the award, I was first of all very happy. I was also very surprised because I did not expect to receive such a wonderful award. I feel very honored to receive such a prestigious award. I would be happy if the thoughts and feelings I put into this work reach as many people as possible and convey the appeal of the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association.
--Please tell us about your "thoughts" and "aim" behind this work.
When I saw the details of the challenge, I learned for the first time that the probability of success in the development of a new drug is about 1 in 30,000, even if it takes decades to complete. I felt that no challenge is ever in vain and that the efforts of many people accumulate behind the scenes, and I expressed the image of the pharmaceutical industry that continues to take on challenges. To make the catchphrase memorable, we used short, easy-to-understand words with a good sound.
The accumulation of "challenges" in the creation of new drugs is expressed in concise yet powerful language. The fact that many developers continue to go through trial and error over a long period of time was expressed in a straightforward manner. I felt that the essence of innovation was shown in the short phrase "without challenge.
S.Y. (Tokyo, 1st year high school student at the time of application)
The drugs we see so often were originally born out of innovation.
--Please tell us how you feel about receiving the award.
Thank you very much for the wonderful award. This work was submitted as an assignment for the 63rd Senden Kaigi Award. At first, I felt that it was a difficult theme, but when I visited the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association website and read the Chairman's message, I learned that medicine is the result of a great deal of effort and miracles. I was very surprised and happy because I did not expect to receive such an award.
--Please tell us about your "thoughts" and "aim" behind this work.
I was surprised to learn that the probability of creating a new drug is "1 in 30,000. I aimed to express a sense of bright hope and future even in the midst of such a small chance. I myself am helped by medicines in my daily life, and I realize that staying healthy is not something to be taken for granted. Based on such experiences, I expressed my gratitude for innovations in the pharmaceutical industry.
I felt the excellent eye for innovation behind familiar medicines. The project conveys in an easy-to-understand manner that pharmaceuticals, which have become a part of our daily lives, are the result of numerous challenges and trial-and-error processes. I believe that these words, which make us aware of the value behind the "obvious," will encourage us to rethink the role of the pharmaceutical industry.
Conclusion
The works that won these original prizes, as well as the many other catchphrases submitted for this year's competition, show that the junior and senior high school students have sincerely faced the unknown field of drug discovery and deeply considered its value from a variety of perspectives.
The fact that the young generation, who will be responsible for the future of society, expressed in their own words the passion of researchers and the significance of the existence of drugs is a strong step toward the JPMA's goal of "realization of drug discovery with patient and citizen participation" and "co-creation of the future.
In closing, Mr. Miyahashira has the following message for all the junior high and high school students who participated in the competition: "The junior high and high school students who participated in the competition are the ones who have made the most of this opportunity.
The words of the junior high and high school students who participated in this project were a great encouragement to those of us who work in the pharmaceutical industry. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you who submitted entries. We will continue to work with these words in our hearts: "Make the future commonplace with treatments that have yet to be seen. With these words in mind, we will continue to take on new challenges. With these words in mind, we will continue to take on new challenges, and together with the next generation, we will create new innovations.
