Working with Stars: Meet Tracey Hall, MS, MBA
Tracey Hall is a highly experienced PV expert, with 15 years of broad exposure to many types of PV activities. She is meticulous and enjoys data analysis, with a focus on high-quality deliverables and compliance. She has had the privilege to see how safety work she contributed to during her career ultimately benefited someone directly in her community, reinforcing her belief that PV is about helping patients live better lives.
How did you get into pharmacovigilance?
I began my career in clinical research as a site monitor and later moved into clinical development. In 2011, I was encouraged by a recruiter to apply for a safety scientist role at a large pharmaceutical company, despite not having a formal PV background outside of the interaction between clinical and PV. I pursued the opportunity because I had always been curious about and interested in PV. I got the job, and several years later became a global safety lead for an oncology product
What career moment was especially meaningful to you?
One of my most rewarding moments was learning from a member of my community that Entyvio had significantly improved the life of her son, who had Crohn’s disease. I had worked on the evaluation of safety data for Entyvio early in its development and was part of establishing the safety profile in its path toward approval. Being directly involved in development of a drug that positively impacted the life of someone I personally knew made the work feel especially meaningful.
What do you believe makes someone successful in PV?
You really have to always be willing to learn new things, be open to change, and not get stuck in only one way of doing things. It’s also important to help organizations improve PV processes when current ones may not be efficient or in compliance. Companies are very receptive to change when it is about staying compliant with regulations and guidelines.
What type of PV work do you enjoy most?
I enjoy performing data assessments and analytical work, especially reviewing safety data and drawing conclusions from detailed data review. Sometimes I use signal assessment tools but other times it’s a more manual process, but you adapt and work with what you have. It's just something I've always enjoyed doing.
What would you change about the PV field?
We need a more centralized, user-friendly, and continuously updated source for global regulatory intelligence. I find that requirements can be difficult to locate, scattered across different sources, and sometimes challenging to interpret. There is no really good platform for this, as some countries do a better job than others in posting or aggregating regulatory requirements, and the lack of consistency and accessibility is a challenge.
What did you want to be as a child?
My dream job was to be a marine biologist, working on a boat out on the open ocean. I studied biology in college and became interested in pharmacology after taking it as an elective course. That is how I got to graduate school and where I am now.
What qualities do you think make a good consultant?
You need to be able to work independently and jump in to figure out the issues and solutions. You have to be flexible too, because there are so many different ways of approaching PV.
Why do you enjoy consulting and working with JPCC?
There is a lot of support for JPCC consultants. I really value the ability to ask for advice and get experts' input whenever there is a question. That does not happen everywhere.
What should people know about you?
I am very meticulous, detail-oriented, and committed to producing high-quality work. I take pride in ensuring that deliverables are inspection-ready and reflect careful attention to compliance and quality.
What do you do after work?
My two teenage children keep me busy, even if one is in college now. I enjoy being outside, on the water or at the beach. I also like gardening and cooking.
How do you want to be remembered?
I would like to be remembered as someone who was dependable, kind, and willing to go out of my way to help others. That’s how I try to live my life in everything I do.
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