What Were Your Impressions Of Presenting At A Virtual JPM, And How Do You Think This Year's Show Will Impact Future Jpms?

THE VIRTUAL FORUM AT JPM THIS YEAR PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT, potentially, to a wider audience not constrained by geography or time zone. I expect the organizers will be thinking about how to meld the best of both the live and virtual worlds at future JPMs, where in-person presentations and guest speakers can be live streamed or viewed later, and where a much broader swath of companies might be incorporated, particularly those that find it too costly or inconvenient to travel to San Francisco.

I did miss the immediacy and feedback afforded by a live audience. For those presenting virtually in the future, I would advocate for a more standardized video format and background, so that viewers are not distracted by personal furnishings and lighting. Onscreen, vs. texted, Q&A would also be a plus.

RON COHEN, M.D. is president, CEO, and founder of Acorda Therapeutics, a public biotechnology company developing therapies for spinal cord injury, MS, and other nervous system disorders.