New DWA Healthcare Communications Group Chief Medical Officer Bridges Medicine and Marketing

CARMEL, Ind., Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Deborah Wood, President and CEO of
DWA Healthcare Communications Group, has announced Murali Gopal, MD, as the new
Chief Medical Officer for the corporation and leader for the Group’s Medical
Science and Education Division (MSED). Dr. Gopal, a practicing psychiatrist and
clinical researcher, has a strong background in providing medical support for
business planning and the development of marketing and medical education
materials. Dr. Gopal’s business experience has served him well with regard to
presenting scientific information at domestic and global medical meetings,
providing counsel at advisory boards, and working with thought leaders to
develop programs and studies designed to further the field of psychiatry. He has
received multiple awards and recognition from medical associations and industry
for his work and has published several papers on the treatment of major
depressive disorder. Since 2000, he has also served as a delegate for the
American Psychiatric Association in numerous capacities.

Dr. Gopal served as Medical Director of several psychiatric healthcare
facilities, including the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Western
Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. With a medical degree from Ross University
School of Medicine, he has practiced medicine in the field of psychiatry for a
number of years, seeing patients in a multitude of psychiatric settings,
including nursing homes, child and adolescent homes, mental health clinics, and
private practice before joining a major pharmaceutical company. He received his
Bachelor of Science in psychology from Penn State University and completed his
residency training in psychiatry at the University of South Dakota School of
Medicine.

Beyond having experience conducting clinical trials and preparing FDA submission
documents, Dr. Gopal has been intricately involved in business planning and
forecasting, as well as integrating medical expertise and scientific data with
marketing goals and ensuring their alignment. His technical skills include trial
protocol development, new product planning, scientific data planning and
interpretation, medical writing and editing, project planning and management,
and team leadership. “His extensive experience in the regulatory, scientific,
legal, and marketing arenas will help advance the MSED team creatively through
the highly charged field of medical communication. We believe this move to hire
Dr. Gopal as an officer and senior member of leadership demonstrates our
continued commitment to the integration of business planning with medical
science,” said Ms. Wood.

DWA Healthcare Communications Group is a recognized leader in the development
and dissemination of innovative education and rigorous scientific exchange for
healthcare professionals with the ultimate goal of improving patient wellness.
The DWA corporate group includes Avant Healthcare Marketing, a noncertified
education provider, and CME Enterprise, an independent nationally accredited CME
provider. DWA provides an ACCME-approved organizational structure, superior
strategic planning, scientific expertise, turnkey program management, and a
multilevel compliance program. Please clickherefor more information.

SOURCE DWA Healthcare Communications Group