Melanie McPhail
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
I knew while I was in law school that I did not want to pursue a traditional legal career. I was introduced to health law and policy and felt I could have a greater impact doing research to support legal and policy change. Prior to starting my graduate career, I worked doing research on conditional regulatory and reimbursement models to support the diffusion of precision oncology and expensive drugs for rare diseases. I decided to pursue a graduate degree to round out my practical research experience with theoretical perspectives and deepen my skill set.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
Growing up in the Vancouver area, I was thrilled at the opportunity of continuing my graduate studies close to home after spending over a decade in Ontario. Additionally, studying at UBC provides me with the opportunity to work with Dr. Cristie Ford, a leading scholar in regulatory governance.
What is it specifically, that your program offers, that attracted you?
The UBC Faculty of Law provides an incredibly supportive and encouraging environment for graduate students, with many opportunities for connecting with peers, developing career skills, and support during the program.
What was the best surprise about UBC or life in Vancouver?
Since I grew up in the area, not much surprises me. However, after spending most of my adult life outside of BC, I have a strong appreciation for the natural beauty of the area. I don't take the ocean and mountain views for granted!
What aspect of your graduate program do you enjoy the most or are looking forward to with the greatest curiosity?
I love that I get to dedicate so much time to thinking deeply about a topic that is interesting to me. I also enjoy learning about the amazing research being done by my peers.
What aspects of your life or career before now have best prepared you for your UBC graduate program?
My previous studies and research experience have provided me with a solid academic foundation to pursue a doctoral degree. Additionally, throughout my academic and professional career I have been fortunate to have met several mentors that have provided me with invaluable guidance, support, and advice that has significantly influenced my academic trajectory.
What do you like to do for fun or relaxation?
Surprisingly, I read! Fiction, non-fiction, topics directly related or adjacent to my research area or totally different. I also love being active, spending time outdoors hiking or gardening, and cooking.
What advice do you have for new graduate students?
Take advantage of the supports and opportunities offered at UBC, even those that have nothing to do with studying.I spent my first year trying to find the best croissant on campus (the answer is Loafe).
Learn more about Melanie's research
Traditionally, regulatory and reimbursement decisions relating to new drugs and medical devices (collectively, health technologies) rely on binary, rules-based decision models that require meeting pre-determined criteria to justify a positive decision. As the pharmaceutical and biosciences industries have developed newer types of products, these models have been challenged. Drug regulators internationally, and in Canada, have experimented with alternative regulatory approaches, including accelerated and conditional regulatory schemes, fundamentally altering the role of the regulator and the diffusion of authorized health technologies in society. Experience to date with accelerated and conditional regulatory paradigms provides useful insight to study the regulatory process and identify gaps, challenges, and leverage points. My doctoral research has three aims: (1) assessing and leveraging the behavioural implications of conditional regulatory decision-making to inform recommendations for the future of more flexible regulatory approaches to authorizing new health technologies; (2) identifying and analyzing the use of innovative regulatory models, such as regulatory sandboxes, through comparative research in other regulatory domains, including financial technology to develop recommendations for a health technology regulatory sandbox; and (3) adopting a multi-layered approach to identify and map the multiple forms and sources of regulation that influence the development and use of new health technologies to understand the broader implications of novel regulatory approaches and the ways in which the different layers interact.