The Pharma Forecasting Course
With Gary Johnson & Sam Johnson
Course Details
Many strategic decisions in pharma are based on sales forecasts.
However, forecasting is difficult in an ecosystem as complex as pharma with several industry-specific factors to consider, such as market access or lines of therapy.
This highlights the importance of using evidence-based forecasting techniques for pharmaceuticals.
Whether your role involves producing forecasts or making decisions based on them, understanding these techniques and the fundamental concepts underpinning them is critical.
This course, led by two of Europe’s most respected pharma forecasting experts, will teach you the evidence-based concepts, models, and techniques that are most effective for forecasting pharmaceutical sales.
You will have the opportunity to consult directly with true pharma forecasting experts. And you’ll also engage in meaningful discussions and share experiences with international peers, making this a truly unique learning experience!
Hear directly from Gary why you should attend this course:
A well-structured and insightful course led by experienced professionals. The content is practical and relevant, providing useful tools for those working in pharmaceutical forecasting. I recommend it to anyone involved in forecasting or modelling data-driven decisions in the industry.
JGL
Anđelina Žnidaršić, Head of Business Unit Rx in Strategy - Croatia - March 2025
The six proven principles for producing the most accurate forecasts.
When and how to use epi-based, patient-based, and sales-based forecasts.
The evidence-based forecasting techniques for pharmaceuticals and how to use them.
How to correctly integrate market access into your forecasts.
How to deal with pharma-specific issues like lines of therapy, co-prescription, etc.
The future impact of new technologies (e.g., AI and Big Data) on pharma forecasting.
Great course! The experts are very knowledgeable and I also learned from discussions with the other participants. I recommend to attend!
Gilead Sciences
Jurgita Symons, Assoc. Director, Global Trade Operations - United Kingdom - October 2023
Day 1
| Welcome & General Introduction (~30 min) |
| The Right Approach to Forecasting (~45 min) |
|
| The Proven Rules of Good Forecasting (~1 h 30 min) |
|
| Lunch Break |
| Extrapolation – Projecting a Trend into the Future (~45 min) |
|
| Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) (~1 h) |
|
| The Impact of Product Profile on Your Market Share (~1 h) |
|
Day 2
| Modelling Exercise – Part 1 (~45 min) |
| Structuring a Forecast (~1 h) |
|
| Econometrics and AI – To Analyse Behavioural Data for Share Predictions (~1 h 15 min) |
|
| Lunch Break |
| Building Market Access and Other Pharma Specific Considerations into Your Forecast (~1 h) |
|
| Forecasting How Quickly You Will Achieve Your Sales Potential (~1 h) |
|
| Modelling Exercise – Part 2 (~45 min) |
Gary Johnson is the Founder & Chairman of Inpharmation, Europe’s pharma specialist consultancy that has been involved in the pricing and/or forecasting of around half of the new molecular entity launches over the past 5 years.
As Board Director and Head of Research and Development, Sam Johnson leads the development of forecasting and pricing technologies at Inpharmation.
Authors of several books, including "Sales Forecasting for Pharmaceuticals: An Evidence Based Approach" and “The AI Cube: Can we use AI in pharma pricing and forecasting?”.
Gary has been on CELforPharma's faculty since 2007 and Sam joined our faculty in 2021. Their course content has evolved over the years, ensuring it remains up-to-date with new pharma market and technology developments.
Thought-provoking, informative, and actionable! Very clear presentations. Gary and Sam are true experts. Recommended!
Almirall
Marcos Fernández Alfara, Innovation and New Product Planning Associate Director - Spain - March 2025
The course focuses on predicting the sales of branded pharmaceuticals and is very useful for:
Forecasters who want to build more evidence based approaches into their forecasts.
Marketers who want to understand how to link forecasts to their real-world concerns (like the competitiveness of their product profile, promotional spend, speed to market etc.).
Market researchers who want to know how to take data from surveys and audits and reflect them in forecasts.
Market access and pricing executives who want to break down the silos that exist between forecasting and other functions and to understand how their concerns should be reflected in forecasts.
Business Development & Licensing managers who want to ensure they have reliable sales forecasts for the compounds they are considering or negotiating.
As well as any other executive who has to produce or receive a forecast as a part of their professional role.
If you are a consultant, please contact Annelies Swaan, who will check with the faculty whether you can attend.
Would you like to receive a list of anonymised participant profiles from previous sessions?
Email Annelies Swaan
The average Recommendation Score from participants of the last session was
8,8/10!
Testimonials from past participants:
The structure, flow, and content made the course very engaging. The slides were easy to follow, and the presenters were spot-on in addressing multiple questions. I especially appreciated the deep-dives into market share estimates and market access considerations, as well as understanding forecasting principles and proven techniques for various aspects.
Lundbeck
Jason Cohecha Mayorga, Senior Manager Global Commercial Analytics - Denmark - June 2025
An engaging course that explained the principles and pitfalls of forecasting very well for an introductory level. I especially valued learning the principles behind good forecasting, getting hands-on with some of the tools, and being able to ask questions and discuss with the knowledgeable tutors.
Molecular Partners
Andrew Knox, Director - NPP - Switzerland - June 2025
A very well-delivered course. The trainers had great communication skills and extensive expertise in the field.
Moderna
Javier de la Torre, CMC Product Launch - Switzerland - June 2025
This was a really surprising experience. I hadn’t realised how much evidence can be behind a good forecast. Gary and Sam broke down complex ideas and explained them clearly and effectively. This will definitely change how I approach forecasting from now on.
BIAL
Maria Soares, Innovation & Business Development Analyst - Portugal - June 2025
Thought-provoking, informative, and actionable! Very clear presentations. Gary and Sam are true experts. Recommended!
Almirall
Marcos Fernández Alfara, Innovation and New Product Planning Associate Director - Spain - March 2025
A well-structured and insightful course led by experienced professionals. The content is practical and relevant, providing useful tools for those working in pharmaceutical forecasting. I recommend it to anyone involved in forecasting or modelling data-driven decisions in the industry.
JGL
Anđelina Žnidaršić, Head of Business Unit Rx in Strategy - Croatia - March 2025
This course covers the important points. It is easy to follow, pragmatic where it can be, and complex where it needs to be. Many thanks to CELforPharma; everything was handled perfectly before and during the training!
Daiichi Sankyo Europe
Birgit Bohlmann, Director Commercial Planning and Analysis - Germany - December 2024
I highly valued the experts’ backgrounds linked to real-life practice, the opportunity to apply what was learned and the chance to benefit from the experiences of other participants. Recommended!
iQone Healthcare
Heidrun Anders, Senior Marketing Manager - Switzerland - December 2024
Perfect organisation and insightful course.
Daiichi Sankyo Europe
Pedro Lanceiro, Patient Demand Analytics Senior Manager - Portugal - December 2024
Very useful training. I highly valued the exercises and group work and the Excel models provided. It is also a good opportunity to meet with peers from the industry. Thanks!
Viatris
Geraldine Cotton-Mazure, Head of Portfolio Europe - France - October 2024
Very interesting and clear course with a good approach! Gary & Sam are very good orators, they transmit their passion for forecasting.
OM Pharma
Raphaël Brun, Partnering & Business Development Specialist - Switzerland - March 2024
Great insights founded in peer-reviewed science and proven real-life cases. The mix of learning and excel application makes the forecasting aspects learned easier to implement in our work in the future.
LEO Foundation
Anton Kieler Saietz, Senior Associate - Denmark - March 2024
I learned some new information and interesting insights on the different aspects of building up a forecast.
Recordati
Cagri Kilickaya, Export and Toll Manufacturing Coordinator - Turkey - March 2024
Really enjoyed the course. Thought it was a very good introduction to many different topics. Thank you!
GSK
Stefania Mataragka, Portfolio Competitor Insights Manager - United Kingdom - December 2023
Highly recommend the course to everyone involved in demand planning and forecasting. The course helps to structure your knowledge and enhance it with best-practice examples. All information is very applicable in daily operations so you can start using it straight away.
Biocad
Ekaterina Bulina, Planning & Direct Procurement Director - Russia - December 2023
I would really recommend this course. The trainers are very good. Forecasting: Keep it simple!
Boehringer Ingelheim
Lisa Liberloo, Brand Manager - Belgium - October 2023
Great course! The experts are very knowledgeable and I also learned from discussions with the other participants. I recommend to attend!
Gilead Sciences
Jurgita Symons, Assoc. Director, Global Trade Operations - United Kingdom - October 2023
Very good course! Well prepared & well delivered. Nice to receive a certificate as well in paper!
Boehringer Ingelheim
Lore Meeus, Brand Manager - Belgium - October 2023
Just perfect. I highly valued the didactic, the real examples and the Excel tool. Thanks!
Besins Healthcare
Cédric Filipe, Competitive Intelligence Director - Monaco - October 2023
Concise and resourceful!
Essential Pharma
Jonathan Koneswaran, Market Insights Analyst - United Kingdom - March 2023
A wonderful two days, striking a perfect balance between technical and theoretical information. It has completely invigorated my views and approach to forecasting - who knew it could be this fun?! I have come away with some immediate considerations for my forecasting approach and models, all of which I feel I can confidently implement due to the great explanations given as to why we should take certain approaches to forecasting.
Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Emily Glass, Business Intelligence Manager - The Netherlands - December 2022
So much content in only 2 days! Fantastic instructors and good practical exercises.
Roche
Ricardo Rosas, Product Owner - Switzerland - December 2022
Concise, deep, refreshing and instructive experience.
CSL Vifor
Marcello Polesel, Strategic Insights and Analytics, Specialist - Switzerland - December 2022
This course was an eye-opener for me about some forecasting methods that I haven't heard before. It triggered my appetite to read and learn more details about the topics that were presented.
GSK
Zlatka Dimitrova, NPI Manager - United Kingdom - October 2022
In-depth discussion and useful methodology.
VelocityHealth Securities
Dale Yakin, Managing Director - Taiwan - October 2022
It was very interesting, relevant, explanations were clear, instructors were knowledgeable.
Paladin Labs
Jennifer Smirnow, FP&A Manager - Canada - June 2022
Amazing course, helps you understand the ideas behind forecasting and how to implement certain ideas into your daily work. Great content for both beginner, experienced, marketing, business intelligence, junior or management roles.
Norgine
Stan Moorman, Medical Representative - The Netherlands - June 2022
CELforPharma did a great job in organising this course and Gary and Sam were great trainers. They gave us a lot of concise, efficient learnings in just 2 days. I came away from the course with many practical insights that are simple enough to apply to my job immediately.
AbbVie
John Pennicott, Finance Manager - Switzerland - March 2022
Very useful course to understand the correct approach to pharma strategic forecasting - Gary and team explain the complexities in an engaging, lucid manner. The best part is that there is something new for everyone - regardless of your level of expertise.
Rhizen Pharma
Lakshmi Dharmarajan, Manager Commercial Strategy - United States - March 2022
Helps demystify the complex world of forecasting in pharma!! Thanks Gary!!
Novartis
Phanindra Prakash Kalpatapu, Senior BPA Manager - The Netherlands - March 2022
This course allowed me to understand the key principles behind good forecasting integrating all key elements from marketing (detailed view), while at the same time I also learned how to integrate forecasts with other functions and decision makers in the organisation (overall view).
medac
Gisela Rua, Business Insights Manager - Germany - December 2021
Really well organised by a friendly and experienced team.
Clinigen Group
Kieron Lewis, Director of Strategic Consulting - United Kingdom - December 2021
Highly recommended for people involved in commercial insights, forecasting and long term plans.
Lundbeck
Matteo Premoli, Business Analyst - Denmark - December 2021
Thank you for the experience you created these past two days in the Pharma Forecasting Course. I thought the teachings were transcendent and the delivery of the content was very thoughtful and engaging! I came away from the course feeling both energised and much more knowledgeable on the most helpful ways to apply forecasting methods. I also really appreciated the time Gary took to answer my questions throughout the course. It was clear to me that Gary is a master teacher, and I thought the overall experience was exceptional! Thank you for all that you shared and for investing in my learning throughout this course.
Lilly
Ryan Rust, Consultant - United States - October 2021
This is the perfect course for the basics on Forecasting. There were not many options in the market that are focused on the pharma industry like this one. Additionally, Gary was a great expert and I enjoyed that my peers came from a wide representation of all countries.
Bial
Sergio Álvarez, Market Research Manager - Spain - October 2021
Great expert insights and very useful tools applicable to my daily activities to help overcome future challenges of forecasting!
Angelini
Giorgia Continenza, Global Marketing New Business Analysis Manager - Italy - June 2021
Gary Johnson is very experienced and explained forecasting pitfalls in a detailed and lively way.
medac
Nicole Stumpp, Senior Expert Global Business Development & Licensing - Germany - June 2021
Very good course on the basics of pharmaceutical forecasting.
Lundbeck
Patrick Lee, Sr. Business Insights Analyst - United States - June 2021
This course was very practical and well oriented to the pharma industry. Gary gave an excellent explanation of the whole forecasting concept and I came away from the course with useful excel tools that I can use for my own applications as well as being able to challenge my own approach to my job role. Thank you very much to Gary and to CELforPharma!
AbbVie
Finance Manager Immunology - Belgium - April 2021
The course really reshaped the way I approach a forecasting challenge.
Ferrer
David Ferrando Navarra, Corporate Director for Business Analysis & Customer Engagement - Spain - March 2021
This course definitely broadened my forecasting skills. Gary showed great competence with a high level of expertise on the topic of Pharma Forecasting alongside great presenting skills which created an excellent flow throughout the 2 days. A really good course that I would recommend to others to attend!
Bial
Paolo Mussini, Commercial Operations Manager - Portugal - March 2021
Gary is an effective communicator and the course is well structured and executed in an efficient manner.
Pete Stavropoulos, Research Analyst - United States - March 2021
9-10 October 2025
Brussels
Early bird € 2 970
(Full fee € 3 370)
(until 22/08/2025)
13-14 November 2025
Live online (EST timing)
Early bird € 2 670
(Full fee € 2 870)
(until 10/10/2025)
27-28 November 2025
Live online (CET timing)
Early bird € 2 670
(Full fee € 2 870)
(until 24/10/2025)
Group Discount:
Team discounts can be offered to 2 or more delegates from the same company.
Email Annelies Swaan, Director Business Operations, for more details.
Information about Locations and Timing:
Live online CET courses take place on Zoom between 9 AM and 5 PM CET (Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris time zone).
Live online EST courses take place on Zoom between 8 AM and 4 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time).
Face-to-face courses are held in the Crowne Plaza Brussels Airport hotel (Da Vincilaan 4, 1831 Brussels) running from 9 AM to 5 PM CET. We have an agreement with this hotel to offer beneficial room rates.
You will receive all practical details after your registration.
For any questions related to the above, please do not hesitate to email Margherita Mutto or contact her by phone at +32 472 03 11 38 .
How to Register
Click the green "Register" button on the course session of your preference or download the offline version of the registration form here.
The registration wizard will guide you through the personal and company data that we need to process your registration.
You have the choice between 2 payment options:
Payment by credit card. You will not be required to pay immediately, but you will receive a secured payment link together with the invoice.
Payment via bank transfer
Click "Register Now". You will be sent an automatic email confirming your registration followed by a personal email containing an invoice and further payment instructions.
For assistance with your registration, please email Annelies Swaan or contact her by phone at +32 486 98 52 49.
Included in the Registration Fee:
For live online courses:
Access to a virtual small-class (max 20 participants), expert led course in real-time, using an interactive platform for break-out rooms, whiteboard exercises, polling, plenary discussions and chats.
Course material will be provided to you in both digital format (by email) and in hard copy (by post, so you can make notes during the course).
Certificate of attendance signed by the experts and CELforPharma.
A free one-year license to an Excel-based forecasting tool that integrates all the techniques taught during the workshop.
You will receive Gary Johnson’s book “Sales Forecasting for Pharmaceuticals: An Evidence Based Approach”.
For face-to-face courses:
Participation in a small-class (max 20 participants), expert led face-to-face course with interactive group exercises and plenary discussions. You will have the opportunity to meet the experts and discuss your own projects/issues during the breaks.
Course material will be provided to you in both digital format (by email) and in hard copy (so you can make notes during the course).
A free one-year license to an Excel-based forecasting tool that integrates all the techniques taught during the workshop.
You will receive Gary Johnson’s book “Sales Forecasting for Pharmaceuticals: An Evidence Based Approach”.
Opportunities for networking and informal discussions during coffee/tea breaks and lunch.
A group dinner in a nearby restaurant on the evening of day 1.
Certificate of attendance signed by the experts and CELforPharma.
VAT Information
The prices on our website are excluding VAT. Depending on the format of the course (face-to-face in Brussels or live online or self-study programme) and your location, we are obliged by Belgian law to apply VAT.
We are obliged by Belgian law to apply VAT in the following cases:
Face-to-Face public course organised in Belgium
Article 53 of the European Union VAT Directive 2006/112 states that : “The place of supply of services in respect of admission to cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific, educational, entertainment or similar events, such as fairs and exhibitions, and of ancillary services related to the admission, supplied to a taxable person, shall be the place where those events actually take place.”
If the course that you register for takes place in Belgium, we are obliged to charge 21% Belgian VAT.
However, you can recover this Belgian VAT through the refund procedure. Note that this procedure differs depending on the country where you are located. It is best to contact your local VAT administration for this.
Online Public courses - live webinar
Webinars where the participants can communicate among themselves or ask questions to the speaker(s) (be it verbally, via a chat function or similar), are considered as ‘a service supplied by electronic means’ by the Belgian VAT administration.
According to Article 56 of the European Union VAT Directive 2006/112, these services supplied by electronic means take place where the customer is established. Therefore, we follow the VAT rules applicable to the country of your invoicing address.
Self-Study Programme:
A self-study programme is a service provided electronically. It is the period of self-study that is the most important in our self-study Basics of Health Economics and not the kickoff and closing webinars. As a result, the place of the service is where the customer is established. Therefore, we follow the VAT rules applicable to the country of your invoicing address.
Group Discounts
Team discounts can be offered to 2 or more delegates from the same company.
Email Annelies Swaan, Director Business Operations, for more details.
Transfer & Cancellation Policy
Flexible Transfer
If a registrant is unable to attend the scheduled course, they can avoid any cancellation charges by providing a suitable replacement participant.
Alternatively, the registrant may transfer once, on a 'space-available' basis and at no extra cost, to another course of the same value held within one year of the original course date, provided this is done at least three weeks prior to the event.
Registration Cancellation
Less than 14 days prior to the course date: The registrant is liable to pay the full invoiced registration fee.
Between 15 and 30 days prior to the course date: The registrant is liable to pay 50% of the invoiced registration fee.
More than 30 days prior to the course date: The registrant is liable to pay a cancellation fee of € 450 per registrant.
If a registrant postpones their participation to a future course and subsequently cancels again, no refund will be issued for the registration fees.
Benefits of CELforPharma’s face-to-face courses:
You have the unique opportunity to interact one-to-one with the expert(s).
Plenty of opportunity for informal one-to-one and group conversations with your international peers to exchange experiences and ideas, to discuss issues and to network.
Face-to-face interactions allow for more depth during Q&As and group work.
You can step away from your daily routine in the office and enjoy a more focused learning experience in a comfortable business hotel environment.
Benefits of CELforPharma’s live online courses:
The formal programme is as impactful as a face-to-face course thanks to the highly interactive format (using breakouts, polls, quizzes …).
No travel & accommodation expenses
You can attend the course from the comfort of your own office or home.
We send you the course materials by post so that you can take notes and fully engage with the course content.
No, if you choose credit card payment, we will send you a secure payment link together with the invoice.
Team discounts can be offered for 2 or more registrations confirmed at the same time. The level of discount will depend on the number of registrations and the availability of seats.
Email Annelies Swaan, Director Business Operations, for more details.
Depending on the format of the course (face-to-face in Brussels or live online or self-study programme) and your location, we are obliged by Belgian law to apply VAT in the following cases:
Face-to-Face public course organised in Belgium
Article 53 of the European Union VAT Directive 2006/112 states that : “The place of supply of services in respect of admission to cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific, educational, entertainment or similar events, such as fairs and exhibitions, and of ancillary services related to the admission, supplied to a taxable person, shall be the place where those events actually take place.”
If the course that you register for takes place in Belgium, we are obliged to charge 21% Belgian VAT.
However, you can recover this Belgian VAT through the refund procedure. Note that this procedure differs depending on the country where you are located. It is best to contact your local VAT administration for this.
Online Public courses - live webinar
Webinars where the participants can communicate among themselves or ask questions to the speaker(s) (be it verbally, via a chat function or similar), are considered as ‘a service supplied by electronic means’ by the Belgian VAT administration.
According to Article 56 of the European Union VAT Directive 2006/112, these services supplied by electronic means take place where the customer is established. Therefore, we follow the VAT rules applicable to the country of your invoicing address.
Self-Study Programme:
A self-study programme is a service provided electronically. It is the period of self-study that is the most important in our self-study Basics of Health Economics and not the kickoff and closing webinars. As a result, the place of the service is where the customer is established. Therefore, we follow the VAT rules applicable to the country of your invoicing address.
Our face-to-face courses are held in the Crowne Plaza Brussels Airport hotel (Da Vincilaan 4, 1831 Brussels).
We have an agreement with this hotel to offer beneficial room rates. Upon your registration, we will assist you to make your hotel booking.
For any assistance in this matter please do not hesitate to email Margherita Mutto, Course Coordinator, or contact her by phone at +32 472 03 11 38.
We do not record our live online public courses as we want to offer a safe environment for all attendees to share their experiences and freely ask questions.
This way, by participating in our courses, you do not only learn from our expert faculty but also from your international peers in the room.
No, we don't sell the course materials as a stand-alone.
Without the expert's explanation, the exercises and the discussions with other course participants, there is very little value in the slides.
Email Inge Cornelis (Director, Client & Product Projects) to help you choose the course that is best suited.
Yes!
We have helped many managers to set up an in-house training programme for their team.
Email Inge Cornelis (Director, Client & Product Projects) to discuss your team training needs.
Do you have any other questions?
Email Annelies Swaan or call +32 486 98 52 49.
People attending this course are typically also interested in:
Course Details
Upcoming Session
9-10 October 2025, Brussels
Early bird € 2 970
(Full fee € 3 370)
(until 22/08/2025) Prices are excl. VAT
Many strategic decisions in pharma are based on sales forecasts.
However, forecasting is difficult in an ecosystem as complex as pharma with several industry-specific factors to consider, such as market access or lines of therapy.
This highlights the importance of using evidence-based forecasting techniques for pharmaceuticals.
Whether your role involves producing forecasts or making decisions based on them, understanding these techniques and the fundamental concepts underpinning them is critical.
This course, led by two of Europe’s most respected pharma forecasting experts, will teach you the evidence-based concepts, models, and techniques that are most effective for forecasting pharmaceutical sales.
You will have the opportunity to consult directly with true pharma forecasting experts. And you’ll also engage in meaningful discussions and share experiences with international peers, making this a truly unique learning experience!
Hear directly from Gary why you should attend this course:
A well-structured and insightful course led by experienced professionals. The content is practical and relevant, providing useful tools for those working in pharmaceutical forecasting. I recommend it to anyone involved in forecasting or modelling data-driven decisions in the industry.
JGL
Anđelina Žnidaršić, Head of Business Unit Rx in Strategy - Croatia - March 2025
The six proven principles for producing the most accurate forecasts.
When and how to use epi-based, patient-based, and sales-based forecasts.
The evidence-based forecasting techniques for pharmaceuticals and how to use them.
How to correctly integrate market access into your forecasts.
How to deal with pharma-specific issues like lines of therapy, co-prescription, etc.
The future impact of new technologies (e.g., AI and Big Data) on pharma forecasting.
Great course! The experts are very knowledgeable and I also learned from discussions with the other participants. I recommend to attend!
Gilead Sciences
Jurgita Symons, Assoc. Director, Global Trade Operations - United Kingdom - October 2023
Day 1
| Welcome & General Introduction (~30 min) |
| The Right Approach to Forecasting (~45 min) |
|
| The Proven Rules of Good Forecasting (~1 h 30 min) |
|
| Lunch Break |
| Extrapolation – Projecting a Trend into the Future (~45 min) |
|
| Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) (~1 h) |
|
| The Impact of Product Profile on Your Market Share (~1 h) |
|
Day 2
| Modelling Exercise – Part 1 (~45 min) |
| Structuring a Forecast (~1 h) |
|
| Econometrics and AI – To Analyse Behavioural Data for Share Predictions (~1 h 15 min) |
|
| Lunch Break |
| Building Market Access and Other Pharma Specific Considerations into Your Forecast (~1 h) |
|
| Forecasting How Quickly You Will Achieve Your Sales Potential (~1 h) |
|
| Modelling Exercise – Part 2 (~45 min) |
Gary Johnson is the Founder & Chairman of Inpharmation, Europe’s pharma specialist consultancy that has been involved in the pricing and/or forecasting of around half of the new molecular entity launches over the past 5 years.
As Board Director and Head of Research and Development, Sam Johnson leads the development of forecasting and pricing technologies at Inpharmation.
Authors of several books, including "Sales Forecasting for Pharmaceuticals: An Evidence Based Approach" and “The AI Cube: Can we use AI in pharma pricing and forecasting?”.
Gary has been on CELforPharma's faculty since 2007 and Sam joined our faculty in 2021. Their course content has evolved over the years, ensuring it remains up-to-date with new pharma market and technology developments.
Thought-provoking, informative, and actionable! Very clear presentations. Gary and Sam are true experts. Recommended!
Almirall
Marcos Fernández Alfara, Innovation and New Product Planning Associate Director - Spain - March 2025
The course focuses on predicting the sales of branded pharmaceuticals and is very useful for:
Forecasters who want to build more evidence based approaches into their forecasts.
Marketers who want to understand how to link forecasts to their real-world concerns (like the competitiveness of their product profile, promotional spend, speed to market etc.).
Market researchers who want to know how to take data from surveys and audits and reflect them in forecasts.
Market access and pricing executives who want to break down the silos that exist between forecasting and other functions and to understand how their concerns should be reflected in forecasts.
Business Development & Licensing managers who want to ensure they have reliable sales forecasts for the compounds they are considering or negotiating.
As well as any other executive who has to produce or receive a forecast as a part of their professional role.
If you are a consultant, please contact Annelies Swaan, who will check with the faculty whether you can attend.
Would you like to receive a list of anonymised participant profiles from previous sessions?
Email Annelies Swaan
The average Recommendation Score from participants of the last session was
8,8/10!
Testimonials from past participants:
The structure, flow, and content made the course very engaging. The slides were easy to follow, and the presenters were spot-on in addressing multiple questions. I especially appreciated the deep-dives into market share estimates and market access considerations, as well as understanding forecasting principles and proven techniques for various aspects.
Lundbeck
Jason Cohecha Mayorga, Senior Manager Global Commercial Analytics - Denmark - June 2025
An engaging course that explained the principles and pitfalls of forecasting very well for an introductory level. I especially valued learning the principles behind good forecasting, getting hands-on with some of the tools, and being able to ask questions and discuss with the knowledgeable tutors.
Molecular Partners
Andrew Knox, Director - NPP - Switzerland - June 2025
A very well-delivered course. The trainers had great communication skills and extensive expertise in the field.
Moderna
Javier de la Torre, CMC Product Launch - Switzerland - June 2025
This was a really surprising experience. I hadn’t realised how much evidence can be behind a good forecast. Gary and Sam broke down complex ideas and explained them clearly and effectively. This will definitely change how I approach forecasting from now on.
BIAL
Maria Soares, Innovation & Business Development Analyst - Portugal - June 2025
Thought-provoking, informative, and actionable! Very clear presentations. Gary and Sam are true experts. Recommended!
Almirall
Marcos Fernández Alfara, Innovation and New Product Planning Associate Director - Spain - March 2025
A well-structured and insightful course led by experienced professionals. The content is practical and relevant, providing useful tools for those working in pharmaceutical forecasting. I recommend it to anyone involved in forecasting or modelling data-driven decisions in the industry.
JGL
Anđelina Žnidaršić, Head of Business Unit Rx in Strategy - Croatia - March 2025
This course covers the important points. It is easy to follow, pragmatic where it can be, and complex where it needs to be. Many thanks to CELforPharma; everything was handled perfectly before and during the training!
Daiichi Sankyo Europe
Birgit Bohlmann, Director Commercial Planning and Analysis - Germany - December 2024
I highly valued the experts’ backgrounds linked to real-life practice, the opportunity to apply what was learned and the chance to benefit from the experiences of other participants. Recommended!
iQone Healthcare
Heidrun Anders, Senior Marketing Manager - Switzerland - December 2024
Perfect organisation and insightful course.
Daiichi Sankyo Europe
Pedro Lanceiro, Patient Demand Analytics Senior Manager - Portugal - December 2024
Very useful training. I highly valued the exercises and group work and the Excel models provided. It is also a good opportunity to meet with peers from the industry. Thanks!
Viatris
Geraldine Cotton-Mazure, Head of Portfolio Europe - France - October 2024
Very interesting and clear course with a good approach! Gary & Sam are very good orators, they transmit their passion for forecasting.
OM Pharma
Raphaël Brun, Partnering & Business Development Specialist - Switzerland - March 2024
Great insights founded in peer-reviewed science and proven real-life cases. The mix of learning and excel application makes the forecasting aspects learned easier to implement in our work in the future.
LEO Foundation
Anton Kieler Saietz, Senior Associate - Denmark - March 2024
I learned some new information and interesting insights on the different aspects of building up a forecast.
Recordati
Cagri Kilickaya, Export and Toll Manufacturing Coordinator - Turkey - March 2024
Really enjoyed the course. Thought it was a very good introduction to many different topics. Thank you!
GSK
Stefania Mataragka, Portfolio Competitor Insights Manager - United Kingdom - December 2023
Highly recommend the course to everyone involved in demand planning and forecasting. The course helps to structure your knowledge and enhance it with best-practice examples. All information is very applicable in daily operations so you can start using it straight away.
Biocad
Ekaterina Bulina, Planning & Direct Procurement Director - Russia - December 2023
I would really recommend this course. The trainers are very good. Forecasting: Keep it simple!
Boehringer Ingelheim
Lisa Liberloo, Brand Manager - Belgium - October 2023
Great course! The experts are very knowledgeable and I also learned from discussions with the other participants. I recommend to attend!
Gilead Sciences
Jurgita Symons, Assoc. Director, Global Trade Operations - United Kingdom - October 2023
Very good course! Well prepared & well delivered. Nice to receive a certificate as well in paper!
Boehringer Ingelheim
Lore Meeus, Brand Manager - Belgium - October 2023
Just perfect. I highly valued the didactic, the real examples and the Excel tool. Thanks!
Besins Healthcare
Cédric Filipe, Competitive Intelligence Director - Monaco - October 2023
Concise and resourceful!
Essential Pharma
Jonathan Koneswaran, Market Insights Analyst - United Kingdom - March 2023
A wonderful two days, striking a perfect balance between technical and theoretical information. It has completely invigorated my views and approach to forecasting - who knew it could be this fun?! I have come away with some immediate considerations for my forecasting approach and models, all of which I feel I can confidently implement due to the great explanations given as to why we should take certain approaches to forecasting.
Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Emily Glass, Business Intelligence Manager - The Netherlands - December 2022
So much content in only 2 days! Fantastic instructors and good practical exercises.
Roche
Ricardo Rosas, Product Owner - Switzerland - December 2022
Concise, deep, refreshing and instructive experience.
CSL Vifor
Marcello Polesel, Strategic Insights and Analytics, Specialist - Switzerland - December 2022
This course was an eye-opener for me about some forecasting methods that I haven't heard before. It triggered my appetite to read and learn more details about the topics that were presented.
GSK
Zlatka Dimitrova, NPI Manager - United Kingdom - October 2022
In-depth discussion and useful methodology.
VelocityHealth Securities
Dale Yakin, Managing Director - Taiwan - October 2022
It was very interesting, relevant, explanations were clear, instructors were knowledgeable.
Paladin Labs
Jennifer Smirnow, FP&A Manager - Canada - June 2022
Amazing course, helps you understand the ideas behind forecasting and how to implement certain ideas into your daily work. Great content for both beginner, experienced, marketing, business intelligence, junior or management roles.
Norgine
Stan Moorman, Medical Representative - The Netherlands - June 2022
CELforPharma did a great job in organising this course and Gary and Sam were great trainers. They gave us a lot of concise, efficient learnings in just 2 days. I came away from the course with many practical insights that are simple enough to apply to my job immediately.
AbbVie
John Pennicott, Finance Manager - Switzerland - March 2022
Very useful course to understand the correct approach to pharma strategic forecasting - Gary and team explain the complexities in an engaging, lucid manner. The best part is that there is something new for everyone - regardless of your level of expertise.
Rhizen Pharma
Lakshmi Dharmarajan, Manager Commercial Strategy - United States - March 2022
Helps demystify the complex world of forecasting in pharma!! Thanks Gary!!
Novartis
Phanindra Prakash Kalpatapu, Senior BPA Manager - The Netherlands - March 2022
This course allowed me to understand the key principles behind good forecasting integrating all key elements from marketing (detailed view), while at the same time I also learned how to integrate forecasts with other functions and decision makers in the organisation (overall view).
medac
Gisela Rua, Business Insights Manager - Germany - December 2021
Really well organised by a friendly and experienced team.
Clinigen Group
Kieron Lewis, Director of Strategic Consulting - United Kingdom - December 2021
Highly recommended for people involved in commercial insights, forecasting and long term plans.
Lundbeck
Matteo Premoli, Business Analyst - Denmark - December 2021
Thank you for the experience you created these past two days in the Pharma Forecasting Course. I thought the teachings were transcendent and the delivery of the content was very thoughtful and engaging! I came away from the course feeling both energised and much more knowledgeable on the most helpful ways to apply forecasting methods. I also really appreciated the time Gary took to answer my questions throughout the course. It was clear to me that Gary is a master teacher, and I thought the overall experience was exceptional! Thank you for all that you shared and for investing in my learning throughout this course.
Lilly
Ryan Rust, Consultant - United States - October 2021
This is the perfect course for the basics on Forecasting. There were not many options in the market that are focused on the pharma industry like this one. Additionally, Gary was a great expert and I enjoyed that my peers came from a wide representation of all countries.
Bial
Sergio Álvarez, Market Research Manager - Spain - October 2021
Great expert insights and very useful tools applicable to my daily activities to help overcome future challenges of forecasting!
Angelini
Giorgia Continenza, Global Marketing New Business Analysis Manager - Italy - June 2021
Gary Johnson is very experienced and explained forecasting pitfalls in a detailed and lively way.
medac
Nicole Stumpp, Senior Expert Global Business Development & Licensing - Germany - June 2021
Very good course on the basics of pharmaceutical forecasting.
Lundbeck
Patrick Lee, Sr. Business Insights Analyst - United States - June 2021
This course was very practical and well oriented to the pharma industry. Gary gave an excellent explanation of the whole forecasting concept and I came away from the course with useful excel tools that I can use for my own applications as well as being able to challenge my own approach to my job role. Thank you very much to Gary and to CELforPharma!
AbbVie
Finance Manager Immunology - Belgium - April 2021
The course really reshaped the way I approach a forecasting challenge.
Ferrer
David Ferrando Navarra, Corporate Director for Business Analysis & Customer Engagement - Spain - March 2021
This course definitely broadened my forecasting skills. Gary showed great competence with a high level of expertise on the topic of Pharma Forecasting alongside great presenting skills which created an excellent flow throughout the 2 days. A really good course that I would recommend to others to attend!
Bial
Paolo Mussini, Commercial Operations Manager - Portugal - March 2021
Gary is an effective communicator and the course is well structured and executed in an efficient manner.
Pete Stavropoulos, Research Analyst - United States - March 2021
9-10 October 2025
Brussels
Early bird € 2 970
(Full fee € 3 370)
(until 22/08/2025)
13-14 November 2025
Live online (EST timing)
Early bird € 2 670
(Full fee € 2 870)
(until 10/10/2025)
27-28 November 2025
Live online (CET timing)
Early bird € 2 670
(Full fee € 2 870)
(until 24/10/2025)
Group Discount:
Team discounts can be offered to 2 or more delegates from the same company.
Email Annelies Swaan, Director Business Operations, for more details.
Information about Locations and Timing:
Live online CET courses take place on Zoom between 9 AM and 5 PM CET (Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris time zone).
Live online EST courses take place on Zoom between 8 AM and 4 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time).
Face-to-face courses are held in the Crowne Plaza Brussels Airport hotel (Da Vincilaan 4, 1831 Brussels) running from 9 AM to 5 PM CET. We have an agreement with this hotel to offer beneficial room rates.
You will receive all practical details after your registration.
For any questions related to the above, please do not hesitate to email Margherita Mutto or contact her by phone at +32 472 03 11 38 .
How to Register
Click the green "Register" button on the course session of your preference or download the offline version of the registration form here.
The registration wizard will guide you through the personal and company data that we need to process your registration.
You have the choice between 2 payment options:
Payment by credit card. You will not be required to pay immediately, but you will receive a secured payment link together with the invoice.
Payment via bank transfer
Click "Register Now". You will be sent an automatic email confirming your registration followed by a personal email containing an invoice and further payment instructions.
For assistance with your registration, please email Annelies Swaan or contact her by phone at +32 486 98 52 49.
Included in the Registration Fee:
For live online courses:
Access to a virtual small-class (max 20 participants), expert led course in real-time, using an interactive platform for break-out rooms, whiteboard exercises, polling, plenary discussions and chats.
Course material will be provided to you in both digital format (by email) and in hard copy (by post, so you can make notes during the course).
Certificate of attendance signed by the experts and CELforPharma.
A free one-year license to an Excel-based forecasting tool that integrates all the techniques taught during the workshop.
You will receive Gary Johnson’s book “Sales Forecasting for Pharmaceuticals: An Evidence Based Approach”.
For face-to-face courses:
Participation in a small-class (max 20 participants), expert led face-to-face course with interactive group exercises and plenary discussions. You will have the opportunity to meet the experts and discuss your own projects/issues during the breaks.
Course material will be provided to you in both digital format (by email) and in hard copy (so you can make notes during the course).
A free one-year license to an Excel-based forecasting tool that integrates all the techniques taught during the workshop.
You will receive Gary Johnson’s book “Sales Forecasting for Pharmaceuticals: An Evidence Based Approach”.
Opportunities for networking and informal discussions during coffee/tea breaks and lunch.
A group dinner in a nearby restaurant on the evening of day 1.
Certificate of attendance signed by the experts and CELforPharma.
VAT Information
The prices on our website are excluding VAT. Depending on the format of the course (face-to-face in Brussels or live online or self-study programme) and your location, we are obliged by Belgian law to apply VAT.
We are obliged by Belgian law to apply VAT in the following cases:
Face-to-Face public course organised in Belgium
Article 53 of the European Union VAT Directive 2006/112 states that : “The place of supply of services in respect of admission to cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific, educational, entertainment or similar events, such as fairs and exhibitions, and of ancillary services related to the admission, supplied to a taxable person, shall be the place where those events actually take place.”
If the course that you register for takes place in Belgium, we are obliged to charge 21% Belgian VAT.
However, you can recover this Belgian VAT through the refund procedure. Note that this procedure differs depending on the country where you are located. It is best to contact your local VAT administration for this.
Online Public courses - live webinar
Webinars where the participants can communicate among themselves or ask questions to the speaker(s) (be it verbally, via a chat function or similar), are considered as ‘a service supplied by electronic means’ by the Belgian VAT administration.
According to Article 56 of the European Union VAT Directive 2006/112, these services supplied by electronic means take place where the customer is established. Therefore, we follow the VAT rules applicable to the country of your invoicing address.
Self-Study Programme:
A self-study programme is a service provided electronically. It is the period of self-study that is the most important in our self-study Basics of Health Economics and not the kickoff and closing webinars. As a result, the place of the service is where the customer is established. Therefore, we follow the VAT rules applicable to the country of your invoicing address.
Group Discounts
Team discounts can be offered to 2 or more delegates from the same company.
Email Annelies Swaan, Director Business Operations, for more details.
Transfer & Cancellation Policy
Flexible Transfer
If a registrant is unable to attend the scheduled course, they can avoid any cancellation charges by providing a suitable replacement participant.
Alternatively, the registrant may transfer once, on a 'space-available' basis and at no extra cost, to another course of the same value held within one year of the original course date, provided this is done at least three weeks prior to the event.
Registration Cancellation
Less than 14 days prior to the course date: The registrant is liable to pay the full invoiced registration fee.
Between 15 and 30 days prior to the course date: The registrant is liable to pay 50% of the invoiced registration fee.
More than 30 days prior to the course date: The registrant is liable to pay a cancellation fee of € 450 per registrant.
If a registrant postpones their participation to a future course and subsequently cancels again, no refund will be issued for the registration fees.
Benefits of CELforPharma’s face-to-face courses:
You have the unique opportunity to interact one-to-one with the expert(s).
Plenty of opportunity for informal one-to-one and group conversations with your international peers to exchange experiences and ideas, to discuss issues and to network.
Face-to-face interactions allow for more depth during Q&As and group work.
You can step away from your daily routine in the office and enjoy a more focused learning experience in a comfortable business hotel environment.
Benefits of CELforPharma’s live online courses:
The formal programme is as impactful as a face-to-face course thanks to the highly interactive format (using breakouts, polls, quizzes …).
No travel & accommodation expenses
You can attend the course from the comfort of your own office or home.
We send you the course materials by post so that you can take notes and fully engage with the course content.
No, if you choose credit card payment, we will send you a secure payment link together with the invoice.
Team discounts can be offered for 2 or more registrations confirmed at the same time. The level of discount will depend on the number of registrations and the availability of seats.
Email Annelies Swaan, Director Business Operations, for more details.
Depending on the format of the course (face-to-face in Brussels or live online or self-study programme) and your location, we are obliged by Belgian law to apply VAT in the following cases:
Face-to-Face public course organised in Belgium
Article 53 of the European Union VAT Directive 2006/112 states that : “The place of supply of services in respect of admission to cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific, educational, entertainment or similar events, such as fairs and exhibitions, and of ancillary services related to the admission, supplied to a taxable person, shall be the place where those events actually take place.”
If the course that you register for takes place in Belgium, we are obliged to charge 21% Belgian VAT.
However, you can recover this Belgian VAT through the refund procedure. Note that this procedure differs depending on the country where you are located. It is best to contact your local VAT administration for this.
Online Public courses - live webinar
Webinars where the participants can communicate among themselves or ask questions to the speaker(s) (be it verbally, via a chat function or similar), are considered as ‘a service supplied by electronic means’ by the Belgian VAT administration.
According to Article 56 of the European Union VAT Directive 2006/112, these services supplied by electronic means take place where the customer is established. Therefore, we follow the VAT rules applicable to the country of your invoicing address.
Self-Study Programme:
A self-study programme is a service provided electronically. It is the period of self-study that is the most important in our self-study Basics of Health Economics and not the kickoff and closing webinars. As a result, the place of the service is where the customer is established. Therefore, we follow the VAT rules applicable to the country of your invoicing address.
Our face-to-face courses are held in the Crowne Plaza Brussels Airport hotel (Da Vincilaan 4, 1831 Brussels).
We have an agreement with this hotel to offer beneficial room rates. Upon your registration, we will assist you to make your hotel booking.
For any assistance in this matter please do not hesitate to email Margherita Mutto, Course Coordinator, or contact her by phone at +32 472 03 11 38.
We do not record our live online public courses as we want to offer a safe environment for all attendees to share their experiences and freely ask questions.
This way, by participating in our courses, you do not only learn from our expert faculty but also from your international peers in the room.
No, we don't sell the course materials as a stand-alone.
Without the expert's explanation, the exercises and the discussions with other course participants, there is very little value in the slides.
Email Inge Cornelis (Director, Client & Product Projects) to help you choose the course that is best suited.
Yes!
We have helped many managers to set up an in-house training programme for their team.
Email Inge Cornelis (Director, Client & Product Projects) to discuss your team training needs.
Do you have any other questions?
Email Annelies Swaan or call +32 486 98 52 49.
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