Michaela Merz

Author Archives: Michaela Merz


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PwC’s Pharma & Life Sciences Regulatory Radar


Increasing regulatory challenges

The pharmaceutical & life sciences industry, a long-standing, innovative and successful industry, needs to function in an increasingly challenging market environment. Regulation is one of the main reasons for this. In an increasingly interconnected world where more and more sophisticated pharmaceutical (e.g. genetically engineered, and biologicals, orphan drugs), Medtech as well as nutrition products are being developed, public scrutiny and ultimately legal frameworks are tightening. Governments and regulators are adopting more regulations in order to meet the requirements of technological advancement and changing social conditions (e.g EU GMP/GDP Annex 21, Annex 6 and 16 for clinical trials and the new Swiss “Arzneimittelverordnung”). Given the vast quantity of regulations, there is an inherent risk of missing out on critical topics or taking the required action too late. Therefore, the pharmaceutical & life sciences sector will have to be vigilant and adapt to the constantly changing regulatory landscape. Continue reading →


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Each year


I wrote until my fingers were sore – nectarine jam, peach jam, forest berry jam, melon-lemon-banana jam, strawberry jam. Yes, us tax people did another round of jam making and cookie backing. ‘God this smells good!’ I thought to myself for the entire afternoon, especially, because I hadn’t managed to eat breakfast or lunch. But I was able to resist the temptation and didn’t even nick the smallest morsel.

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Jedes Jahr wieder


Ich habe mir die Finger wundgeschrieben – Nektarinen Confi, Plattpfirsich Confi, Waldbeeren Confi, Melonen- Zitronen-Banane Confi, Erdbeeren Confi. Ja, wir Steuerleute haben wieder Konfitüre gekocht und Kekse gebacken. «Gott riecht es toll! » dachte ich mir den ganzen Nachmittag, vor allem, weil ich es nicht geschafft habe weder Frühstück noch etwas zu Mittag zu essen. Aber ich widerstand der Versuchung und stibitzte nicht mal ein kleines Stücklein.

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Swiss National Wrestling Festival (Eidgenössisches Schwingfest) Zug 2019, Pratteln 2022


Half of Zug turned into a pedestrian area and a party street.

I’ve never experienced the city like this before. It was impossible to think of having a good night’s sleep from Saturday night to Sunday.

The loud drunken voices easily broke through the double glazed windows. I wasn’t too impressed by 4 a.m. but since it’s a once in a life time situation I decided to put up with it. As soon as the last drunken people disappeared at 5.a.m., the first spectators swarmed in shortly after 6 a.m., marching towards the arena to view the Sunday matches.

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Eidgenössisches Schwingfest Zug 2019 , Pratteln 2022


Die halbe Stadt Zug ist zu einer Fussgängerzone und Partymeile geworden. So habe ich die Stadt noch nie gesehen. An ruhigen Schlaf war in der Nacht von Samstag auf Sonntag nicht zu denken. Die lauten betrunkenen Stimmen haben mit Leichtigkeit unsere Dreifachverglasung durchdrungen. Ich war um 4 am Morgen nicht begeistert aber da es einmal in Leben ist, habe ich es erduldet. Kaum sind die letzten betrunkenen um 5 Uhr am Morgen verschwunden, strömten schon kurz nach 6 Uhr die ersten, die am Sonntag den Wettkämpfen zuschauen wollten, in Richtung Arena. Unter meinen Fenstern gab es zwischen Freitag und Sonntag ein ununterbrochener Strom von Leuten in Edelweisshemden, Trachten, mit Hüten und ohne Hüte. Man muss es sich vorstellen, Zug hat etwa 130’000 Einwohner. Dieses Wochenende kamen etwa 400’000 dazu und fast alle sind unter meinem Fenster durchgelaufen. Sie zu beobachten war teilweise genauso spannend wie den Kämpfen in Arena.

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Cruise ships


When my youngest asked to go on a cruise during the holidays I felt very negative towards the idea. What should I, a freedom loving, individuality focused person do, squashed like a sardine in a tight space with thousands of others? I’d go insane after a maximum of 24 hours. The idea that I wouldn’t like it at all and that I would not be able to leave the ship was horrific. I had only been on a dance ship once. I was very young at the time. I found it horrible and swore to myself that I would never ever step on a large ship again. It’s not that I have an issue with ships. I love sailing, the water and I actually cannot really get enough of it. But a big ship that moves lazily through the water and in which you are pretty much held captive, was gruesome to me. Cruise ships seem like a heap of ants to me with a moat that feed their members but at the same time rule over them like dictators.

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