The Formal Future

• Advanced medical communication frequently requires precise expressions for scheduled, anticipated, or imminent clinical and regulatory developments. These formal structures distinguish official projections from mere personal opinions.
• Structure
• Primary Nuance
• Example
• be to
• Official arrangement or command
• The advisory committee is to convene in Boston next Tuesday.
• be expected to
• Probable outcome based on data
• The new biologic is expected to receive clearance by autumn.
• be slated to
• Scheduled in a tentative or official timeline
• The pivotal trial results are slated to be published in London.
• be poised to
• Ready and positioned for immediate action
• Pfizer is poised to launch the biosimilar across the United States.
• be on the verge of
• Imminent occurrence
• The research team is on the verge of filing for breakthrough designation.
• be destined to
• Inevitable future outcome
• Such innovative therapies are destined to transform clinical practice.
• Remember
• Use 'be to' for strict protocols, official schedules, or prohibitions in clinical guidelines.
• Use 'be poised to' when an organization or product is fully prepared for an immediate breakthrough.
• Use 'be on the verge of' for processes about to happen immediately, typically followed by a gerund.
• Avoid mixing informal time clauses with these formal future constructions in high-register medical writing.
• Examples
• The Food and Drug Administration is to review the rolling submission tomorrow.
• Novartis is poised to release the cost per QALY data next month.
• The clinical investigators are on the verge of publishing their findings in Cambridge.
• Common mistakes
• The agency is to reviewing the dossier tonight.
• The agency is to review the dossier tonight.
• We are on the verge to submit the application.
• We are on the verge of submitting the application.

Complete the sentences

• The regulatory panel (convene) ____ meet in Washington to evaluate the surrogate endpoint.
• Boston Medical Center (expect) ____ announce the pivotal trial results.
• The new oncology drug (slate) ____ to enter phase three trials in Chicago.
• AstraZeneca (poise) ____ to submit its marketing authorization request.
• Our research group (verge) ____ of publishing the pharmacovigilance report.
• This breakthrough therapy (destine) ____ to redefine standards of care in New York.

Sources: photo by Min An on Pexels