Virus or not, patients still need medical care. Despite all the ways that COVID-19 has changed healthcare—and the list is long—there are aspects of medicine that have not altered.
1.Drug attributes that matter the most to HCPs
HCPs care most about two product attributes: Is it effective, and is it safe?
Prior to, during, and post the pandemic, HCPs consistently maintain that a product’s efficacy and safety are the two most important topics to discuss during pharma interactions, and discussing these topics continues to have the greatest impact on increasing the likelihood of HCPs’ prescribing.
2.Factors that influence drug commercialization
Key factors that influence the successful commercialization of drugs continue to be unaffected by the pandemic. In recent studies, ZoomRx observed that addressing unmet needs, better clinical parameters, and better access are perceived as key drivers to successful commercialization, whereas poor product differentiation, restricted access, and inadequate understanding of the market & customer needs are the most common barriers to the successful commercialization of a drug.
3.Continuously increasing number of patients
Six in ten Americans live with at least one chronic disease, most commonly heart disease and stroke, cancer, or diabetes. In addition, over 40% of adults in the U.S. have obesity, which can also lead to chronic illness and additional medical spending. In the US in 2023, a total of 1.9 million new cancer cases (about 5,370 cases each day) and 609,820 deaths from cancer (about 1,670 deaths a day) are expected to occur. Irrespective of the pandemic, these projections have continued to steadily increase, particularly with the number of individuals arriving at age 65 expected to increase dramatically within the US.
4.Importance of sales representatives
Sales representatives continue to be the primary means of promoting a therapy. Even during the pandemic, sales representatives continued to promote the products regardless of whether it was in-person or through a virtual environment.
Though digital promotions are on the rise, pharma marketers believe that sales representatives provide the personal connection and human touch that no digital promotion can recreate. As a result, digital promotions are perceived primarily as a means to supplement rep-driven promotions and increase promotional reach.
5.Increasingly Value of the Voice of the Customer
To be successful, pharma companies need to create not only differentiated products but also create meaningful customer experiences. Companies always strive to understand what their customers truly want, and the importance of the customers’ voice continues to climb. High-quality customer experience and customer satisfaction can improve patient health through benefits like better decision-making, disease management, and treatment effectiveness.
