‘Indian Pharma’s Apathy Towards Digital Marketing’ – A Misgiving Or Real?

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As I gather from different sources, an increasing number of Indian pharma companies are increasingly embracing digitalization in their marketing operations, especially after the crippling experience during the Covid lockdown period. They realize the use of digital platforms would be a great enabler for them to reach a wider audience, promote their products, and engage with healthcare professionals more effectively, in any given situation. The depth, span, and speed of adaptation of this initiative is fast gathering momentum in the capable hands of astute marketers.

In this article, I shall explore this area to ferret out the fact, whether ‘The Indian pharma industry’s apathy towards Digital Marketing’ is a misgiving or still a reality. However, I would start with an important note about getting caught in some possible controversies due to occasional overenthusiasm in this space. 

Some possible reasons for a brouhaha or controversy:

There may be several reasons why a brouhaha or controversy could continue surrounding the use of digitalization in Indian pharma companies’ marketing operations. Some possible factors include:

  • Compliance and Regulatory Issues: Digital marketing practices must ensure full compliance with regulations set by regulatory bodies, such as the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and the Medical Council of India (MCI). Any violation of these regulations can lead to legal consequences and damage the reputation of the companies involved.
  • Misinformation, data Integrity and Misleading Claims: The widespread use of digital platforms can make it easier for misleading, breach of data integrity and false claims to be disseminated. Regulators and critics may raise concerns about the accuracy of information being shared and the potential impact on patient health. 
  • Privacy, cyberthreats and Data Security: The use of digital platforms involves the collection and storage of user data. Privacy concerns, including cyberthreats, can arise if pharmaceutical companies do not handle personal information responsibly or if patient data is compromised due to inadequate security measures. 
  • Unethical Practices: There have been instances where pharmaceutical companies have been accused of engaging in unethical practices in their marketing efforts. These may include off-label promotion (promoting a drug for an unapproved use), undue influence on healthcare professionals, or aggressive marketing tactics that prioritize sales over patient welfare. 

It is important to recognize that the specific reasons for the ongoing brouhaha on this topic may have further evolved. From this perspective, let me now focus on a few Indian examples where using digital tools and analytics could offer several advantages for domestic pharmaceutical companies, as available from different sources.  

Examples of some areas where Indian players are using digital tools:

Here are some recent examples of how Indian pharmaceutical companies have utilized digital tools and analytics in their marketing operations, as available in the public domain:

  • Enhanced Targeting: Aurobindo Pharma Limited has implemented data analytics to identify key customer segments for targeted marketing. By analyzing prescribing patterns and patient demographics, they tailor their marketing efforts to reach specific healthcare professionals and patient groups more effectively. 
  • Personalized Marketing: Biocon Limited has embraced digital tools to deliver personalized marketing content. Through their digital platforms, such as websites and mobile applications, they provide customized information about their products, disease education materials, and patient support resources.
  • Improved Marketing ROI: Lupin Limited has utilized digital analytics to measure the performance of their marketing campaigns. By tracking key metrics, such as website engagement, social media interactions, and email response rates, they can optimize their marketing spend and allocate resources to channels that yield higher returns. 
  • Efficient Resource Allocation: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd has leveraged digital tools and analytics to optimize resource allocation. They analyze market data and customer behavior to identify regions and healthcare facilities with the highest growth potential, enabling them to allocate their sales resources strategically.
  • Real-time Market Insights: Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd utilizes digital tools and analytics to monitor real-time market insights. By leveraging social listening tools and data analytics platforms, they stay updated on market trends, competitor activities, and customer feedback, enabling them to adapt their marketing strategies accordingly.
  • Improved Customer Engagement: Cipla Ltd has focused on improving customer engagement through digital channels. They utilize social media platforms, online forums, and chatbots to interact with healthcare professionals and patients, providing information, answering queries, and offering support. 
  • Streamlined Communication: Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd has implemented digital communication tools to streamline interactions with healthcare professionals. They utilize virtual meeting platforms, webinars, and online training sessions to engage with physicians, pharmacists, and other stakeholders more efficiently, eliminating geographical barriers.
  • Data-driven Decision Making: Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited leverages data analytics for data-driven decision making. By analyzing sales data, market trends, and customer feedback, they gain insights that inform their strategic decisions regarding product launches, marketing campaigns, and market expansion. 

These examples demonstrate how Indian pharmaceutical companies have harnessed digital tools and analytics while recomposing notes in a pharma marketing playbook to enhance their business operations. However, please note that specific initiatives and strategies are still evolving, and the extent of adoption may vary among different companies. 

Conclusion:

From the above perspective, I reckon, Indian drug companies are increasingly embracing digital toolsand analytics to enhance their marketing efforts. With the advancement of technology and the growing importance of digital channels, pharmaceutical players in India are recognizing the need to adapt and leverage digital tools to stay competitive and effectively reach their target audience. Hence, any feeling about the ‘Indian pharma industry’s apathy towards Digital Marketing’ seems to be a misgiving to me.

By: Tapan J. Ray      

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.

Collaboration For Sustainable Excellence – The Name of The Game in The New Normal

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The union minister of health and family welfare of India recently invited Japanese companies to collaborate with Indian companies on research and innovation in emerging therapies, like precision medicine, cell and gene therapy, biological products, and on the utilization of digital tools and technologies. This was reported on May 16, 2023.

Underscoring this objective, the minister articulated, “such collaboration on research and innovation would help enhance the domestic availability and affordability of these innovative therapeutic options.”

The area of research and drug innovation in emerging therapies and on the utilization of digital tools and technologies has emerged as one of the top focus areas of the country in the new normal. Currently, the Indian pharmaceutical industry is primarily focused on manufacturing generic medicines, exporting bulk drugs, and supplying active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Thus, this goal can be quickly achieved through global collaborations – at a time when India plays a pivotal role in improving health outcomes worldwide by serving as a dependable supplier of affordable and high-quality generic drugs. The country is currently providing approximately 60 per cent of the global vaccine supply, and 20-22 per cent of generic exports. Importantly, ‘In the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic, India has supplied essential drugs to around 185 countries,” he underscored.

Interestingly, after the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a significant shift in the approach of both Indian and multinational drug companies towards business collaboration. This article will focus on this area with recent Indian examples, culled from available reports. However, before delving into this space, let me also point out that drug MNCs operating in India are also changing focus on their India operations, as reported in recent times.

Drug MNCs operating in India are also changing business focus: 

This was brought to the fore by several recent reports. For example, in February 2022, The Economic Times reported: 

  • In February, Novartis India passed on the sales and distribution rights of three of its established brands to Dr Reddy’s Labs and terminated the employment of 400 staffers.  
  • In October, US drugmaker Eli Lilly sold the marketing rights of its anti-diabetes drugs to Cipla and laid off 120 employees in India. 
  • Around the same time, Danish pharma company Lundbeck decided to exit India as part of its global strategy. 

However, their key goal remains - delivering new patient-perceived value – not just incremental, but in quantum measure for business growth.

The need for increased collaboration and shared resources:

Against the above backdrop, it appears to me that the pandemic has highlighted the need for accelerated cooperation and sharing resources to address global healthcare challenges, effectively. As a result of which, both Indian and MNC drug companies are recognizing the benefits of working together, and are actively seeking collaboration opportunities in the following areas. 
  • Access to Emerging Markets: Indian pharma companies have a strong presence in emerging markets due to their cost-effective generic drug manufacturing capabilities. Multinational companies recognize the potential of these markets and are looking to collaborate with Indian firms to gain access to these regions. By partnering with Indian companies, MNCs can tap into local expertise, distribution networks, and regulatory knowledge. 

- Example: In 2022, Cadila Healthcare entered into a collaboration with Novartis to develop and commercialize multiple oral solids and injectable generics for global markets, including emerging markets.

  • Research and Development: Collaboration in research and development (R&D) activities has become crucial for drug companies. MNCs bring advanced research capabilities, cutting-edge technologies, and substantial financial resources, while Indian companies offer a skilled workforce and a cost-effective environment for R&D. By joining forces, they can pool their strengths and accelerate the discovery and development of new drugs and therapies.

- Example: In 2021, Bharat Biotech collaborated with the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) to develop a novel vaccine candidate for HIV. This collaboration aims to combine the strengths of all three organizations to advance HIV vaccine research.

  • Manufacturing and Supply Chain: The pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector. Collaborations between Indian and MNC drug companies can help diversify manufacturing locations and strengthen supply chain resilience. Indian companies’ expertise in large-scale generic drug production can complement the specialized manufacturing capabilities of multinational firms.

- Example: In 2021, Hetero entered into a partnership with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to manufacture the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine in India. This collaboration aimed to increase the production capacity of the vaccine to meet global demand.

  • Regulatory Compliance: Regulatory compliance is a critical aspect of the pharmaceutical industry. Indian companies have been working closely with regulatory authorities to meet global standards and gain approvals for their products. Collaborating with Indian companies enables MNCs to leverage their understanding of regulatory processes, navigate local regulations efficiently, and ensure compliance with diverse international requirements.

- Example, in 2022, Biocon Biologics partnered with Adagio Therapeutics, a US-based biotechnology company, to develop and commercialize an antibody treatment for COVID-19. This collaboration involves regulatory support from both companies to navigate global regulatory processes.

  • Market Expansion: Collaborations provide an opportunity for both Indian and multinational companies to expand their market presence. Indian companies can benefit from the MNCs’ established marketing networks, while MNCs can leverage the Indian companies’ extensive distribution channels and market knowledge. Joint ventures and partnerships facilitate market entry, improve market penetration, and help companies capture a larger share of the global pharmaceutical market. 

- Example: In 2022, Torrent Pharmaceuticals collaborated with Swedish multinational company Handicare Group AB to distribute and market Handicare’s range of mobility solutions in India. This collaboration enables Torrent Pharmaceuticals to diversify its product portfolio and expand into the healthcare mobility market. 

  • Technology and Innovation Sharing: Collaborations foster knowledge exchange between Indian and multinational drug companies. MNCs can share their technological advancements and research findings, while Indian companies can contribute their insights and expertise in managing large-scale production. Such knowledge-sharing initiatives can drive innovation, improve manufacturing processes, and enhance overall operational efficiency. 

- Example: In 2022, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals entered into a collaboration with the Canadian multinational company SaNOtize Research and Development Corp. to develop a nitric oxide nasal spray for the treatment of COVID-19. This collaboration combines Glenmark’s expertise in drug development with SaNOtize’s innovative nitric oxide platform.

  • Intellectual Property and Licensing: Collaboration often involves the exchange of intellectual property (IP) rights and licensing agreements. Indian companies possess a vast pool of generic drug formulations and manufacturing capabilities. MNCs can license their patented drugs or technology to Indian partners for production and distribution in specific markets. These licensing arrangements benefit both parties by expanding the product portfolio and maximizing revenue potential. 

- Example: In 2021, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals signed a licensing agreement with Canadian biopharmaceutical company Xenon Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialize a potential treatment for epilepsy. This collaboration involves the licensing of Xenon Pharmaceuticals’ proprietary technology for the development of a novel therapeutic product.

Conclusion:

Overall, as the recent trends indicate, the post-pandemic era has accelerated initiatives of strategic collaboration between Indian and multinational drug companies. By leveraging each other’s strengths and with shared value and resources, these collaborations aim to drive innovation, address global healthcare challenges, and deliver affordable and accessible healthcare solutions to patients worldwide. And thereby, will help deliver a unique patient experience.

Additionally, the examples, as available from published sources, highlight an increasing number of such recent collaborations, besides operational re-focusing by several MNC drug majors in India.  

These strategic steps clearly emphasize their joint efforts to drive innovation, expand their market presence, and address critical healthcare needs. From this angle, I believe, for sustainable business excellence and for staying relevant to customers in the new digital world, one of the top focus areas for Indian pharma players deserves to be strategic collaboration initiatives.

By: Tapan J. Ray        

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.

Exploiting India’s Weakness For Monopolistic Commercial Gain?

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Public access to healthcare in India is a complex issue with several challenges. While India has been making progress over the years in improving healthcare access and reducing the burden of disease, there are still significant disparities in healthcare access and outcomes across the country. The three primary barriers continue to remain:

  • Affordable access to quality healthcare: This arises out of the shortage of healthcare infrastructure and resources, more in rural areas. The shortage includes an inadequate number of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, as well as inadequate facilities and equipment.
  • Cost of healthcare: While India has a largely publicly funded healthcare system, the quality of care in public hospitals is often poor, and many people are forced to opt for private healthcare, which can be expensive.
  • Access to affordable drugs: Despite India being a major producer of generic drugs, many people in India still lack access to essential medicines. This is due in part to the high cost of branded medicines, which are often out of reach for many people, as well as a lack of availability of certain medicines in some areas.

Undoubtedly, this remains a weak area for the country, till date. Successive Indian governments have taken steps to address these challenges. However, public funding on healthcare as a percentage of GDP and implementation of policies to increase access to medicine, continue to remain below par. Much work needs to be done to ensure that all people have access to quality healthcare and essential medicines.

Amid this situation, especially on the international political front, drug MNCs are continuously blaming India for the fact that the Indian Patents Act is not robust enough to protect their drug patents on NMEs and technologies. For example, in its 2022 Special 301 Report, the USTR designated seven countries on the Priority Watch List. These are Argentina, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Russia, and Venezuela. To give some more examples from the available reports:

  • In February 2021, PhRMA, a trade group representing multinational pharmaceutical companies, raised concerns about India’s policies related to IP rights and access to medicines. PhRMA argued that India’s policies were undermining innovation and investment in the pharmaceutical industry, and that multinational pharmaceutical companies were facing difficulties in doing business in India. 
  • In March 2021, Pfizer’s CEO also expressed concerns about India’s policies related to IP rights and access to medicines. He said that Pfizer was facing challenges in obtaining patents for its products in India, and that the lack of adequate patent protection was discouraging investment in research and development.
  • In May 2021, Novartis’s CEO criticized India’s policies related to IP rights and access to medicines. HE stated that the lack of adequate patent protection in India was discouraging innovation and investment in the pharmaceutical industry, and that multinational pharmaceutical companies were facing difficulties in doing business in India. 

Against this backdrop, in today’s article I shall deliberate on this vexing issue – starting from some key grievances of drug MNCs in this regard. Thereafter we will look at the Indian industry response to drug MNCs’ concern about the robustness of the Indian Patents Acts. This could possibly help us to understand the key question – Is it then an attempt to exploit India’s weakness regarding inadequate overall access to medicines for monopolistic gain by the vested interest?

Key grievances of drug MNCs for poor access to medicines in India: 

One can recall that the Patent Act in India was amended in 2005 to comply with the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement. The amendment made it more difficult for multinational pharmaceutical companies to obtain patents for their products in India for the ‘me too’ type of innovation, which has led to lower prices for medicines and increased access to affordable drugs for the Indian population.

However, drug MNCs generally argue that:

  • The lack of adequate patent protection in India discourages innovation and investment in research and development, which ultimately limits the availability of new drugs for patients in India.
  • They have also criticized the Indian government’s use of compulsory licensing, which allows the government to authorize a third party to produce a patented drug without the consent of the patent holder. They argue that this undermines their intellectual property rights and discourages investment in research and development, which ultimately limits access to new and innovative drugs for patients in India.

Counter argument by Indian companies:

Indian companies, on the contrary, defend their position and policies related to access to medicines and healthcare in India, and have responded to the accusations made by drug MNCs in the following ways:

  • Provides adequate patent protection: The Indian Patents Act provides adequate IP protection, in accordance with the TRIPS agreement. They have also pointed out that the patent laws in India allow for the grant of patents for genuine inventions, while preventing the grant of frivolous or secondary patents (the me-too types), which can result in excessive monopolies and high prices for medicine. 
  • Encourage innovation: Indian policies have not discouraged innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. They have pointed out that Indian companies invest heavily in research and development and have developed several innovative drugs that have been approved by regulatory authorities in India and around the world. 
  • Rare occurrence of Compulsory licensing: The use of compulsory licensing is a legitimate tool under international law and is aimed at promoting public health and ensuring that life-saving drugs are accessible and affordable to patients in India. They have also pointed out that the use of compulsory licensing is a rare occurrence in India and is only used in exceptional circumstances.

Overall, Indian drug companies have emphasized their commitment to improving access to medicines and healthcare in India, while ensuring that their policies are in line with international laws and regulations. They have also emphasized the need for collaboration and dialogue with multinational pharmaceutical companies to find mutually acceptable solutions that benefit patients in India and around the world.

Examples of innovative drugs developed by Indian drug companies:

It’s interesting to note that in the same IP scenario, Indian companies with limited resources, are developing innovative drugs that have been approved by regulatory authorities around the world. Here are a few examples, as reported at different times:

  • Lipaglyn: Developed by Zydus Cadila, Lipaglyn is the first-ever drug approved for the treatment of diabetic dyslipidemia. It has been approved in India and several other countries, including the European Union. 
  • Tafinlar: Developed by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Tafinlar is a kinase inhibitor that has been approved by the US FDA for the treatment of advanced melanoma. 
  • Mycapssa: Developed by Sun Pharma, Mycapssa is a novel oral formulation of octreotide, a hormone therapy used to treat acromegaly. It has been approved by the US FDA. 
  • Saroglitazar: Developed by Zydus Cadila, Saroglitazar is a dual PPAR agonist that has been approved in India for the treatment of diabetic dyslipidemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). 
  • Nexavar: This much discussed drug, originally developed by Bayer and by Natco Pharma, is a kinase inhibitor that has been approved by the US FDA for the treatment of liver and kidney cancers.

Conclusion:

The IP issues keep haunting India and are being captured in different Special 301 Reports of the USTR, even after The Indian Patents Act 2005 came into force – till 2022. Any change to this Act seems very unlikely now as this is an important piece of legislation that helps balance the interests of protecting intellectual property, promoting innovation and access to affordable medicines. Any dilution of this Act could have negative consequences for India and its citizens.

From this perspective, I reckon, any further pressure in this area may be construed as an attempt to exploit India’s weakness of inadequate access to medicines for monopolistic gain by vested interests. 

By: Tapan J. Ray        

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.

Indian Pharma Leadership: A Glimpse of Changing Mindset Post Pandemic

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A recent survey of physicians, published by the CMI Media Group, provides fresh evidence that Medical Representatives meetings with the physicians that have become trickier to arrange since COVID-19, still continue. This was also reported in the March 29, 2023, edition of Fierce Pharma.  

The survey objective was to capture what are physicians’ preferences, when asked whether they want to meet with pharmaceutical reps in person more often, less often or in equal frequency as pre-pandemic. Some of the key findings of this recent study include the following: 

  • 25% of the doctors, reportedly said they are reducing face-to-face interactions.
  • With 10% of doctors responding never seeing reps, it could be challenging for many pharma players to call on these doctors via the traditional in-person route. 
  • However, another 51% of physicians replied that the frequency of their in-person interactions is unchanged from pre-pandemic and 14% seeing reps more frequently than before. 
  • It also found that digital channels have potential to compensate for the pullback from in-person meetings.  
  • Most of such doctors prefer receiving resources for talking to reps via video or phone. 
  • Interestingly, 70% and 78% of physicians said digital resources are more convenient, educational and valuable than remote rep visits. 

Let me hasten to add that the above study was carried out mostly in the European countries. Thus, in today’s deliberation, I would focus mainly on two areas:

1. How is this situation evolving in India and the way some of the Indian majors are gearing up to convert this challenge into opportunities to gain a competitive edge, and 

2. What, in my view, needs to be a pharma marketing leadership mindset change, alongside its traits for effective change management, to excel in the changing market dynamics. More importantly, whether or not this trend is also visible within some of the Indian pharma majors.

The comparable situation in India:

I find some interesting data on the Indian pharma industry in this regard, from several public domain. These indicate that while some physicians may be open to virtual interactions with medical representatives during and after the COVID pandemic, there are also examples of physicians who were not too keen to meet with pharma reps. These seem to be for several reasons. Some reported examples are as follows:

  • Delhi Medical Association (DMA), which represents more than 15,000 doctors in the Indian capital, has banned pharma med reps from entering hospitals or meeting with doctors in person. The DMA has cited concerns about the influence of pharma reps on prescribing practices, besides potential conflict of interest.
  • With over 3.5 lakh memberships, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) appears to have discouraged physicians from meeting with MRs. Instead, the association has urged them to rely on evidence-based information and guidelines while prescribing drugs to patients.
  • Some private hospital chains in India have also restricted or banned pharmaceutical sales representatives from interacting with physicians. This includes Fortis Healthcare, which has banned pharma reps from its hospitals in Delhi and Mumbai, and Max Healthcare, which has restricted interactions to virtual meetings only. 
  • The Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) has issued guidelines for its members recommending that they avoid interactions with pharma med reps. The IPS has stated that interactions with pharma reps can create conflicts of interest and bias in prescribing practices and may not always provide accurate and reliable information.
  • Some physicians in India are increasingly turning to online platforms to access unbiased information about medications and treatments, rather than relying on information provided by reps. Online platforms such as Medscape and Docplexus provide physicians with access to up-to-date medical information and peer-reviewed research studies.

With a changing mindset, some Indian players are facing this challenge:

Evidence suggests that there is a growing awareness among several physicians in India about the potential biases and conflicts of interest that can arise from interactions with pharma representatives. While virtual interactions and non-promotional information may still be acceptable to some physicians, others may prefer to rely on more objective sources of information or avoid interactions with pharma reps altogether. 

There are several examples in this area highlighting how some Indian pharma majors are trying to stay ahead of the technology curve. As reported, some specific responses of Indian pharmaceutical companies to the restrictions on interactions with physicians

include, Cipla’s launch of a digital platform called CiplaMed to provide healthcare professionals with access to non-promotional medical information and education.

Post-pandemic changes in the mindset and outlook of marketing leadership:

As I see, the COVID pandemic experience has brought significant changes in the mindset and outlook, especially, in the marketing leadership of several Indian drug companies. One key reason could be the success requirements in contemporary pandemic market dynamics are going through a metamorphosis. Which is why the emerging situation demands new approaches and strategies for success.  

Many pharma marketing leaders are now trying for early identification of even the nuanced change requirements relevant to their respective organizations for sustainable business success in the current paradigm. Some of these requirements were identified as:

Agility and Adaptability: The pandemic has highlighted the importance of being agile and adaptable. Pharma marketing leaders must now be able to quickly pivot their strategies and tactics based on changing market conditions and consumer needs.

For example, Cipla adapted quickly to the changing market conditions during the pandemic by ramping up the production of essential medicines and medical supplies. The company also developed innovative product solutions, such as a portable mechanical ventilator, to address the critical shortage of medical equipment during the pandemic. 

Similarly, Lupin demonstrated agility by diversifying its product portfolio to include COVID-19 testing kits, PPE, and other pandemic-related products, besides helping to develop innovative solutions to address the pandemic, such as a telemedicine platform that enables patients to consult with doctors remotely. 

Digitalization: The pandemic has accelerated the shift towards digitalization in the pharma industry. Marketing leaders must be able to effectively leverage digital channels such as social media, online advertising, and telemedicine to reach and engage with consumers.

For instance, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories leveraged digital technologies to enhance its customer engagement efforts. The company developed a mobile app called - ‘Medznat.’ It is touted as a one-stop solution for physicians, medical students and other healthcare professionals to stay abreast with the latest medical knowledge. It offers an umbrella of offerings, such as news, scientific articles, case studies, regulatory updates, medical events, drug flashcards, and many more. The app offers some key features, such as: personalized quality content, any time, anywhere and patient education materials.

Customer-centricity: The pandemic has increased the need for customer-centricity in the pharma industry. Marketing leaders must now prioritize customer needs and preferences and tailor their marketing strategies accordingly.

Sun Pharma appears to be another leading example that, reportedly, demonstrated customer-centricity by developing patient assistance programs that provide financial support to patients who cannot afford their medications. The company also partnered with healthcare providers to develop disease management programs that improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

Data Analytics: The pandemic has highlighted the importance of leveraging data science and data analytics in the pharma industry. Marketing leaders must be able to effectively analyze data to understand customer behavior and preferences and to measure the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns. 

The name of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals comes to the top of mind in this area. The Company is now using data analytics to analyze sales data and identify trends in the market. The company is also using analytics to track physician interactions and ensure compliance with government regulations.

Continuous Innovation: The pandemic has created new opportunities for innovation in the marketing domain. Thus, marketing leaders must be willing to experiment with new approaches and technologies to stay ahead of the competition and meet changing customer needs.

As is known to many, Zydus Cadila has developed a COVID-19 vaccine and has also been working on the development of a COVID-19 drug. The company has also been involved in the development of new drugs to treat various other diseases.

Collaboration: The pandemic has underscored the need for collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem. Pharma marketing leaders need to work closely with other stakeholders, including healthcare providers, payers, patient advocacy groups, and government agencies, to develop solutions that meet the needs of all stakeholders.

In this area, Biocon, for instance, collaborated with government agencies and NGOs to distribute COVID-19 vaccines and treatments to underserved communities. The company also worked with healthcare providers and patient advocacy groups to develop education and awareness campaigns that promote better health outcomes.

Similarly, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories partnered with IQVIA to rollout IQVIA’s OCE application to its entire field force and marketing users in India to drive more meaningful and impactful customer engagement.

 Conclusion: 

These are a few areas with examples from a few Indian pharma majors that would give a sense of how the mindset and outlook of their marketing leadership teams are changing. This is happening, as is widely believed, after having experienced the last two years’ unprecedented disruptions in business and customer behavior.

It’s equally interesting to note that our domestic drug industry, which was not traditionally well known for effecting significant proactive changes – is transforming itself while stepping into the post-pandemic world – in pursuit of excellence. 

By: Tapan J. Ray        

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.

 

 

Accelerating Footfalls In Less Charted Pharma Marketing Frontiers

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Having experienced unprecedented disruptions, especially in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical business, many global and local drug majors, are rethinking their marketing strategies. These have, no doubt, been prompted by the challenges of change, which are sometimes stark, but more often than not - nuanced.

Many of them are now, therefore, charting into less charted or even uncharted frontiers of pharma marketing warfare. Most companies had no choice, though, but to embrace new approaches, at least as a stopgap, to reach their target audience – hoping to revert to pre-pandemic practices, ultimately.

Interestingly, some pharma majors could envisage that long-term focus on many of these new and innovative areas – more effectively than even the pandemic lockdown time, could be a game-changer in the business. Accordingly, they tried to adapt, several of these approaches, quickly and effectively – for sustained excellence in the post-COVID paradigm.

In this article, I shall focus with several global and local, publicly available examples, of innovative pharma marketing approaches that are now being tried by several top drug companies in the post-COVID period.

I. Continuation of pandemic induced innovative approaches – global examples: 

  • Virtual Conferences and Events: Experiencing success with virtual events and conferences during the COVID-19 pandemic, many pharma companies are leveraging this digital space to reach out to healthcare professionals and patients. These events now include webinars, selected virtual conferences, and online workshops.

Pfizer, reportedly, held its first virtual investor day in September 2020, which was attended by thousands of participants from around the world. The company also organized several virtual events to educate healthcare professionals about its vaccine.

  • Social Media Marketing: The use of social media marketing is also increasing in the pharmaceutical industry. Companies are using platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to reach out to their customers and engage with them on a regular basis to build long-term relationships.

For example, Novartis, among a few others, is using social media to promote core values of its products and engage with customers. The company has built a strong presence on social media platforms where it shares news and updates about its products and research, as well.

  • Influencer Marketing: Many companies are partnering with influencers in the healthcare industry to promote their products. These influencers can be doctors, nurses, patient advocates, or even celebrities who are passionate about health and wellness. Influencer marketing can help companies reach a wider audience and build trust with their customers.

The French pharma major – Sanofi, has partnered with celebrity chef and diabetes advocate Charles Mattocks who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2011. The objective is to raise awareness about diabetes and promote the company’s diabetes products through social media and other channels.

  • Patient Education Programs: Companies are investing more on patient education programs to educate patients about their health conditions and treatment options. These programs can include online resources, mobile apps, and support groups. By providing patients with accurate and reliable information, companies can improve patient outcomes and build brand loyalty.

Merck, another global player, developed an online resource called MerckEngage to educate patients about their health conditions and treatment options. The platform provides patients with information about various health topics, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

II. Continuation of pandemic induced innovative approaches – Indian examples: 

Some Indian pharma players are also not far behind in several innovative areas for business excellence in the post pandemic paradigm. Following are some of those examples from Indian pharma companies, as available in the public domains. These seem to have attracted greater focus in the pandemic period, and are continuing even today, with undiluted focus:

Virtual Conferences and Events: Illustratively, Lupin has been using virtual events to promote its products in the post-COVID period. The company is organizing virtual conferences and webinars to reach out to healthcare professionals and other customers. Similarly, Sun Pharma launched a virtual conference for healthcare professionals to discuss the latest developments in the field of dermatology.

Digital and Social Media Marketing:  Several Indian pharma companies are increasingly adopting digital marketing “strategies to reach out to their customers. Companies are using social media, online ads, email marketing, and other digital channels to promote their products and services.

For example, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories continue using social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to engage with healthcare professionals and consumers. Even, Cadila Healthcare, reportedly, has been using search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and social media marketing to reach out to its customers.

Telemedicine: With the rise of telemedicine during the pandemic, pharma companies are partnering with Telehealth/Telemedicine platforms to reach out to patients. Companies like Cipla have partnered with telemedicine platforms to offer online consultations and delivery of medicines to patients’ doorsteps. Sun Pharma has also been using telemedicine to reach out to its customers and has partnered with telemedicine providers to offer its products to patients who cannot visit a doctor in person.

  • Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) advertising: DTC advertising is gaining popularity among Indian pharma companies. With the rise of online pharmacies, companies like Abbott and Pfizer are launching DTC campaigns to increase disease and treatment awareness programs directly to consumers.
  • Collaborations and partnerships: Indian pharma companies are increasingly collaborating with other players in the healthcare ecosystem to provide integrated solutions. For example, as mentioned above, Lupin has partnered with a health-tech firm to offer a platform for online consultations and home delivery of medicines.
  • Greater patient-centric approaches: Some Indian pharma companies are adopting more patient-centric approaches for more effective omnichannel patient engagement initiatives. For example, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories have launched an initiative to educate patients on the proper use of medicines and the importance of adherence to treatment.

As the industry continues to evolve, we can expect to see more companies adopting newer and more innovative marketing strategies to engage with their customers.

Summary:

Many of the above examples are pandemic triggered innovative approaches to keep the neck above water during unprecedented business disruptions in the pharma industry. Interestingly, some companies are not just continuing but further sharpening these initiatives in the post pandemic days. Moreover, it’s good to note that these are now being implemented by the concerned sales and marketing teams with greater gusto and zeal.

The point to ponder, therefore, is pharma industry ready now to excel amid start and more often nuanced – the challenge of change? To respond to these challenges effectively, more companies now need to seriously evaluate and consider adapting such strategic footsteps, first as pilot studies and then gradually scale up, for business excellence in the contemporary period.

Let me hasten to add, in this ball game pharma leadership mindset change to act decisively, after accurately studying – based on data-science, to ascertain where and how to change could well be a win-lose situation. However, the good news is, recent data vindicate the accelerating footfalls in many these less or even un- charted pharma marketing frontiers, both globally and locally.

By: Tapan J. Ray        

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.

Effective Change Management – The Magic Wand For Business Success And Sustainability

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Change – just as it’s an integral part of our life, so is for any business, including pharmaceutical or healthcare. Interestingly, the phase of transition of such changes isn’t always slow and gradual. In many cases, especially for business, or for a lifestyle too, these transitions could also be faster and disruptive.

The speed of many such changes is now driven by rapidly evolving technology. Or these could often be triggered by some unanticipated event, like the Covid-19 pandemic that we all experienced, very recently. Such changes may impact people working in different functions, in different ways. Which is why, organizations need to be all-time ready, with a robust process in place – known as Change Management.

In this article, I shall focus on the relevance of putting in place a well-validated system driven Change Management process within, especially, the Indian pharmaceutical organizations. Let me start with my understanding on what is the Change Management, so that all of us be on the same page in this regard. 

To be on the same page on what is Change Management:

There are several definitions of the change management process expressed differently, but it’s core concept remains unchanged. One such illustration comes from The TechTarget network. It says:“Change management is a systematic approach to dealing with the transition or transformation of an organization’s goals, processes, or technologies. The purpose of change management is to implement strategies for effecting change, controlling change, and helping people to adapt to change.”

Why many pharma majors are considering it now, more than ever before:

Being amid a technological revolution, encompassing almost all aspects of life and then in the post-pandemic area, change is being expected as a way of life and business, more than ever in the past. Although pharma industry a late learner - and is also traditionally late to change – these can’t be now pushed to the back burner, any longer, as was happening in the pre-pandemic era.

‘Change Management’ can’t be pushed to the back burner, any longer:

This process has now attracted a sense of urgency for many pharma players, as we read and look around. Several big companies have already started addressing the leadership challenges to manage and leverage the evolving changes, as I wrote in my article of October 3, 2022, in this blog.

To be in sync with both customers and employee expectations on an ongoing basis, the change management process in an organization has assumed a priority. User friendly state of the art technology is facilitating to effectively address the growing intricacies of today’s field staff role by infusing leadership mindset change in the organizational culture. Emphasizing this point in my article on July 19, 2021, I underscored that such change should necessarily reflect the company’s vision for the future, unambiguously.

Most companies have changed over a period of time in varying degree:

Most companies have changed over a period of time. Nonetheless, today’s need, pace and the process of change demand a data science based customized approach. The good news is several pharma majors have also started feeling that they require not just to change with time, but also need to put more data science based cerebral input to fathom why and how it changed to be more effective in the future.

An insightful understanding is essential to put in place and kick start a right change management process. To give a sense of it, let me cite a contemporary example of one of the successful global pharma majors – GSK. This case study was prepared by the Project Management Institute.

Achievement of a key milestone could make all the difference:

When GSK initiated this process in 2009, the organization realized that an important milestone in the implementation of the company’s change initiative must be to gain the trust and belief of leadership—many of whom were neutral or cynical about it.

To achieve this goal a custom made ‘Accelerating Delivery and Performance (ADP) program; was found to be quite effective for the company. It delivered both hard business benefits as well as softer organizational development benefits. This approach allowed the team to gain the attention of those leaders who wanted both.

Five principles formed the bedrock of the ADP approach:

The following ADP principles are time-tested, contemporary, and several of these were practiced by GSK in their change management process when it started in 2009.

  • Changes should begin with the initiator of change and focusing on greater customer satisfaction.
  • Active support of all stakeholders in the process of change is critical.
  • Include all staff who will be impacted by the change – while defining, explaining, and ensuring accountability and continuously measuring the time bound shared goals, especially the business and financial ones.
  • Make sure they all share ownership for the outcome of change, through seamless teamwork.
  • Make a pilot study before pan organization implementation.

The change management process continues:

That the change management process needs to be ongoing even for successful drug majors – such as GSK, is particularly evident from their Press Release on June 23, 2021.

The communique giving details of the organization’s strategic and other transformation pathways, also highlighted, “New GSK to deliver step-change in growth and performance over the next ten years driven by high-quality Vaccines and Specialty Medicines portfolio and late-stage pipeline.” 

Specific areas of change, as the pandemic wanes:

There are several studies in this area, such as the one published in the Growth Faculty Learn, published on February 07, 2023. Let me paraphrase its summary as follows:

  • Although the pace of change in different businesses may vary but will certainly keep changing. The leaders should, therefore, act proactively to lead their teams through a well validated change management process to gain a competitive edge.
  • Full preparedness for the change and garnering change management skills before the process begins are critical.
  • Advance planning for employee wellbeing, well structured individual and collective communication strategy, deciding on specifics of a hybrid work culture – all based on data-science, are of great importance.
  • To ensure the effectiveness of the change management process a positive workplace environment is a must, which will stand on five pillars - Trustworthiness, Empathy, Genuineness, Self-awareness, and a Learning mindset.

Thus, it’s high time for all to realize that the pharma business ball game is now changing fast for all, creating an urgent need to focus on the critical areas of change.

Conclusion:

It now boils down to an important point, which was also echoed in an article on this area published in the Pharma IQ on November 23, 2022. It underscored just as any living being keeps moving on the pathway of change, pharma and healthcare industry should proactively follow a similar path.

External environmental factors would play a catalytic role to accelerate the speed of change. These include fast evolving consumer friendly digital applications and health apps - newer, better, and more targeted drugs and treatment processes, or even unprecedented disruptions of lives and livelihoods, just what we all have recently experienced.

A study published in the Pharma Marketing Network on October 27, 2021, also reiterated that the main goal of any change management approach is to foster support of all concerned that leads to good outcomes within an organization. It found that an effective way to implement a change is by engaging and inspiring employees to adopt new (and improved) ways of working.

Against the above backdrop, putting a structured change management process in place by Indian pharma players, I reckon, is now essential. This approach seems to be a Magic Wand, as it were, for ongoing business success and sustainability in today’s rapidly evolving paradigm.

By: Tapan J. Ray       

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.

 

Growing Intricacies of Today’s Field Staff Role And The Path Ahead

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With a varying degree, and in various forms, a hybrid working model is now gaining greater acceptance of several top pharma companies, across the world, just as in many other industries.

This trend gets echoed in an article of December 07, 2022, published in the Reuters Events Pharma. It recalled, how pharma industry, since nearly the last three years, was compelled to adopt fully digitalengagement models initially triggered by the Covid pandemic. Gradually, more pharma players are preparing themselves to adopt a more complex and hybrid customer engagement model, with a diverse mix of engagement modalities.

Consequently, in many ways the medical rep’s role is undergoing a metamorphosis and becoming more complex. Thus: ‘There is a growing requirement for them to connect the right decision-makers at the provider with the right subject matter experts in pharma’, as the above study recommends.

This situation demands, more flexible customer engagement strategies, based on ongoing data-science based indicators – replacing the traditional static outreach schedules and content that remain in place for months at a time. In today’s article, I shall dwell in this rapidly emerging area.

This changing trend is obvious:

The above change is obvious, and also gets reflected in an article, published by the McKinsey & Company on September 30, 2022. The paper indicated, although some physician’s preference for in-person meetings with the reps has rebounded since November 2020, it was still below pre-pandemic levels (58 percent compared to 76 percent) as of August 2021. Thus, there is a need for a change.

The need for a hybrid approach – why?

The need for a hybrid approach in modern sales and marketing has been vindicated by several recent studies. The doctors or other healthcare customers can now broadly be put in three categories, as follows:

  • Doctors looking for a Rep’s personal visit for product briefing.
  • Difficult to meet doctors, who prefer to get relevant product/ disease information through remote platforms, as they want and when they want.
  • Doctors who now prefer a hybrid engagement, some personal and some remotely.

Thus, no wonder why the top players are upending their traditional go-to-market (GTM) strategies by augmenting their field sales forces with remote-sales organizations for better meeting the needs and preferences of physicians and other customers. The above McKinsey study also underscored, ‘’the shift to a hybrid sales approach has been demonstrated to unlock growth opportunities and reduce the cost to serve across care settings.

Hybridization of a pharma field staff job with push and pull strategies:

For pharma field staff, like Medical Representatives, one may wonder how their work can be made hybrid for increased effectiveness by manifold. Let me illustrate this point with the example of hybrid drug detailing to its target audience.

As many would know, drug companies have been traditionally engaging with physicians mostly with face-to-face product detailing, for increased prescription demand generation. This approach primarily entails a ‘push strategy’.

Whereas e-detailing is crafted with a built-in ‘pull strategy’, allowing customers to fetch what they want – how they want and when they want. E-detailing in various sophisticated forms is now receiving a strong tailwind on its sails, after getting a strong boost during the lockdown period of the recent Covid-19 pandemic.

The key benefits for hybridization:

As a research paper in this regard, published in the i-manager’s Journal on Management found that high technology based e-detailing not only reduce selling costs, but more importantly, increase the company’s physician reach and communication effectiveness powered by a pull driven system.

This study, after thoroughly examining the strength and weaknesses of both the traditional and the technology driven approach to drug detailing, proposed a blended or hybrid selling model as superior. The researchers found that ‘by integrating push and pull strategies with the use of new information tools, pharmaceutical marketers can best maximize the process of diffusing drug knowledge, while best considering the demanding needs of selling to time pressured physicians.’

The paper then concluded that – “Hybrid detailing can enhance physician knowledge by providing pharmaceutical marketers with more effective digital information tools that can further support and improve an adaptive and relational selling approach.’

That’s why, many pharma majors now believe that a hybrid detailing model, can help the company to better assess, track, and evaluate their selling effectiveness by employing information tools, systematically. This approach can be an integral part of the overall Omnichannel communication platform of the organization.

Transformation to Hybrid Customer engagement model – some options:

There could be several options to make a transition into a hybrid customer engagement model from a traditional one. One way could be to create a fresh infrastructure for a state-of-the-art e-marketing platform, alongside, of course, traditional sales and marketing.

Another way may well be, to keep traditional sales and marketing in-house, and outsource Omnichannel digital sales and marketing activities. The choice of the right options will be decided by the leadership of individual companies, based on their wherewithal, and other strength and weaknesses.

Outsourcing of digital marketing – an option worth pondering:

Outsourcing of digital sales and marketing aren’t new in the global pharma industry, many large pharma companies, including Merck, Johnson & Johnson, Amgen, and several others are, reportedly, availing such services for quite some time, with a significant return.

These custom-made digital services, as reported, could be many, such as, e-marketing, remote detailing, multi-channel interaction management, online video, mobile, and smart device detailing, besides permission-based email and targeted advertising services to name a few. Thus, reckon, while considering a hybrid pharma sales and marketing model, outsourcing of digital sales and marketing is worth pondering, especially in India with so much of talents in this area.

Conclusion: 

It is important to note that unlike many other fields, hybrid models of pharma sales and marketing, don’t just involve Work from Home (WFH). For this critical transformation drug companies would need first to create a commensurate organizational ecosystem to take on board all individuals in the hybrid workforce. The aim is to deliver differentiated deliverables in the marketplace with an expected return.

As I see around, building a hybrid sales and marketing model in-house from the very beginning could be more challenging, especially for mid-size companies due to various reasons. Outsourcing the non-traditional digital part of this initiative may add speed and exponential value, if the selection is right.

Either way, the pharma leaders, I guess, are already witnessing increasing intricacies in the traditional role of field staff. It needs to be resolved, soon – undoubtedly.

By: Tapan J. Ray       

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.

 

Deliver Patient-Perceived Value – Not Incrementally But In Quantum Measure

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Many critical functional areas of most drug companies, such as, marketing, manufacturing, supply chain, medical affairs, human resource, R&D, quality assurance, information technology – traditionally work in silos. It doesn’t mean, though, that there isn’t any interaction between them. Nevertheless, a large majority of them don’t work as a team with a purpose or to achieve a shared goal of delighting customers with value delivered. Such a silo-mindset could often be detrimental to smooth and sustainable business operations. This was also vindicated during the recent pandemic.

Having gone through the harrowing experience of recent disruptions in the lifesaving pharma business operations, a fresh realization has dawned on many leaders’ mind. This point also came to the fore in many studies. One such is the article on ‘Overcoming industry obstacles with a cross-functional strategy’, published by the strategy&, which is a part of PwC network.

The paper came out with some thought-provoking findings. It said, while in the pre-Covid days, mostly competing business pressures used to drive the operational strategies, today the drivers are quite different. ‘Factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, geopolitics, new therapeutic modalities, and new ways of working make it vital’ for pharma players to make such transformational operational overhaul for long term excellence.

The spotlight needs to shift from continuous incremental improvement, such as, cost savings, quality assurance, and readiness to deliver—to long-term external challenges. ‘These include high inflation and an increase in complexity and risk, as well as the compounding effects these forces have on each other.”

Several studies have underscored that this approach can ‘make sure operations can protect enterprise continuity while still delivering to patients.’ this article will venture to simplify this complex, yet critical issue. The aim is to achieve a quantum increase in value offering to customers that this strategic approach can potentially deliver to accelerate growth momentum the pharma business.

Some see pharma business as usual, astute leaders see a unique opportunity for change:

An interesting point to note. As the disruptions caused by the Covid pandemic are fading away, some critical health safety norms are also being eased by the authorities. Apparently, the overall daily working-life seems to be limping back to normal. Many pharma leaders are, therefore, considering that the industry operations are going back to pre-pandemic normal, and the business operations will soon revert to the old normal mode soon.

On the other hand, we find some astute leadership who could derive a long-term lesson from the above disruptions and are already in the process of executing those operational changes. This leadership mindset gets reflected in two recent media reports related to two pharma majors – Sanofi and GSK.

On November 28, 2022, it was reported, ‘Sanofi moves into swanky new Paris HQ designed around hybrid work and sustainability.’ Again, on December 12, 2022, another media headline flashed as ‘GSK embraces hybrid work for the long haul at new London HQ.’

To me these are interesting examples to convert problems into opportunities for long-term business success and sustainability, in the new normal. These tasks entail the transformation of business infrastructure alongside its operational strategies.

The need for re-strategizing reverberates across several recent studies:

The need for such an action, as captured by researchers, is prompted by more waves of innovation coming in various operations and functions of pharma business, mostly triggered by the pandemic. The spectrum of innovation, as reports reveal, ranges ‘from new treatment modalities, to smart machines, advanced analytics, and digital connectivity.’

Hence, the future of pharma operations strategy needs to be different now from the past. This finding was also published by the McKinsey & Company on October 10, 2022. It reiterated, as pharma companies are emerging from two years of intense firefighting, now is exactly the right time for their renewed emphasis on a new operations strategy. It emphasized: ‘Succeeding in pharma under these new and challenging conditions will require succeeding in operations.’

This point was further vindicated by the results of the latest McKinsey Global Survey, which states:‘Less than one-third of the surveyed respondents, all of whom had been part of a transformation in the past five years, said their companies’ transformations had achieved a sustained performance improvement.’

Another study very specific to India:

Another survey on ‘Indian consumer sentiment during the coronavirus crisis,’ published by theMcKinsey & Company on October 13, 2022, also reconfirms the subtle changing trend in Indian consumer behavior. Its findings include some of the following areas:

  • More than 70 percent consumers are engaging in modified out-of-home behavior, even as social gathering returning to almost normalcy.
  • Digital continues to hold sway with more than 75 percent consumers using either digital or omnichannel while purchasing across categories.
  • Social media continues to be an important influence while shopping.
  • Gen Z and millennial are leading in new shopping behavior, with value being the top reason and sustainability as an emerging factor.

Hence, to engage with such healthcare consumers and deliver the value as they perceive, pharma operational strategies may call for a rejig – for longer term success and sustainability. That said, a key point to remember is that the marketing function is central while redrawing new operational strategy.

The marketing function is central while redrawing new operational strategy:

The need for the above was well articulated in another study published by ResearchGate in May 2020. It pointed out that many drug companies invest lots of funds to be more productive in various key operational areas, like R&D, manufacturing, or supply chain. However, if marketing strategies are not in sync with contemporary market dynamics and customer behavioral trends, despite game changing improvements in those areas, achieving business growth objectives will be challenging.

Based on the study, the researchers concluded, “an effective marketing in the organization has significant impact in achieving Organizational goals and Operational Excellence in Pharmaceuticals.” The study further emphasized, ‘Operational Excellence and marketing are always interlinked. Therefore, marketing plays a vital role in achieving Operational Excellence in Pharmaceuticals or any other industry.”

Conclusion:

As we know, market dynamics keep changing with time. Generally, some strong trigger factors, such as, Covid related disruptions of lives and livelihoods, may hasten the process of this crucial change. Such changes necessitate long-term transformation of pharma operational strategies, as initiated, for example, by GSK and Sanofi.

As McKinsey & Company articles have articulated, the transformation process and scale may differ from company to company with common long-term challenges remaining the same. Such operating model transformations – involving digital tools, data science with analytics capabilities across the company, often ‘help companies interact with healthcare professionals and other stakeholders more effectively’.

Consequently, the company garners greater capabilities to deliver new patient-perceived value – not just for incremental, but quantum business growth. This, I reckon, could be a game changer for long-term success and sustainability in the pharma business.

By: Tapan J. Ray      

Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own, written in my individual and personal capacity. I do not represent any other person or organization for this opinion.