Patients prefer better outcome to brand in new treatments

When launching products, pharma companies should focus more on evidence-based solutions than just the product or brand, according to a report from Accenture. Among the key findings in the report, titled “Product Launch: The Patient Has Spoken”, brands are not major influencing factors when patients consider new pharmaceutical products. More than two-thirds (69 per cent) patients said the product’s benefits — treatment outcomes — are more important than the brand itself, with 31 per cent citing a strong affinity to brands in a health care setting.

The report identifies the factors influencing patients’ consideration and selection of new treatments. Based on a survey of patients across eight therapeutic areas — immunology, cardiology, pulmonology, neurology, oncology, rheumatology, endocrinology and eye disease — the report is designed to help companies understand what will help them to launch new treatments successfully in a market characterised by more-complex specialty therapeutics, rising costs and an intensified focus on value and outcomes.

“Patients feel the treatment choices they make are often not based on the full picture, so there’s clearly an opportunity for companies to help bridge the gap in patient knowledge in new and meaningful ways,” said Boris Bogdan, M D, a managing director in Accenture’s life sciences practice. “This lack of knowledge extends to the services that support them in their product use. Our previous research found less than one in five patients are very aware of these services, but those who are use and greatly value them.”