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Drug Compliance Programs Demand Market Research Support

Posted on: Thursday, 19 April 2007, 09:00 CDT

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Compliance and adherence programs run by pharmaceutical companies -- the initiatives that help patients stick to their prescriptions -- require substantial market research in order to reach consumers in the first place.

Program managers surveyed by research firm Cutting Edge Information (http://www.pharmapatientadherence.com/) said that communicating with patients via customized messages is the most challenging hurdle to overcome in their patient adherence and disease management programs. Effective customization depends, in turn, on knowledge of a brand's patients -- its market -- and the communication media patients prefer.

The average cost for developing and launching a disease management and patient adherence program, from concept to implementation, is just under $800,000. Average annual management costs run a hair lower. Even the most resource-rich initiatives, however, fail to see positive results if they do not connect with patients.

The first step in reaching consumers is understanding and addressing what drives their non-adherent behavior, what factors affect their health care decisions, and which media channels they trust and prefer. To discover this vital information, program leaders must either perform market research or draw on previously collected market information.

Survey data show that the average program invested 22% of its development budget to build market knowledge and, along with it, a working understanding of patient segments.

This market research knowledge helps companies develop customized messages that are influential and meaningful to patients. In addition, no single method or medium works for everyone; market research identifies the channels preferred by patients.

In fact, executives echoed a resounding lesson: allow patients to define which media channels they prefer and shape the program to leverage these media.

"Pharmaceutical Patient Adherence and Disease Management: Program Development, Management and Improvement," available at http://www.pharmapatientadherence.com/, contains budget and staffing metrics for 18 different patient adherence/disease management programs. Budget benchmarks include cost to attain a new patient versus cost to retain an existing patient, annual program maintenance budgets, outsourced budgets, and specific activity budget breakdowns. Case studies, best practices and tactics for addressing key program challenges are utilized to give executives a guide to managing their own programs with success.

To view a summary of "Pharmaceutical Patient Adherence and Disease Management: Program Development, Management and Improvement," visit http://www.pharmapatientadherence.com/ or contact Amanda Zuniga at Amanda_Zuniga@cuttingedgeinfo.com or 919-433-0210.

Cutting Edge Information

Contact: Amanda Zuniga of Cutting Edge Information, +1-919-433-0210, orAmanda_Zuniga@cuttingedgeinfo.com

Web site: http://www.cuttingedgeinfo.com/http://www.pharmapatientadherence.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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