November 2008

The Perfect Storm in Pharmaceutical Marketing Research -and What to Do About It
Historically, those of us in the pharmaceutical marketplace have always considered ourselves, due to the nature of the products we provide, largely insulated from the vagaries of the economy at large. "People will always get sick and need our products, regardless of economic conditions," we often observed as pharmaceutical companies. And the agencies that serviced the industry in fields such as marketing research continued to experience double-digit growth during good times and bad.

Times are changing, however. As 2008 comes to an end, there is a perfect storm brewing in which the confluence of bad times in the pharmaceutical industry and horrible times in the world economy come together with potentially disastrous results for those of us on both sides of the table in pharmaceutical marketing research. In response to this situation, this month's published document for The Orange Pages discusses three strategic directions that will be taken by marketing research companies, which in turn will impact the marketing researchers sitting on the client side of the table.

GfK Reveals Most Effective Sales Forces
Which pharma company earned the coveted spot for having the most effective sales force this year? How do current rankings compare with last year? These questions are answered as part of the cover story on pharmaceutical sales forces in Medical Marketing & Media's November issue, where GfK Market Measures reveals the results of its industry benchmark 2008 sales force effectiveness study.

According to GfK Market Measures' study, because of its ability to adapt to customer needs and preferences, Pfizer once again leads the pack as the most effective sales force, according to physicians. Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly follow close behind, maintaining their spot as top-tier companies with effective sales forces.


Pharmaceutical Markets in Asia: An Overview
By Keren Priyadarshini, Director, GfK HealthCare Asia

This article will give a snapshot of the pharmaceutical growth opportunities in Asia. In particular, it will highlight the growth markets (China, India and Singapore), the mature market (Japan) and other potential Asian markets (South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines).

Asia accounts for more than 60 percent of the world's population and offers both a large, relatively low-cost workforce in some countries and a potentially huge pharmaceutical market. Around a third of the world's population lives in China and India alone. This region could be central to the future of the global pharmaceutical economy. Like other industries, the pharmaceutical industry faces a new array of Asia-specific opportunities and challenges. Success in meeting these challenges will go to those pharmaceutical companies that best understand the unique strengths and constraints of Asia's diverse cultures, talents and markets.

Did You Miss the October Issue of Topline?
Click here to read the issue, which includes:

  • Challenges of global oncology marketing research
  • Outsourcing of the marketing research function
  • Data Download research highlights: cardiology and neurology

    • Topline archive is available. Skim the directory and select articles you missed. Access subscriber opt-in/comment form.

    Sales Force Effectiveness - 2008

    Well, it is that time of year again. GfK Market Measures recently reported the findings of the large-scale quantitative project it conducts annually to determine physician perceptions of sales force activities.

    Looking at this service year to year, I believe, helps significantly in keeping tabs on the effect - both positive and negative - that our Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives (PSRs) have in the field, and thus helps us fine tune this very important, and very expensive, promotional resource.

    Because of the robustness of the findings of this project, I will not attempt to cover them all here, let alone duplicate the elaborate charts included in this study. Rather, I will simply attempt to give you my overview on how these findings differ from previous years and how they should direct our efforts in the year to come. For more detail and specifics, I would refer you to the GfK Market Measures professional with whom you work most closely.

    Methodologically, let it first be noted that, as always, Market Measures included a large number of physicians in this study, with more than 800 doctors from 12 key specialties participating...


    Richard B. Vanderveer, Ph.D.
    Group Chief Executive Officer
    GfK U.S. Healthcare Companies



    Research Highlights: Rheumatology and Female Health

    Data Download provides highlights of recently released data from GfK Market Measures' Therapeutic Class Studies (TCS). Based on primary market research, TCS provide in-depth analysis of market trends, physician practice patterns and competitive brand positioning.

    This month's selections cover research from studies conducted in the areas of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.