October 2008

The Challenges of Global Oncology Marketing Research
By Michael Galvin, Ph.D., Senior Vice President,
GfK V2

Global oncology marketing research, like research in any highly specialized therapeutic area, presents a variety of challenges. As with domestic oncology marketing research, it is crucial to have a project manager and/or moderator who is familiar with the basic terminology and concepts of oncology and who understands the culture of oncologists. Oncology marketing researchers must also consider several additional factors when conducting global research.

Unlike the United States, where medical oncologists or hematologist/oncologists manage medical therapy for virtually all cancers - hormone-sensitive prostate cancer being a notable exception - the management of cancer outside the United States is more fragmented. The most obvious difference is the distinction between medical oncology and hematology: Outside the United States, with one exception, solid tumors and liquid tumors are managed by different specialists (medical oncologists and hematologists, respectively).

Outsourcing of the Marketing Research Function by Pharmaceutical Companies
This month's published document for The Orange Pages addresses rumors that some pharmaceutical companies are considering outsourcing, i.e., having all or most of the functions currently performed by in-house marketing research personnel conducted by an outside vendor. This move is being contemplated based on the belief that marketing research is not a core competency of a pharmaceutical company and, especially given the peaks and valleys of workload in this area, can be carried out more cost-effectively by an external organization. The focus on lowering costs has become a paramount goal among pharmaceutical companies and against this backdrop, the rumors must be taken seriously and consideration must be given to the pros and cons of such an approach.

Beyond the Vital Signs and Into the Hearts and Minds of Your Physician Stakeholders
Free Sales Force
Effectiveness Teleconference
Oct. 29, 2 - 3:15 p.m. EST

It's no longer enough to know what physicians are thinking. You really need to know why they think the way they do.

What if you could look deep into the psyche of your physician stakeholders and see what makes them tick and what their hot-button issues are? As a health care marketer, you can leverage this type of knowledge to enhance the effectiveness of your promotional messaging, as well as improve the performance of your sales force.

Join GfK Market Measures for a free teleconference as we examine the hearts and minds of your critical physician stakeholders and their differing needs so you can plan your strategies accordingly.

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

  • Health politics - scenarios to 2012
  • The Cluetrain Manifesto, the iPhone and mobile marketing/
    marketing research
  • Optimizing your messages
  • Data Download research highlights: diabetes and neurology

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

    Semantics Are Everything

    Way back in undergraduate school, I encountered the concept of the Whorfian hypothesis. Google this term (I couldn't do that at the University Of Pennsylvania in 1969; I had to learn it from a book!) and you will find that it is basically reflects the notion that the terminology and grammar a culture uses help determine the way we view the world.

    The example often used here is that Eskimos, who have some 20-odd words in their language to describe different kinds of snow, are caused by these language nuances to actually see different kinds of precipitation, where you and I would just say "snow" and view it all pretty much as the same white stuff.

    So what? In its own way, the pharmaceutical industry and the marketers and marketing researchers who work within it constitute a subculture with its own language, and the terminology those of us who are members of this subculture use every day helps determine the way we view things and thus the way we approach our jobs, customers, etc.

    Increasingly, some of the terminology we use is problematic, and I would like to suggest some changes I believe we should make...


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



    Research Highlights: Cardiology and Neurology

    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 hypertension and Parkinson's disease.