By Marco Rauland, Ph.D., Head of Pricing & Reimbursement

Risk-sharing agreements as innovative market access strategies are currently on everybody's lips. But risk-sharing deals are easier said than done. The implementation of a risk-sharing agreement can be associated with a high administrative burden, additional costs and last, but not least, a lot of uncertainty. Thus, the question arises whether and when a risk-sharing agreement is the right strategy for your product. 

The first risk-sharing agreements were born of necessity. Insufficient data for a reimbursement decision from payers’ perspective (especially in terms of long-term, real-life data) induced the industry to break new ground with regard to its market access strategies. What is the solution if the data available at the time of the planned product launch is insufficient for a payer to reimburse the therapy?

Market research has jumped to the forefront by helping pharma negotiate with payers and analyze a tsunami of new data. For its March issue, Medical Marketing & Media teamed with PMRG and TGaS Advisors to chart the biggest challenges and changes expected to shape the industry in the near term. 

In addition to manufacturers from AstraZeneca, Merck and Shire, two GfK HealthCare experts offered their thoughts on the inaugural State of the Industry survey.

Dear Orange Pages Subscriber,

First, as a reader of my monthly articles, allow me to sincerely thank you for joining me on a journey that really has been to follow the ebb and flow of the world in which we work (and live), monitoring the pulse of the pharmaceutical industry in the context of the changing landscape of health care and, ultimately, examining what impact and meaning these developments have had on our marketing research profession.

I am extremely proud to say that we have published The Orange Pages each month since October 2006 – that’s 53 issues! Starting with the desire to provide a forum for education and observations on issues with which our profession was wrestling, we have since examined a string of interesting developments.

As a destination employer for the industry, GfK HealthCare draws top marketing research talent. While our new researchers offer clients a variety of methodological and therapeutic expertise, they share the common background of being marketing research veterans with experience specifically focused in the health care industry.

We invite you to join GfK HealthCare March 27-29 in Phoenix, Ariz., at the Pharmaceutical Marketing Research Group’s Annual National Conference, Blazing New Trails: Forging the Frontiers of U.S. and Global Healthcare.

This year’s event, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the founding of PMRG, will expand the marketing researcher’s focus beyond the known and trusted to explore new information, new markets, new methods, new applications and new opportunities.

Click here to read the issue, which includes:

- Extending the Use of MaxDiff in Health Care Marketing Research
- TED: Ideas Worth Spreading
- The Role of the Pharmacist/Pharmacy in the Future of Health Care

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