Our topical polls and independent studies provide free pharmaceutical and health industry insights from healthcare professionals and patient perspectives. The infographic accompanying each article can be downloaded and shared with attribution.
The relationship between healthcare providers and sales reps is a balancing act. Managed well they can add value to a GP’s or pharmacist’s practice ultimately impacting product use. However HCPs are often overwhelmed by the demand on their time and as a result may restrict access to their practices to sales reps.
Smart Drugs (or nootropics) are substances used to enhance cognitive functions. Exact usage numbers are difficult to ascertain, but a recent study conducted among UBC students found that 1 in 30 students admitted using ADHD medication they were not prescribed, for their cognitive effects. The use of Smart Drugs appears to be gaining momentum in Canada, especially among students and young professionals in high pressure situations, thereby having the potential to turn into a public health issue.
Modern Blood Glucose Meter (BGM) devices can often pair with a companion app on a smartphone, which allows patients to easily record and monitor their blood glucose levels over time. This gives the patient, and potentially their doctor, easy to access historical data, insightful charts, and other information that can aid in diabetes management. Research was conducted by MD Analytics to assess whether Canadian GPs are accepting this technology, and if it plays a role in their recommendation of one BGM over another.
Corporate reputation plays an important role in enabling companies to further differentiate their products in highly competitive markets. As a result our team sought to better understand how pharmaceutical manufacturers are currently perceived. After surveying Canadian GPs, we noticed several trends.
Physicians recognize that new medications often can be quite valuable for their patients and are eager to add them to their armamentarium. However, they do not always end up prescribing these new medications as much as they initially plan or as early as they would like. There are many reasons that can explain this discrepancy.
Patients are an increasingly influential stakeholder within the healthcare industry as more medical information becomes available online than ever before. This independent market research study conducted by MD Analytics takes a closer look at patients in order to better understand their motivations and predict their behaviours within this complex landscape.
Physicians are using social media in their personal and professional lives, especially younger physicians. However, the pharma industry should be aware of barriers to using social media as a means of interacting professionally with physicians, such as the perceived reliability of online information.
In October 2018, the use of recreational cannabis was legalized across Canada. Looking back at the past year, physicians remain divided in their views towards this new legislation, though support skews towards younger GPs. This legislation has impacted the use of prescription treatments and patient visits in a number of key therapeutic areas, though not to the degree that was anticipated 12 months ago.
Real World Evidence (RWE) is a growing area of research that, pivoting from the rigorously controlled standards of randomized controlled trials (RCT), is based on a model driven by real world patient data. Real World Evidence stems primarily from an observational analysis of a sample in a less controlled environment. Focused on the efficacy and outcomes of therapies in a real world setting, RWE provides a unique lens not attainable from traditional clinical trial research.
In the healthcare system, a patient’s journey to optimal care presents many obstacles. There are numerous steps involved from the onset of a medical condition to the moment when satisfactory results are achieved. This healthcare survey seeks to reveal key opportunities within the patient journey that would assist patients along their way and ultimately improve outcomes. Further healthcare market research could also be conducted by disease area to dig deeper into these insights.
Members of the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC) and the Insights Association.