The last issue of 2016, with articles from K. Hariram and Vivek Hattangadi and new authors, Dr. Ashwin Bonde and Diksha Fouzdar. Diksha's article is the highlight of this issue - an in-depth look at how to embed compliance in the very DNA of a pharma company.
To me, patient centricity is as fascinating a concept as it is contradictory. It is fascinating because it puts power into the hands of the patient. And it is contradictory because pharma does not like giving away power over its messages or processes. Pharma has traditionally never enjoyed interaction and has depended on ‘pushing’ messages across rather than having ‘conversations’. It probably also explains why we make do with medical reps who are not the sharpest knives in the drawer and scarcely invest in sharpening them.
Pharmaceutical companies must contend with challenges from supply chain lapses (theft, diversion, S.O.P. deviations, product recalls, reverse logistics etc.) counterfeiting and stringent regulations. These challenges get compounded when dealing across the states and country business operations, besides that not only impact tangible profits but also the intangible brand credibility. In this context, there is also a credible increase in public awareness about the genuineness of medicine (in particular medicine that require cold chain) and their predictability of clinical outcomes.
Providing visibility and full traceability becomes a paramount importance to both the Industry and the Govt. – A fool proof solution not only brings transparency in the system, but can also be a key differentiator, and undoubtedly can create immense opportunities for a competitive advantage.
Catalyzed by the pandemic, the pharma industry quickly progressed from being digitally agnostic to a state of preparedness.
The shift required the industry to experiment with technology in its customer-facing plans, which resulted in many cases the creation of random acts of digital, often without a cohesive overarching strategy.
Can pharma do better? The answer lies in understanding the utility of their digital assets while building a mindset to transform, and ensuring that teams within the organization do not work at cross-purposes.
The Indian Pharmaceutical Market (IPM) was valued at Rs. 10,426 crores in the month of August 2016 clocking a strong 18% growth over same period last year (SPLY). This was the second consecutive month where the IPM crossed the 10,000 crore mark.