serviceAd hoc Research (Physicians, Medical Professionals, Patients)

Service Description

Not only do marketers need to carefully consider strategy, promotion, and validation planning based on its product, market, and consumer characteristics, there is greater demand to adjust to rapidly changing healthcare consumer needs and their source of information.
We will support marketers’ essential strategic decision making by conducting surveys through combining our unique solutions.

Research Theme by Life Cycle of Product

With the intensifying market competition, creating product concepts that highlight the product’s characteristics which meet the market need, is the key to success. We will support your business by proposing a plan that will lead to a solution in various stages of the product life cycle. By offering vital information, we can support your decision makings such as Go/No-Go decisions during product development, market entry, and maturity stage in the product life cycle.

Preclinical Trial

Market understanding

• Evaluating treatment situation and methodology
• Understanding the market structure
• Understanding market size of potential/existing patients and medical referral process

Phase1 Trial

Phase2 Trial

Understanding the potential of developing products

• Understanding the usage of developing product
• Estimating the number of patients to whom the developing product will be prescribed
• Understanding the needs of healthcare professionals – doctors, nurses, pharmacists
• Understanding the needs of patients and general consumers

Understanding the treatment field

• Understanding usage situation of medication/medical devices

Economical evaluation of medical products

• Validate patient’s treatment situation and patient flow
• Market structure simulation and modeling
• Understanding patient’s action of receiving medical treatment in medical economic point of view
• Understanding cost by area of disease (Rx, OTC, devices, etc.)

Phase3 Trial

Decide marketing plan

• Positioning and concept development
• Assess competitors
• Understanding promotion target
• Research on medicine price
• Sales forecast

Filing

Decide promotion tools

• Research to design and determine key visual/message of promotion tools
• Market evaluation and acceptability of promotion tools
• Planning of optimum message and detailing story for doctors

Launch

Post Launch

Post-Launch (1st year to 3rd year)

Product penetration (ATU research)

• Understanding product penetration in the market (awareness, acceptance, use, etc.)
• Awareness and acceptability of product concept and message
• Understanding usage status

Research on customer satisfaction

• Promotion activity evaluation
• Manufacturer’s image evaluation
• Follow-up activity evaluation

Post-Launch (from 3rd year)

Planning for next step

• Strategy to increase market share
• New promotion to deal with subsequent competing products
• Understanding the impact of increased target diseases and drug forms
• Product repositioning

Project Flow

To draw out results that meet study objectives and issues, selecting the right research method, asking the right questions, and running the right analysis are all crucial. This is where our expertise comes in. Our experienced research executives are equipped to assist you in all stages, from planning to fieldwork and analysis, always keeping the project on track, striving for quality results using their attuned insight and innovative approaches.

Proposal

• Prepare research proposal reflecting the needs of the client.
• Propose a research plan. Briefing from clients to prepare a research proposal that meets the study objectives and issues.

Develop Questionnaire

• Prepare questionnaires/discussion guides in line with study objectives and issues.
• Client confirmation of research material prior to fieldwork start.

Fieldwork

• Data will be collected based on the specified study method.
• Interviews with medical professionals (i.e. physicians and allied healthcare professionals) and patients handled by our exclusive interviewers specializing in medical/pharmaceutical research.
• Follow up on progress and quality check on collected information will be conducted to ensure the highest quality possible.

Data Entry, Tabulation

• Data entry and tabulation.

Analysis, Report Development

• Experienced analysts will analyze the data. Tabulated data will be studied closely by our experienced analysts.
• Analysts will be responsible for documenting findings and their views, together with recommendations for your marketing strategies.

Presentation

• Presentation of results.

Research Methods

Our expertise covers a wide range of techniques from conventional methods to the latest survey methods. We propose the best possible technique to fit your needs and the objectives of the study.

Analytical Methods

Our research teams, specializing in various analytical techniques, present you with accurate and speedy analysis results.

Research Examples

Case 1Marketability evaluation of developing products

Company A has two drugs under development in the same area of disease, and requested a survey to estimate the marketability of the products for the purpose of prioritizing development.
The problem was that the profiles of the two drugs included undetermined factors, requiring investigation in a uncertain situation.

INTAGE Healthcare’s Proposal

We had them read the outline that describes the product closest to the development protocol and confirm the expected prescription volume. This was taken as a base case, and each product was evaluated by presenting cards combining attributes and levels for conjoint analysis in order to measure the impact of product characteristics (administration route, target diseases, etc.) that may change from there. According to the analysis of these results, the share is predicted based on the influence of each attribute and level on the selection level. Then, the estimated prescription volume for each scenario is calculated based on the comparison with the original base case. Based on these results, it became possible to prioritize each development scenario.

Case 2Marketability evaluation of products in complex market structures

In the field with the product being developed by Company B, patients are likely to select a drug from multiple drug options. Therefore, in order to predict the sales volume, the survey is requested because it is necessary to confirm the final estimated prescription volume based on the opinions of both physicians who prescribe drugs and patients who receive the prescriptions.

INTAGE Healthcare’s Proposal

Unlike the general disease area, the original hypothesis indicates that the opinions of patients greatly influence prescriptions, and therefore it is not possible to obtain a sufficiently reliable estimated prescription volume based on the intention to prescribe only by physicians. In other words, patients may want products that differ from those recommended by physicians among the options, which may eventually be significantly different from those expected by physicians. Therefore, the survey was designed and conducted so that the judgment of all situations, such as selection when multiple options are presented, can be comprehensively estimated from the opinions of both physicians and patients, while checking which products physicians chose from several products for patients, and whether patients accepted or refused each product recommended by their physicians.

Case 3Check and review of marketing plans shortly after the launch

Company C launched Product X as the fourth drug in the market with the sales share of 60% for Drug A, 25% for Drug B, and 15% for Drug C.
Product X has product characteristics that can fully counter Drug A, and the company implements marketing strategy targeting Drug A as a core target. Therefore, the company would like to check whether the prescription switch from Drug A to Product X is occurring according to the strategy in the survey.

INTAGE Healthcare’s Proposal

In the launch of new products, it is considered that the performance in use/prescription for about one year will greatly influence the subsequent sales. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct research that enables early analysis in chronological order.
We considered that the panel survey is the most appropriate for achieving this objective and proposed it. By fixing the subjects of the panel survey, it became possible to include them in the Plan-Do-See cycle reviewing tactics early to put them into practice, by regularly checking how far Product X can erode the share of Drug A, including a winning and losing analysis, in terms of both aspects that cannot be analyzed by the survey using fresh sampling (doctors) and quantity (prescribed amount.)