By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    stress disorder
    5 Ways To Manage Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
    October 27, 2021
    Medical device classification and development strategies
    Medical device classification and development strategies
    April 5, 2023
    varicose veins
    Varicose Veins Prevention: 3 Lifestyle Changes to Make Right Now
    May 1, 2022
    Latest News
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    How People Are Taking Advantage of Health Deals in the Recent Recession
    February 5, 2021
    Florida Board of Medicine Declares Arizona Homeopathic Doctor “Very, Very Dangerous”
    October 29, 2018
    6 Ways to Make Sure You’re Detoxing Properly
    July 26, 2018
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Biopharma Beat: Patient Engagement Throughout the Drug Development Lifecycle
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Wellness > Home Health > Biopharma Beat: Patient Engagement Throughout the Drug Development Lifecycle
DiagnosticsHome HealthMedical InnovationsMobile HealthPolicy & LawPublic HealthSocial Media

Biopharma Beat: Patient Engagement Throughout the Drug Development Lifecycle

David Davidovic
David Davidovic
Share
6 Min Read
biopharma beat
SHARE

biopharma beatMedical research and development, including that which is done by the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, is highly dependent on patients.  Historically, this dependency has centered on clinical trials, where products, after undergoing basic lab research looking into areas such as proof of principle, mechanism of disease and toxicology, then undergo formal trials with actual patients. 

biopharma beatMedical research and development, including that which is done by the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, is highly dependent on patients.  Historically, this dependency has centered on clinical trials, where products, after undergoing basic lab research looking into areas such as proof of principle, mechanism of disease and toxicology, then undergo formal trials with actual patients.  This is the only way to know whether a product has the intended effect and whether it is sufficiently safe and well tolerated to balance the risk-benefit scale.

This ‘patient centricity’ in clinical development has been evolving from mere patient participation in the study itself to patients actually being involved in the study design and data collection processes.  Furthermore, patient participation is, albeit slowly, penetrating every other lifecycle stage, from early discovery, through commercialization and access, and through post-marketing, real world clinical experience.

Patient engagement is no longer the sole domain of clinical trials. 

More Read

Senior Fitness, Obesity and Medicaid – Weighty Issues!
Patient Care Home Kit With Remote Technology-Video
Here Are A Few Ways You Can Get Lower Health Insurance Premiums
Threatened by Domestic Violence? There’s an App for That
Here’s How To Plan A Healthy Diet For A Hormonal Imbalance

Recent announcements of collaboration between biopharma companies and groups such as PatientsLikeMe and 23andMe underscore this desire to tap into patient data and to engage with patients more meaningfully and very early in the epidemiology, genetic profiling, and disease understanding processes; this is in an effort to characterize the mechanisms of disease and potential drug targets.

Going to the other end of the product lifecycle, the involvement of patients in the commercialization of a product has become not only desirable but critical.  Companies now have a much better understanding of the ‘patient journey’ and therefore can better service providers, patients, and caregivers towards better patient outcomes.

If everything we do is for patient benefits, it would be arrogant to not include patients everywhere we can.

The trend towards greater patient centricity has been going on for some time with many success stories, but with much remaining to be done.  Companies live in silos and each silo has been considering patients in their own way, but collaboration among silos has been sporadic at best.  This means that, although similar, the information gleaned by each function is not as complete as it could be and sometimes may even be contradictory.  This creates deep issues and complications in discussions and decisions about: prioritization of outcomes, clinical relevance vs. scientific purity, decision and investment dynamics, and so on.  A decision that may make most sense because it is scientifically exquisite or intriguing may be a complete failure in the marketplace because of inadequate understanding of patient realities.  Conversely, a decision that is entirely based on what doctors are asking may be desirable but seem impossible to pursue and may not be tackled at all.  When managed care, marketing, clinical research, basic research, manufacturing and others start looking at patients in a coordinated and collaborative way, probably driven by a common framework, is the day this patient centricity will finally bring major benefits. 

We are not starting from scratch; there are some good efforts already.  For example, on occasion, early R&D asks Managed Care about access and reimbursement barriers so that they can design programs and shape products in ways that those barriers are overcome – decisions can be made about: indication sequencing, dosage forms, drug-delivery systems, dosage frequency, relevant end-points, product combinations, companion diagnostics, etc.

It is Important to always keep in mind that ‘patient engagement’ is a journey, not a destination. 

There are three cornerstones for biopharma companies to be truly ‘patient centric’ in an integrated way:

  1. Common platform, shared education
    1. Achieve a common understanding of the patient journey
    2. Use common internal language and frameworks
    3. If possible, have a common knowledge and insights-sharing platform.
  1. Internal and External Collaboration
    1. Collaborate on projects where possible and permissible
    2. Share learnings from projects
    3. Stay current. Paradigms can change quickly with new diagnostics and therapies
    4. Include collaboration and dialogue with regulators
    5. Evolve structures as well as roles and responsibilities
  1. Effective Decision-making and Engagement
    1. Take into account a complete view of the patient
    2. Involve patients wherever possible, value the partnership
    3. Take a multi-disciplinary approach
    4. Apply effective decision-making rights
    5. Develop and deliver relevant customer solutions and resources.
TAGGED:BioPharma Beat
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
Global Healthcare Policy & Law
July 17, 2025
paramedics in surgical gloves and masks
How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
Health care
July 16, 2025
a woman giving a key
How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
Health
July 16, 2025
a woman with kinesio tapes on her back arm
How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
Health care
July 16, 2025

You Might also Like

6 Questions: Reality Check for Healthcare Ads & Slogans

September 15, 2015
medicare data release
BusinessFinanceHealth ReformHospital AdministrationPolicy & LawPublic Health

Medicare’s Data Release Places More Power in Hands of Informed Medical Consumers

May 9, 2013

The PCMH and Home Care Data: An Interview with Melissa McCormack

December 19, 2013

5 Ways Health Providers Can Help Reduce Patient Stress Without Drugs

July 27, 2016
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?