Over the last five years or so, integration of the patient voice in all aspects of drug development has moved from experimentation to expectation. That expectation comes from both patients and regulators. In 2022, the biggest driver of change will be scaled to meet the growing need for patient voices in three key areas:
- From pilot to operations: Many biopharma leaders have been listening to patient voices for years. But they’re entering a new era of sophistication in which engaging patients is an accountability for individuals and the organization alike.
- From loud voices to lots of voices: The industry is becoming more diligent about diversifying its sources of insight. When the patient voice came primarily from secondary research, like social media listening or conference presentations, it was easy for just a handful of well-resourced individuals to have an outsized impact on the conversation, quickly becoming the leading voices for a diverse patient community. Today, organizations are connecting with a range of open and, when appropriate, private communities, advocacy and community groups to ensure that a wider number of voices are heard.
- From qualitative to quantitative: New toolsets are making it possible to include more objective scales and measurement criteria in discussions about what and where to change. That can start with data-driven patient journeys that allow sponsors and commercial teams to see the quantitative journey of care via healthcare and claims data, creating a shared platform for discussing the qualitative impact at each step.
What happens when pharma becomes as customer-focused as other industries while maintaining that scientific integrity? A new era of higher-value research, communication and advocacy.
