One of the biggest trends in the industry is the continuation and proliferation of public awareness and education campaigns. For example, most healthcare experts agree on and believe in the importance of prevention. Yet, convincing patients and caregivers that vaccination is one of the best forms of prevention is difficult. Instead, people wait until they become ill, at which point the illness can become more difficult to treat and its impact on a patient’s life can become more detrimental.
Another example involves companies trying to educate a large percentage of the population which doesn’t realize it may have a medical condition (e.g., chronic dry eyes, rosacea).
Companies launch a variety of awareness campaigns, often leveraging celebrities to maximize their reach. Pfizer is working with singer Patti LaBelle to raise awareness of pneumococcal pneumonia. Pro football hall of famer Jim Kelly has teamed up with Merck, the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance (HNCA), Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer (SPOHNC), and Savor Health to raise awareness of head and neck cancer with Your Cancer Game Plan.
Life sciences companies are also collaborating with targeted industry groups and the media to raise awareness through surveys and programs. Merck’s initiative with the American Diabetes Association to create the America’s Diabetes Challenge, a platform through which patients can find a number of helpful resources for type 2 diabetes, is a wonderful example.
To learn about other trends that we can also expect to see in 2018, click here.
