Following the recent and unfortunate tragedy of the Costa Concordia, much of the focus has been on the series of poor decisions that led to the disaster. Almost one hundred years ago, similar poor decision making and denial also led to the unfortunate end of the “unsinkable” Titanic.

As we enter into this new year that is meant to bring about a significant sea change for the pharma industry, there are hints of similar kinds of “Titanic” thinking evident among many of the players. For many years now, industry insiders have been highlighting future changes and trends that might impact our industry. Many were significant in scope, but seemed safely enough in the distance to ignore. However, to continue to ignore the evolving environment may be equivalent to steaming arrogantly toward that fateful iceberg.

Taken individually, many of these coming changes seem manageable and isolated to just a few stakeholders, but when you consider the impact of them as a whole, it is clear that a big shift is coming. This big change has a clear theme emerging – a shift that is placing more and more emphasis on the importance of the patient.

Whether relating to healthcare reform, healthcare costs, regulatory changes, or comparative effectiveness, all things point to a greater need to recognize the value from, as well as to, the patient.  In pharma marketing, we seem headed away from a culture of trickle-down data and features to one that consciously tries to translate these elements into the true value they offer to patients.

Some companies seem headed in the right direction already, but other seem determined to stay the course.  An innovative approach is clearly needed. For those willing to adapt, the timing is perfect to act now. And hopefully those who are slower to respond will learn a lesson from history about trying to steer a large vessel away from disaster at the last minute.

Tags: Behavioral Change, Healthcare Marketing, Patient Adherence, Patient Engagement, Patient Experience, Patient-Centric