Advice You - Business

You know the maxim of bottles & wines right? I have a theory that says that old wine in any bottle has to taste better. If the taste is not to your liking, chances are that its time to change you

According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product

r drink.

Public Relations agencies take pride in old and steady relationships. We do too! But a spate of recent pitches that we were invited to shock-struck my eyes open. Thrilled as we were to

; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.

Examples of combination products may in

ttend these pitches, we were gloating in the fact that Blue Lotus was making dents into decade old relationships. We were also excited to explore how help change the way PR can be used for these

lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.

rock-steady’ organizations. Just a few weeks ago, we’ve replaced an agency which had a 13 year old relationship, and another where we were invited for another pitch where a relationship had soure

here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe

d over the last 10 years!!

During one of our pitches (in the penultimate round) I was while casually conversing with the client on their rationale for change of agency after so many years and I

d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.

Combination pro

ot enlightenment. A moment of truth, a flash before my eyes, and I realized why we all need to change our attitude towards our older clients. The knowledge that existing relationships are far mor

ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc

important than the new ones is an age old wisdom, but the how to ensure that such a relationship can be maintained, is not. This important gyan I received is summarized in the points below:

easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi

1. Periodic reorientation: As the agency-client relationship matures, it is important that both the parties to reorient themselves periodically (preferably annually) to the new realities in t

nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically

e relationship. The onus and the need both rest more on the agency, than with the client. Growth, new focus areas, issues and challenges in the relationship must be discussed threadbare. New need

and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ

of the client, new business targets and communications objectives must be set formally before moving forward.

2. Don’t miss the nuts and bolts: While the agency may have aligned the stra

ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi

egy to the objectives of the client, it is very important that the agency does not forget about the ‘nuts & bolts’ of the implementation. Clients usually only go through the pain of a break-ups w

ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

Following aspects would a

hen the going with the existing agency becomes really difficult. So the first role of the new agency will be to take care of the run-of-the-mill stuff well.

3. Care for the client: Once t

dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod

e client-agency relationship begins to mature, knowledge & familiarity of the client may lead to some amount of contempt. This contempt is in often mutual and can leading to souring of the relati

cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin

nship. This basic hygiene factor, must be reinforced regularly by ensuring that the client servicing team knows the value of the client in their portfolio.

4. Internal reviews: Ensure tha

tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen

t the client account not only goes through client reviews, but also goes through critical internal reviews. There has to be a compelling reason why a team would still working on the account after

t?

As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel

a few years of complacent attitude. Of course, to ensure internal harmony, these reviews must be rigorous and completely without bias.

5. Regular client feedback: No rocket science this!

ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust

ut, the interpretation of the client’s comments is of extreme import. Someone senior enough must ensure that the client feedback is studied and acted upon. Accolades or brickbats, bouquets or cri

y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products

ticisms – swift action on the reaction will be of immense value to the client and to the relationship.

The above points are not only useful in ensuring that a ‘relationship-ennui’ does not set i

.

As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de

into longstanding partnership, but they are also useful in finding the ways in how to create strong, lasting and eternal bonds with clients.

In my nirvana-like realization state I know one thin

elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

Companies that provide selfless information through particip

for sure, clients who have had a bad flavour (and at times over years) are desperate for a good experience and just a little focus and some amount of care can help create a lifelong relationship

tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products

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