The work we do as a Patient Insights and Support function at Makara Health has always had a strong focus on input and insights from real people – patients are also people after all, and we have a strong commitment to empathy and respect in everything we do. We support our clients to build and create strong partnerships with patient organisations and implement successful collaborations for the benefit of patients.
Developing good relationships through patient engagement and support is not a new concept. The pharmaceutical industry has been increasingly focused on patient centricity and the importance of partnering with patient organisations over the past 20 years, and rightly so. This consistent and increasing focus on patient engagement activities can enormously enhance the delivery of patient information, support and potentially the treatments themselves. As industry and patient groups continue to work together partnerships change and evolve and grow.
All good stuff right?
Yes of course. At Makara Health, we want to continue to help our clients and the organisations we work with explore how these critical relationships can be improved and deepened. Our Makara mindset is there’s always room for improvement in our book.
The pharmaceutical industry is the most patient focused it’s ever been. 80% of the top pharmaceutical companies cite some iteration of a patient-centred approach as a core value to their organisation. But what does a truly patient-approach mean? It’s a board term, and it takes different forms and has varying degrees. Patient centricity and patient engagement are inherently linked but are different. For us, patient centricity is a mindset and patient engagement is the delivery/ways in which patient centricity is delivered.
With impending industry-wide changes to measurements and reporting guidance for patient-focused drug development (PFDD), encouraging an end-to-end patient strategy, are pharma companies across the board ready for this upcoming change in 2025? If the pharmaceutical industry wants to be truly patient centric throughout the product life cycle, then surely that starts with:
- Consistently embracing a patient centric mindset and keeping the patient front of mind
- Considering how we interact in every way with the groups that represent those patients
Makara Health has initiated a project to explore these interactions and partnerships to uncover the perspective of patient groups when it comes to partnerships with industry. An in depth listening exercise to uncover how critical partnerships between industry and the third sector can be enhanced for the good of patients. The Good Patient Partnership Guide contains concise insights and clear, tangible recommendations for industry professionals striving to initiate or improve engagement policy and process and for those already doing great work, looking to up their game in this space, with our ‘great’ and ‘stellar’ recommendations.
Want to know more about the insights and recommendations then stay tuned for our Guide launching very soon…