Pfizer and MSD highest among multinational pharma companies operating in China: Kantar Health survey

Physicians in China ranked Pfizer and MSD highest among multinational pharmaceutical companies operating in that country in terms of academic marketing, according to new research conducted by Kantar Health, a leading global healthcare advisory firm, and DXY.cn , the leading online community portal for physicians in China. Academic marketing is defined as promotional and marketing activities that are supported by rigorous medical and clinical evidence.

Chinese physicians ranked Pfizer first and MSD second in the 2013 survey, conducted among 5,000 physicians across multiple specialties. In the inaugural study in 2012, physicians ranked MSD first and Pfizer second. Roche leads in academic marketing among Chinese oncologists. The study asks respondents to analyse how key industry players are viewed regarding their reputations and customer relationships.

“Interactions between physicians and the pharma industry have come under increased scrutiny by regulatory bodies in China,” said Simon Li, General Manager, Kantar Health China. “In such a business environment, the ability to communicate with doctors supported by rigorous clinical and medical evidence is becoming increasingly important.”

The study also measured pharma companies’ TRI*M scores, a validated stakeholder satisfaction tool developed by Kantar that is used to measure customer loyalty. The TRI*M Customer Loyalty Score measures respondents on their willingness to recommend a company’s product, willingness to prescribe, perceived competitive advantages and overall satisfaction. Bayer had the highest Customer Loyalty Score in China; however, Chinese physicians ranked all pharma companies below the mean benchmark score for the 5EU countries.

“Chinese physicians’ TRI*M scores show that they are less loyal to a specific pharma company than their counterparts in Europe,” Li said. “This information is critical for a company to understand where it stands among its customers and how much potential it has to grow. Word-of-mouth recommendation is powerful in today’s environment of informed, opinionated customers who each have access to their own vast networks of peers and colleagues through social media. Companies that are not managing their customers’ opinions will find it much more difficult to steer themselves toward success.”

The results of this survey are available in the report ‘Evaluation of Academic Marketing and Customer Loyalty Score.’

EP News Bureau – Mumbai