How We Can Improve our Understanding of Patient Needs

Patient preference is much discussed and often measured, particularly when choosing features or comparing product against a competing offering. Yet, genuine patient preferences are hard to pin down. Deeply held doubts about validity persist—often aired with the phrase “the company that pays for the preference study gets the preference”—as the preferences expressed may seem superficial, ephemeral or reflective of a patient’s perception of what an interviewer wants to hear.

Beyond preference lies motivation perhaps. For any patient, their preference is an expression of their deeper desires and concerns. To best understand the patient, the patient’s motivation on this deeper level must be understood.

With this understanding, manufacturers may be better placed to select optimized product solutions or develop a range of solutions that can cover a wide range of patient needs. Better understanding of a patient’s motivation may lead to changing behaviors, especially around compliance to medication regimens. This could have a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life and even healthcare costs.

So how can the industry learn to better understand the meaning of patient preference? At the 2018 PDA Universe of Pre-Filled Syringes and Injection Devices conference and exhibition, Paul Upham of Roche/Genentech, and Claire Everitt of Pfizer will discuss their views on patient-centric products.

The world is changing its view of the patient—patient power is becoming a significant driving force. To stay on top of understanding what the patient really needs, come to the 2018 PDA Universe of Pre-Filled Syringes and Injection Devices.