Over the past few years, scientific journals and government regulators have increased the scrutiny and expectations facing pharmaceutical companies looking to publish the results of their clinical trials. While picking and choosing favorable findings may have been acceptable a decade ago, it is now considered unethical and potentially illegal. As a result of these changing expectations and regulations, global publications leaders at pharmaceutical companies are carefully building strategies that ethically present all study findings while still driving brand strength. Scientific publications are an essential tool for both clinical and commercial purposes, as they are intended to influence the target audience by raising both awareness of the disease and awareness of a company’s product. In the changing world of publications, it is vital that companies produce publications that are not only compelling, but are also in compliance with new transparency guidelines. This report, “Scientific Publications Strategy: Managing Reputation, Clinical Trial Results, and Commercial Relevance,” provides directors and managers with the research and understanding to produce effective clinical publications that possess commercial relevance.
This study identifies trends and new ways of thinking in the ways in which pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies approach global publication activities and supplies benchmarks for plan delivery outsourcing, as well as key contributors to the development of strategy and planning and the effects of the changing publications industry on journal emphasis.
1. Scientific Publications Strategy: Managing
Reputation, Clinical Trial Results and
Commercial Relevance
Best Practices, LLC Benchmarking Report
2. Table of Contents Page
INTRODUCTION 4
• Project Methodology and Study Objective 5
SUMMARY OF KEY INSIGHTS 6-14
UNIVERSE OF LEARNING 15
• List of Participating Companies 16
• Range of Career Levels Lend Insight 17
• Regional Representation 18
• Functional Representation 19
• Those Who Work for Publications Mostly Have Ph.D. 20
• Respondents Serve Various Therapeutic Areas in Publication Function 21
• Current Role With Regards To Publication 22
• Mostly Vice President Oversee Publication Function 23
GLOBAL PUBLICATION ORGANISATION 24
• Publication Function Is A Part Of Medical Affairs Group 25
• Publication Strategy Shifting To Hybrid Structure 26
• Strategy Responsibility 27
• Publications Planning Shifting To Hybrid Structure 28
• Planning Responsibility 29
• Centralized Structure Followed for Publications Plan Delivery 30
• Plan Delivery Responsibility 31
• Medical Directors Mainly Contribute to Strategy & Plan 32
• Other Strategy Contributors 33
• Successful Communication Tactics 34
• Top Tactics Used to Communicate Publication Strategy 35
3. Table of Contents Page
• Regional Empowerment 36
• Alignment Between the Regional & Global Plans 37
•Plan Delivery Outsourcing 38
• FTEs in Publication Function 39
• Percent Publications FTEs Outsourced 40
• Tasks Outsourced by Publication Group 41-43
PUBLICATION STRATEGIES BY PRODUCT 44
• Most Effective Publication Vehicle in Early Development 45
• Most Effective Publication Vehicle in Phase III-Submission 46
• Most Effective Publication Vehicle in Launch-Post-Launch 47
• Most Effective Content Type in Early Development 48
• Most Effective Content Type in Phase III-Submission 49
• Most Effective Content Type in Launch-Post-Launch 50
• Most Important Target Audience in Early Development 51
• Most Important Target Audience in Phase III-Submission 52
• Most Important Target Audience in Launch-Post-Launch 53
• Publications Outlet Focus 54-56
• Development of Publishing Strategy 57
• Stage of Publishing First Abstract & Manuscript 58
• Last Stage When Publication Function is Active 59
• Publication Produced 60
• Abstracts Produced 61
• Number of Manuscripts Planned, Produced & Published 62
• Number of Publications Issued 63-64
4. Table of Contents Page
• Mix of Papers Appearing 65
MEASURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PUBLICATION STRATEGY ACTIVITIES 66
Performance Measures 67-68
Paper Acceptance Most Important Measure of Effectiveness 69
Primary Journals Highly Important for Publishing Clinical Results 70
MANAGING WITHIN A CHANGING PUBLICATION ENVIRONMENT 71
• Planning Neutral or Negative Results 72
• Process for Publishing Neutral and Negative Results 73
• Increased Emphasis on Regional-Peer Reviewed Journals 74
• Emphasis on E-journals Will Decline 75
• Increased Importance of Review Articles Over Next Three Years 76
• Other Changes Implemented for Publication Excellence 77
PUBLICATION BUDGET 78
• Budget Allocated 79
• Allocation of Publication Budget in Various Activities 80
• Medical Affairs Funds Publication Budget 81
• Factors Affecting Publication Budget 82
PUBLICATION BEST PRACTICES 83
• Top Best Practices for Publication Effectiveness 84
• Top Challenges 85
• Best Practices for Implementing Successful Scientific Publication Strategy 86