How can we better understand the needs of our patients and consumers?
Now more than ever, patients and consumers want to be heard; they want to know we are sensitive to their needs. To achieve its purpose, Pierre Fabre strives to design innovative solutions inspired by consumers and patients themselves. To define their needs and propose appropriate solutions, the Group focuses on active listening and co-development.
Working hand in hand with patient associations
To better understand the experiences of people living with a disease, the Group works closely with patient associations. These exchanges are an important source of information on unmet needs. They also help to identify new avenues for collaboration.
Pierre Fabre is currently working with more than 70 patient associations around the world on the development of new digital products, services and applications, in the fields of oncology, dermatology and rare diseases.
For example, the Group co-developed a charter in 2022 for all our dermo-cosmetics brands. It was co-created with representatives of associations as well as patients, who indicated the stages during which they wanted to be consulted to provide real added value.
Although the spirit of this approach is not entirely new for the Group, it now ensures the voice of the patient is taken into account to make a coherent contribution to our dermo-cosmetics brands.
The first products co-developed with patients under the charter will be launched at the end of 2023. Speaking about this charter, Jean-Marie Meurant, Vice-President of the French Skin Federation and President of the Vitiligo International Patient Organizations Committee, said, “This initiative is to my knowledge a first. It is no longer a matter of patients adapting to products released for sale; instead, it is the products that are adapting to patients. It’s a great innovation.”
Generating data
To understand and share the experience of patients, Pierre Fabre is also working on the collection and generation of data.
For example, a Visible Diseases of the Skin study was launched in 2021 in collaboration with five associations to explore the consequences of skin diseases causing damage to the face and hands, i.e. socially visible areas. Some 13,138 people in six countries responded to the study, contributing to a better understanding of problems faced by patients.
Another example came in 2022, when Pierre Fabre set itself the mission of establishing one of the largest dermatological databases by 2026, including all skin types and all skin diseases, with inclusion of data from over 50,000 people and from 20 countries. It is called the ALL program (all skins, all dermatoses, all colors). Data collected will be made available to associations to help them communicate on the impacts of these diseases.
Monitoring digital trends and “social listening” are also important sources of insight, to shed light on specific themes and give all of our business lines a better understanding of the behaviors and expectations of patients and consumers. Clara Thibault, Chief Data Officer, explains: “In 2022, we studied Generation Z’s perception of telemedicine and pharmacies. To do so, we listened to conversations about these topics on social networks, in particular on TikTok.”
Conducting real-life studies
CoReal-life studies also help create a better understanding of patients’ needs and preferences, disease burden and relationships to treatments. They enable us to collect data on patient management in routine clinical practice.
Abir Tadmouri, Director of Real-Life Studies, says: “The data from these studies helps us identify the difficulties that patients and their families face. Solutions can then be implemented with health care professionals and patient associations to improve treatment.”
Pierre Fabre Laboratories is currently conducting more than 20 real-life studies in different therapeutic areas, particularly on eczema and on the rare genetic disease XLHED (ectodermal dysplasia), with the creation of a metadatabase built from real-life data.