Issues influencing neurology patient groups in 2023
PatientView’s 2024 report, Patients in Action, examines how patient groups, including those specialising in neurological conditions, view their roles in national healthcare systems. Findings from this survey, which included responses from neurology-focused groups, were compared with 19 other therapeutic areas, revealing key insights into neurology patient groups’ perspectives on industry interactions, influence, and needs.
Pharma Perception and Influence
75% of neurology patient groups believe that pharmaceutical companies view them as essential healthcare stakeholders. However, only 50% feel they influence drug research and development—markedly lower than counterparts in blood cancer (69%) and cardiovascular (70%). A central concern for these groups is inadequate investment in neurological research and treatment, cited by 52% of respondents, rising to 57% for dementia-focused groups and 55% for those focused on neuromuscular conditions. Only 25% of multiple sclerosis groups reported similar concerns.
Neurology-Specific Challenges
The primary needs identified by neurology patient groups include better access to care, improved patient pathways, and enhanced quality of care. Their concerns echo findings by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Inter-sectoral Global Action Plan (2022-2031), which aims to address the long-standing neglect of neurological disorders.
Pharma Industry’s Corporate Reputation
In PatientView’s 2023 Corporate Reputation of Pharma survey, 54% of neurology patient groups rated the pharmaceutical industry’s reputation as “excellent” or “good,” slightly below the average of 57% across all therapeutic areas. Respondents rated pharma’s performance positively for providing beneficial products (56%) and innovation (55%), though these figures trailed therapy-wide averages of 63% and 59%, respectively.
Neurology patient groups offered extensive feedback on improving pharma’s corporate reputation. The most frequent suggestion (16% of comments) was for companies to improve patient-group relations. Specifically, groups recommended fostering long-term partnerships, developing efficient systems for patient group engagement, and demonstrating governance and integrity. These steps could help pharma better understand the lived experiences of patients with neurological conditions.
Insights into Patient Engagement
Neurology patient groups emphasised the need for pharma to engage patients early in the research process, establish clear agreements, and compensate participants fairly. These relationships should be built on trust and transparency, allowing companies to gain insights into patients’ preferences and behaviours, which increasingly influence treatment choices.
Rankings of Pharma Companies in Neurology
In 2023, Roche, Novartis, and UCB were the top-ranked companies for corporate reputation in neurology, with Roche consistently performing well across multiple subcategories. Rising stars in corporate reputation included Sanofi, which shared third place with Novartis in one ranking.
In 2023, Roche, Novartis, and UCB were the top-ranked companies for corporate reputation in neurology
Strategic Implications for Pharma
PatientView’s findings provide actionable insights for the pharmaceutical industry. Respondent neurology patient groups stressed that better alignment with patient needs, particularly through patient-centric approaches, transparency, and enhanced engagement in research and development, could significantly improve pharma’s impact on the neurology community.
This is an AI generated summary – read the full press release from Patient View here.
