 | This Best Practices, LLC research investigates pull-through challenges and the best practices that companies have developed to overcome them. The research will enable pharmaceutical, bio-pharma and medical device company leadership to identify program gaps, uncover insights and discover successful best practices to share with their employees. |
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| This study was conducted to identify common performance measurement practices across geographies and hierarchy, provide insight into effective evaluation of the function and determine measures that drive functional success. |
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| This benchmarking study, based on benchmark survey data and executive interviews of 45 participants from more than 34 leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, was conducted to examines the programs and initiatives aimed at directly affecting the lives and treatment of patients. This report provides benchmarks, insights and best practices in such key areas as: • Gaining insights into the current landscape and the future of these patient-focused initiatives • Describing the rationale and objectives of these efforts • Defining the conditions and measures of success • Understanding the potential pitfalls and limitations of such efforts • Collecting examples and develop “case study” snapshots of innovative programs and initiatives |
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| This benchmark research project identifies emerging trends in recruiting attendees for medical education in general and non-CME programs in particular. Additionally, this research seeks to understand industry norms for attendance goals versus actual attendance, average time for recruitment effort, effective recruiting methods and other operational activities. Executives and managers involved in producing medical education programs can use this study to gauge the effectiveness of their recruiting methods and to incorporate emerging trends into their program characteristics. |
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 | This benchmarking report examines the best practices for post-marketing surveillance within the United States, as well as the processes for assessing reports of adverse events, follow-up activities and compliance training. Executives and managers in Drug Safety can use this research to compare their group's staffing, makeup, AE evaluation process, reporting sources, follow-up activities and training with those of leading organizations. Representatives from 15 leading companies have shared their practices, views and information, to facilitate post-market surveillance system. |
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 | This study is designed to help product teams avoid common pitfalls in internal communications that can hinder brand performance. The research also identifies and details 10 best practices for internal brand and disease state communications. Also covered are tactics, strategies and channels that are most effective for pre-launch disease state communication to employees across all job levels, corporate functions and therapeutic areas.This report is intended for pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device managers and executives who supervise or interact with brand communications or new product development teams. The research will help pharma leaders to communicate the right internal message to the right employee segments at the right time to give the best possible support to product launch. |
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 | This new benchmarking report frames the current employer market landscape and analyzes how leading companies organizate their employer groups, conceive of their efforts, and operate in the field. Managed Care, Managed Markets, and other Sales and Marketing heads can use the metrics and narrative insights contained in this report to compare their employer groups to those of other top companies, or to spearhead a new employer market effort within their own organization. |
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 | This study explores how U.S. and global biopharmaceutical companies are structuring and managing their Medical Affairs organizations today. This study also examines recent trends in budget and staffing resources, key challenges and top success factors for the function. Pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device managers and executives will be able to use this research to determine how their Medical Affairs organizations compare with industry benchmarks.STUDY OVERVIEW Charged with building and maintaining physician relationships, pharmaceutical Medical Affairs organizations typically oversee several important functions – including publications, KOL programs, grants, and medical education (CME) that have been impacted in recent years by a call for increased transparency. As such, forward-looking biopharmaceutical executives are beginning to evaluate Medical Affairs operations to ensure that the vital organization is appropriately structured and resourced to operate effectively in the current environment.This Best Practices, LLC study explores how U.S. and global biopharmaceutical companies are structuring and managing their Medical Affairs organizations today. The study also examines recent trends in budget and staffing resources, key challenges and top success factors for the function. Pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device managers and executives will be able to use this research to determine how their Medical Affairs organizations compare with industry benchmarks. |
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 | This study aims to discover and collect best practices in how companies use and review the use of Health Outcomes data in promotional/commercial settings. There is a focus upon on-label, off-label and in-label promotions.Health Outcomes data has become increasingly important to the success of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. This study aims to discover and collect best practices in how companies use and review the use of Health Outcomes data in promotional/commercial settings. There is a focus upon on-label, off-label and in-label promotions. |
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 | This Best Practices, LLC benchmarking report identifies the Market Research structures and activities that best support the Managed Markets function in gaining payer access and insights around pharmaceutical products, as well as captures executives' best practices and lessons learned for working successfully in the current payer-driven environment.Today’s physicians are rapidly losing their influence over patients’ drug utilization decisions and unfortunately a large number of bio-pharmaceutical companies have failed to recognize that third-party payers, such as government and commercial organizations, now control the vast majority of prescription drug expenditures. In fact, it is estimated that third-party payers in the Managed Markets sector currently control more than 80 percent of patient access to prescription drugs in the United States.Continued commercial success of pharmaceutical products depends largely on the ability of bio-pharmaceutical companies to evolve their MMMR (Managed Markets Market Research) structures to work effectively in the current payer-driven environment. A successful MMMR Structure should provide managers with tactics to easily anticipate and act upon the needs and wants of these newly empowered third-party payers. The companies who are refocusing their marketing strategies to strengthen their relationship with these Managed Markets organizations will see the greatest impact in their product’s commercial success.This Best Practices, LLC benchmarking report identifies the Market Research structures and activities that best support the Managed Markets function in gaining payer access and insights around pharmaceutical products, as well as captures executives’ best practices and lessons learned for working successfully in the current payer-driven environment. |
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 | Training leaders in all industries can use the results of this study to refine their training content and delivery, make better staffing and outsourcing decisions, more optimally allocate their resources, and measure the changes in the performance of the sales rep trainees. |
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 | This research explores how high-performing brand teams coordinate, communicate, and execute critical activities to drive brand growth. It yields insights into how pharmaceutical and biotech companies structure and manage their cross-functional brand teams to facilitate brand performance. The study also examines how brand teams manage their stakeholder relationships and decision rights.Designing Effective Brand Teams: Brand Governance and Brand Team Management” explores how high-performing brand teams coordinate, communicate, and execute critical activities to drive brand growth. It yields insights into how pharmaceutical and biotech companies structure and manage their cross-functional brand teams to facilitate brand performance. The study also examines how brand teams manage their stakeholder relationships and decision rights.- Staffing and functional representation for brand teams- Brand team operations, decision rights and responsibilities- Meeting frequencies- Reporting relationships- Performance-based compensation and reviews- Brand performance measures |
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 | This benchmark research study examines the corporate structures and activities for Managed Markets market research that are most effective for gaining payer insights and identifies best practices from Managed Markets market research executives. Directors, managers, and executives who oversee market research serving the Managed Markets function will be able to use the benchmark metrics and executive insights in this report to gain maximum payer access and insights. |
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 | Long and costly product development cycles make it essential for pharmaceutical companies to maximize limited staff and resources to the development of compounds with the greatest potential market value. From the time a company’s R&D (Research and Development) group begins to develop a new prescription medicine until it receives FDA approval to market the drug in the United States, a drug company typically spends $1 billion over the course of 10 to 15 years. |
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 | This benchmarking study was conducted to understand how U.S. pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations can optimize their CI operations while working within defined guidelines. The research examined a number of areas, including CI information sources and what is being collected. In addition, the study looked at how CI groups work with legal groups to develop standard operating procedures for data collection that are in the best interests of the organization as a whole and to maximize the CI department’s ability to deliver results. Managers and executives in CI and CI-related groups can use this report to compare critical elements of their operations with those of leading firms. |
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 | Sales force performance significantly impacts growth and bottom line results. The ability of senior management to effectively disseminate vital information to their sales forces while maximizing selling time is integral to the overall success of all pharmaceutical and biotech companies.The objective of this benchmarking study was to better understand U.S. pharmaceutical sales communications groups’ impact and effectiveness. To accomplish this, an online survey was conducted, supplemented with several interviews to gather more detailed accounts of how executives have shaped their communication functions to support their sales force.Executives in the pharmaceutical industry can use this report to inform their thinking about the resources, skill-sets and tools needed for their communications group, and what practices and procedures can be used to maximize the impact (and minimize the time taken) on salespeople. |
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 | Sales leaders and organizations that regularly meet and exceed revenue targets have mastered the art of motivating their sales representatives. Organizations that desire to recruit and retain top sales personnel can use the findings in this study to determine strategies and best practices for understanding and engaging top-performing sales personnel. This study was undertaken utilizing key benchmark metrics and executive insights to assess current trends and future directions of rewards and recognition programs targeting top-performing sales representatives |
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 | With limited information on actual return on investment for expenditures toward support of Continuing Medical Education activities, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology companies are anxious to understand the value of CME support and strategies for ensureing investments provide appropriate impact on healthcare practitioner behaviors and patient outcomes. With this understanding, this study was undertaken utilizing key benchmark metrics and executive insights to assess current trends and future directions of CME in North America and Europe to map a path to future success in support of CME |
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 | To ensure organizational health and competitiveness, companies must continually identify optimal resource levels for their operations. This benchmark study was designed to collect key staffing and investment benchmarks for U.S. based pharmaceutical Public Affairs functions.Data from this study will allow U.S. pharmaceutical companies to assess the efficiency of their Public Affairs functions relative to their peers.For the purposes of this benchmarking exchange, Public Affairs was divided into six work functions: • Government Affairs (State and Federal Government Relations and Public Policy) • Corporate Communications – External • Corporate Communication – Internal • Product Communications • Corporate Social Responsibility • Alliance Management |
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| Market analytics functions play a key role in helping pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies make informed decisions, avoid risk, and uncover opportunities for growth. Although market analytics insights can be vital to corporate success, the function’s full value often remains unrealized. This research examines how to maximize the business value of analytics through optimal structuring, staffing and positioning of analytics activities. Executives can use this information to demonstrate business value and win the recognition and resources needed to achieve and sustain high performance levels.This research is focused on major topic areas: (1) Hiring for Market Analytics Performance Excellence, (2) Delivering High-Impact Services, (3) Building Effective Relationships with Key Stakeholders, (4) Structuring to Support Healthy Product Growth, and (5) Winning Corporate Recognition and Support. |
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| This research is focused on several major topic areas: (1) creating and communicating CI value, (2) optimal structure and alignment, (3) resource levels, (4) key primary and secondary intelligence sources, (5) high impact CI activities, and (6) effective stakeholder relationships. Specific areas of coverage include:- tactics for increasing CI value and recognition- current and ideal departmental alignment for maximum effectiveness- operating budget levels and trends- average compensation and bonus potential for CI staff by individual job level- outsourcing for CI activities- average numbers of company products supported and competitor products tracked- methods for building trust with internal customers and collaborators- most effective internal communication approaches- essential skills, experiences, and attributes for employee success in CI roles- program performance measurement |
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 | Pharmaceutical Sales Training: Turning New Hires into Top Performers (SM-171) provides a comprehensive look at sales training delivery, content, budgets and trends at leading pharmaceutical companies across the globe. Based on the perspectives of 24 sales training leaders at a diverse group of 19 pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, the report provides benchmarks, executive insights and best practices for such key areas as: Training content by employment interval Budget trends and outsourcing of training Training program effectiveness measures Projected future content needs Budget comparisons for training new reps vs. experienced hires Key qualifications of top sales reps |
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 | As product and service differentiation becomes more difficult to achieve - in the dynamic global marketplace - effective sales channels that guarantee direct access to business-to-business customers are becoming more strategically important to growing and defending market share. At the same time many field sales leaders face growing pressure to reduce field sales investments and to "produce more with less." Faced with increasing resource constraints, sales leaders need to supplement their internal sales force effectiveness measures with external cross-industry efficiency benchmarks to fully assess the performance of their field sales groups and validate their resource allocations.Best Practices, LLC recognizes that high performing sales groups across industries - irrespective of product or service provided - exhibit common operational practices, strategies and resource utilization levels. This study focused on producing key operational benchmarks and allows sales leaders to better inform their strategic and tactical decision-making. The quantitative benchmark data is supported by selective analyst commentary. |
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 | The research findings in this report are the culmination of analysis of data collected frombenchmark surveys with 79 companies, as well as analysis of exclusive interviews with university recruiting leaders at nine selected best practices corporations. This report is designed to give Human Resources executives and directors a tool to assess recruiting performance and begin building a strategic path for program improvement in the future. REPORT STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATIONProject findings are organized into an executive summary, topical chapters and an appendix.1) Executive Summary – The executive summary contains a discussion of the background factors that led to the study, a description of the Best Practices, LLC research methodology, a summary of the key project findings and recommendations for identifying and closing performance gaps.2) Topical Chapters – These chapters provide, by subject, a graphical depiction of surveyresponses, discussion of key trends identified from an analysis of the data and write-ups of best practices harvested from in-depth interviews:Program Management & Organization –Includes sections on Budget, Staffing, Structure, Activities & Events, Hiring Top Talent (including interns and co-ops) and Program Effectiveness. Hiring Top Talent – Discusses best practices for building the talent pool, screening and selecting candidates and managing intern and co-op programs Building Strong Stakeholder Relationships – Covers effective partnership with line staff, practices for sharing candidates across lines of business, developing alumni as recruiting talent, training line recruiters and maintaining long-term relationships with university hires. School Selection & Ranking - Illustrates best practices for choosing core recruiting schools. Technology: Impact & Innovation - Highlights innovative uses of technology in the recruiting process.3) Appendix – The appendix includes a matrix comparing the features, functionality and feel ofuniversity recruiting websites for 19 top companies and a matrix capturing top three bestpractices and lessons learned shared by survey respondents. |
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 | Global human resources leaders must deliver increasingly complex services while maintaining both high service quality and low costs. This HR Resourcing Excellence Series provides reliable benchmark data for specific HR services to validate your company’s HR investment and service levels relative to other Fortune 500 organizations. Published by Best Practices, LLC, this benchmarking exchange established comprehensive performance and cost benchmarks for HR functions in large organizations through in-depth surveys for six core HR service areas:Organizational Staffing Services, Costs & Effectiveness Domestic Mobility Benchmarking Research Global Mobility Benchmarking Research Leave of Absence Administration Excellence Corporate Medical Services Administration Excellence Workers Compensation ExcellenceThe comprehensive benchmarking data in this series allows HR executives to compare their current allocations and use the data as a guide to reach optimal efficiencies. |
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 | The most comprehensive resource allocation system and the best econometric model will still produce sub-optimal results if key managers and personnel do not work together across functions, especially during product commercialization. It is proven that process-oriented enterprises achieve superior operating results by continuously fostering collaborative behavior to optimize productivity and efficiency. Best Practices, LLC gathered valuable best practices and operating tactics that will help executives build and manage strong teams that can excel across functions, units and regions. |
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 | Integrated Quality Systems are critical to an organization’s health and profitable growth and to ensure the value, safety, efficiency and effectiveness of its products and services. For the many companies that operate with some form of regulatory oversight the hurdles for success may seem even higher. Regulated marketplaces require organizations to comply with often rigorous, technical or bureaucratic standards. To compete successfully in regulated industries, companies must learn to integrate their quality systems into their business operations. |
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 | Internal communication can make or break the productivity of a direct sales force. If properly used, email and voicemail can quickly disseminate educational, tactical and motivational information. However, when district managers and sales reps find their email and voicemail boxes filled with poorly prioritized or even unnecessary communication, personal productivity and work-life balance suffer. More than any other industry, sales reps and managers in the pharma industry often experience the highest levels of internal communication. Reps not only work in highly matrixed environments with internal and external copromote partners, they also have to stay abreast of regulatory changes and scientific developments for drugs in and out of the market. Although much of this communication is necessary, reps and managers also experience a significant level of “noise” as colleagues in the field or at corporate send communications that are poorly targeted, redundant or inappropriately timed. Best Practices, LLC launched this research study exclusively for the pharmaceutical industry to help companies build more effective communication practices in the sales force. |
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 | 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 strategy that ethically presents all study findings while still driving brand strength.This research was launched to determine how leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are shaping their global publications strategies and plans in order to maintain scientific credibility while also delivering commercially relevant publications that drive brand success. Benchmark participants from 14 leading pharmaceutical companies provided their insights and metrics to identify industry trends and performance standards. |
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 | This case study reviews the strategy and tactics utilized by GlaxoSmithKline for the Parkinson's indicated product, Requip/Adartrel, to manage the life and commercial success of the brand through re-branding for treatment of Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). Executives and managers can use this research to gain insights into methods for reinvigorating sales of a mature product. |
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 | This case study reviews the strategy and tactics utilized by Eli Lilly for the depression indicated product, Cymbalta, to successfully penetrate a crowded market with a product having a new mechanism of action (MOA). Pharmaceutical executives can use this study to gather insights into various tactics for successfully launching a product with a new MOA into a challenging market. |
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 | The District Sales Manager is the acknowledged cornerstone of pharmaceutical sales force effectiveness and high performance. Although the traditional DM role is well understood, the position is being re-evaluated today in light of industry pressures that are causing dramatic sales force change. Many believe that the DM job will become more strategic and less tactical in the near future. Sales leaders are trying to determine what new activities DMs can be expected to take on and what skills and training they will need to succeed during and after the transition occurs. This research identifies the most important current and future roles of the DM in driving superior productivity and continued growth for their companies. The study also identifies key trends impacting the DM function, examines the extent of change in current sales force models, investigates DM readiness for change and provides best practices companies are using to help DMs retain their effectiveness in the new marketplace. Best Practices, LLC used both field surveys and interviews to complete this study. In all, 46 sales leaders at 23 different companies across the globe contributed data. In-depth interviews were conducted with field leaders from six of the participating companies. |
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 | Market competition is mounting to win the time, attention and interest of the most qualified clinical investigators. Field research shows that the most sought-after clinical investigation sites turn down 60-70% of the clinical trial invitations that they receive at their labs and clinics. Consequently, leading pharmaceutical companies are seeking better ways to manage the art and science of investigator recruitment. Best Practices, LLC's new toolkit integrates best practices in winning clinical investigators in a competitive marketplace into an easy-to-follow format. This toolkit is designed to aid managers in their efforts to identify, select and recruit top investigators in their therapeutic areas. The toolkit draws from interviews and surveys and executives at 15 pharmaceutical companies and 7 Contract Research Organizations/Site Management Organizations. It also includes insights gathered from interviews and surveys with a cross section of 20 investigators and investigative site staff members. |
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 | Pharmaceutical and biotech companies are increasingly under pressure to deliver effective new products in shorter time frames while minimizing development costs. The structure, activities, and resources of New Product Planning (NPP) groups are critical to focusing new product development and optimizing product portfolios.This research identifies the structure and roles of NPP groups as well as the full set of activities that NPP groups perform across the development cycle. The study details the strengths and weaknesses of various NPP organizational structures and how the operational characteristics of the NPP function evolves as a company matures. In addition, the research examines dozens of NPP development activities in terms of timing during the development process, intended outcomes and value for the organization.Best Practices, LLC used both field surveys and interviews to complete this study. In all, 27 New Product Planning leaders at 25 different companies across the globe contributed data. In-depth interviews were conducted with leaders from 13 of the participating companies. |
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 | This case study reviews the strategy and tactics utilized by Genentech for the Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) indicated product, Rituxan, to communicate with KOLs regarding a new mechanism of action treatment for moderate-to-sever RA. Executives and managers can use this study to gain insights into the creation of messages that communicate how a product with a new MOA changes a dominant treatment paradigm. |
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 | This case study reviews the strategy and tactics utilized by Amylin and Eli Lilly for the type II diabetes product Byetta/exenatide to educate the market on a new mechanism of action that directly treated the core defect behind type II diabetes. Executives and managers can use this research to gain insights into methods for using medical education to set the stage fora successful launch of products with new mechanisms of action. |
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 | This study provides numerous operational benchmarks around CMC facilities in terms of number/geographic locations, types of CMC activity performed, and FTEs by function and advanced degrees. This study is intended to provide executives with data to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of their CMC operations and provide insights to improve drug development programs. |
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 | This research identifies what Public Relations activities are most effective at educating and informing consumers at different points in a product’s lifecycle. The study also delivers insights into what Public Relations channels, tactics and calls-to-action are most effective for reaching consumers of pharmaceutical products. Three case studies of successful products are included in the study to highlight Public Relations tactics at different lifecycle stages. |
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 | The objective of this benchmarking study was to better understand fixed-dose combination (containing two or more active pharmaceutical ingredients) product development strategies and timelines. Executives who are responsible for fixed-dose combination (FDC) drug development can use this data to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of their FDC drug product development programs |
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 | This case study reviews the public relations strategy and tactics utilized by AstraZeneca for Nexium, its product for acid reflux disease. |
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 | This case study reviews the public relations strategy and tactics utilized by Pfizer Animal Health for the launch of its canine obesity product, Slentrol. Executives and managers can use this research to gain insights into effective communication tactics to boost awareness and sales of a new product. |
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 | This benchmark study seeks to identify the full range of launch performance measures used to evaluate launch success and to develop benchmarks with which to inform and shape biopharma launch evaluations. |
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 | This benchmarking study provides a comprehensive look at how pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies optimize their CI operations while working with defined guidelines and corporate policies. Managers and executives in CI and CI-related groups can use this report to compare critical elements of their operations with those of leading firms. |
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 | This benchmark research study assessed Marketing Staffing and Activity versus growth and margin rates across three segments - Branded Bio-Pharma Rx Products, Medical Devices, and Generic Products. The benchmarks developed by this assessment are prepared to aid marketing organizations with direction for strategic and tactical marketing activities to support their product portfolios in optimizeing growth and profitability rates. |
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 | This benchmark research study examines and shares the best practices that internal consulting groups can use to effectively measure performance and communicate the value of their function. This research was undertaken to identify practices internal consulting groups can use effectively to measure their performance and to communicate their value to senior leadership. |
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 | This report identifies how pharmaceutical and biotech companies structure and manage their cross-functional brand teams to facilitate brand performance. The study examines how brand teams manage their stakeholder relationships and decision rights. |
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 | This report delivers benchmarks and insights that identify approaches for understanding and effectively interacting with the FDA. |
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 | This report identifies the most current and effective PR tools and calls-to-action, and explores how top companies align these tactics with each stage of a product's lifecycle. This research yields extensive benchmarking data on the best practices for achieving Public Relations excellence throughout the entire life of a product. |
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 | This research uncovers the optimal size, mix and service frequencies of elite medical specialist groups in an effort to build strong, productive relationships. |
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 | This research examines how leading pharmaceutical companies approach KOL management. It identifies the organizational structures, management strategies and tactics, and critical success factors associated with KOL management excellence. Pharma executives can use this benchmarking research to learn best practices in KOL management and discover how they can maximize KOL relationships to benefit their own products and therapies. |
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