Situation
Physicians in Brazil did not clearly understand at what stage to use Remicade in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and there was confusion around the other indications for Remicade, as well as little understanding about how biologics worked and their efficacy. Another challenge was that Remicade did not have long -term safety data.
Education was needed to inform physicians about the different stages of the disease, and at what stage in disease progression Remicade could be used. It was also necessary to establish the safety profile of the product and the class.
Initiatives
- Developed an education and awareness campaign, working with key opinion leaders (KOLs) to:
- disseminate information, especially about safety and efficacy
- increase the number of patients diagnosed
- establish patient profiles for each indication
- Developed a creative concept adapted from global positioning differentiating various indications
- Developed an educational strategy to target specialist and patients
- Developed traditional communication plan (e.g. TV, radio, print) to create awareness about diagnosis and treatment
Outcomes
- Improved diagnosis
- Established mechanism of action awareness
- Physicians recognized the differences for each indication, and understood safety and efficacy profile
- Strong engagement with physicians, KOL, and development of advocates
- After launching the campaign, sales goals were achieved