Survey Shows Patients Are Unaware of Resources Offered by Manufacturers of Medications

A recent patient survey conducted by Human Care Services uncovered a genuine significant desire from patients for help from drug manufacturers in managing their conditions and drug regimens.¹

More than 1000 patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, and hypertension, were surveyed. Eighty-six percent of the respondents take more than 1 medication to manage their chronic condition, with 44% taking 4 or more medications. Although 80% expressed confidence in managing their condition, nearly all respondents reported barriers in adhering to their medication regimen as directed.²

The top barriers for patients adhering to their medications included cost (41%) and adverse effects (17%). In addition, 8.5% of patients cited their ability to pick up their prescription or receive packages as the top barrier to adherence, whereas 8.3% of patients cited difficulty administering their medication.²

For the patients who admitted to not taking their medication as prescribed, 47% said they skip doses, 20% take their medication at a different time than recommended, and 13% reduce their dose. Only 7% take more medication than prescribed, 7% do not follow food requirements, and 6% take self-directed breaks from treatment.²

As a pharmacist, your insight has a direct effect on patient outcomes. Help drive medicine forward with your opinions. Participate in a quick survey of OTC products for a chance to win a $1,000 Visa gift card. Vote now by clicking here: https://hraresearchnetwork.com/wix/p6499706.aspx?hPTsource=5

Despite the growing distrust of pharma manufacturers stemming from the opioid epidemic and high drug prices, 63% of people with complex conditions said that they would opt into support services offered by pharma manufacturers, according to the company.¹

The most beneficial resources for patients who want to overcome these challenges included financial and co-pay support (50%), and frequent medication reminders (15%). Eleven percent of patients are also yearning for a companion to talk about their medication regimen and their emotional concerns in managing their disease and treatment.²

Furthermore, patients with serious chronic conditions felt even stronger toward support services, such as patients with cancer (73%) or lupus (83%).¹

Despite this demand in services, only 1 in 5 patients surveyed were aware of the resource offerings by drug manufacturers, with just 2.5% actually turning to pharma companies for support.¹

The results show that there is a significant desire for more support from pharma manufacturers when it comes to help accessing their drugs and adhering to them. In addition, the survey shows that there is an opportunity for pharma marketing and patient services teams to provide patients with medication-specific knowledge, as well as administration education and support.^1,2

REFERENCES

• Survey: Patients Want Pharma’s Help, Despite Distrust. February 6, 2020 [email]. Accessed February 25, 2020.
• Human Care Systems: 2020 Pharmaceutical Patient Experience Survey. February 21, 2020 [email]. Accessed February 25, 2020.