Medication switching by pharmacies can be one of the biggest challenges faced by loss of exclusivity (LOE) brands following patient expiration and the entrance of new generics in the marketplace.
In a National Consumers League survey, about two-thirds of consumers who reported having meds switched say they were not consulted. For pharma brands experiencing generic competition, getting both the doctor and patient to agree on your brand may not be enough to guarantee to fill and dispensing of the brand.
Current Pharma LOE Strategies
Most pharma brands are using one or more of the below strategies following patient expiry of a drug:
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Create an over-the-counter formulation
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Launch a generic
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Preserve patient loyalty and brand equity through a copay card thereby reducing the price burden on patients
But we’d like to recommend a fourth, hidden pharma LOE strategy that brand teams can and should implement.
A Fourth Hidden Strategy – Combining copay card and dispense-as-written (DAW) awareness information directly in the EHR, so it is available to HCPs at the point of care.
This DAW-1 indication in the script legally prohibits the pharmacy from switching medication from brand to generic.
A study by the University of Wisconsin, published by AMA, showed that during a typical 11.4-hour workday, primary care physicians spent an average of 5.9 hours interacting in the EHR. That’s over 50% of their working hours! The EHR presents an excellent opportunity to reach a prescriber.
That’s why OptimizeRx’s Dynamic Audience Activation Platform (DAAP) offers an Access and Adherence module. Marketers can reach the HCPs with financial savings messages, clinically triggered messages, and brand support messages that help physicians remember to take action(s) that deliver better patient care – like adding the DAW-1 indication while prescribing.
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Here are the results captured from OptimizeRx on their LOE strategy using a physician education campaign within the EHR to promote the DAW option for their brand.
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Though sales of total scripts (TRx) decreased, the number of scripts with DAW specifications increased. This can lead to almost automatic prescription fills. When paired with co-pay savings options leads to a significant decrease in script abandonment and increased health outcomes.
In Summary
Pharma LOE brands still require robust effort, planning and execution. We encourage pharma brands to add both copan and DAW messages for HCPs in the EHR on DAW. If not, the pharmacist will have the sole decision to decide whether a patient will be receiving your brand.
Through Access and Adherence, OptimizeRx can help your brand put together a robust savings awareness program and brand messaging targeting HCP in the EHR to help drive your pharma LOE strategy.