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There are big rewards when sales and marketing are effectively integrated — not least of which are improved operating performance and outs

According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product

tanding financial results. These five tips will help.

Tip #1: Beware of the quick fix... Most organizations have been using band-aid appr

; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.

Examples of combination products may in

aches such as integrating data sharing or changing incentive compensation systems without looking at the whole picture. Stop the knee jerk

lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.

reaction to solve it NOW. Take a breath and create a long-range plan to address a complex set of barriers.

Tip #2: Promote people who are

here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe

cooperative team members... Some might say that sales and marketing "personalities" are two very different animals. They think differently

d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.

Combination pro

and act differently and approach the same customers with very different points of view. Added to that is the unspoken habit they each have

ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc

of "looking down" on one another.

When integrating these divergent cultures, have marketing and sales both report to the same department

easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi

ead. The simple proximity of people, with joint department meetings and problem solving teams, helps to break down barriers that no new te

nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically

hnological fix could achieve. And then promote those who are cooperative team members.

Tip #3: Offer opportunities for joint message deve

and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ

opment and training... To avoid the chaos, internal conflict, costly duplication and appalling service that can result from a proliferatio

ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi

of touch-points with the customer and prospects, joint message development and communication training is needed.

Tip #4: Reward behavior

ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

Following aspects would a

that builds trust... To help change attitudes and actions, incentives must be given to the desired actions that enhance integration.

Mark

dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod

ting receives incentives to interview prospects and customers every week to better craft and target marketing messages. Marketing incentiv

cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin

program must include rewards for regularly going on sales calls to keep up-to-date on what tools are needed for demonstrating, proposing

tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen

nd closing sales. The sales team receives incentives to report back on the results of the sales leads from marketing so they can eliminate

t?

As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel

the efforts that don’t work and concentrate efforts where they will produce more high-quality leads.

Tip #5: See the end game and take on

ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust

step at a time... While all the changes needed to bring about real integration between sales and marketing may take a long time, it is be

y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products

t to address the need to change using the principles of continuous improvement. You know if you do nothing, there is little hope for impro

.

As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de

ement. By taking small steps to address the big picture of needed changes, you can be assured of making great strides. Sales and marketing

elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

Companies that provide selfless information through particip

integration needs an evolution not a revolution. Take a long-term view. One step at a time will get you there.

Copyright 2005 Diane Hughe

tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products

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