Digital Strategies in the Pharmaceutical Industry

This book is a comprehensive review of the current state of digital innovation, Internet activity and e-business in the life sciences arena and a practical guide for managers planning, developing and implementing e-strategies in the pharmaceutical industry. The authors provide numerous examples of innovative, best practice and lay the strategic foundation for using e-business across the pharmaceutical value chain from drug discovery to physician promotion to direct-to-consumer marketing.

'This volume provides a superb summary of the profound implications of the internet and advances in computing technologies in driving new competitive approaches to R&D and marketing in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, in reshaping healthcare supply chains, and in altering irrevocably the future practice of medicine.' - Dr George Poste, CEO, Health Technology Networks, formerly R&D Head of SmithKline

'Len and Mike provide an almost encyclopedic survey of the major digital trends and technologies affecting the pharmaceutical industry now and in the near future. There is no question but that all areas of the pharmaceutical industry - scientific, clinical, commercial, and manufacturing - will employ more and more highly specialized computing systems and will rely more heavily on computer enabled processes. Thus, the diversity and intensity of computer use will increase each year for the foreseeable future. This digitalization will be expensive in direct cost of implementation and in disruption of normal work. Getting it right - choosing the right technologies and strategies at the right time and driving them with the right intensity - will be a worthy challenge.' - Jean-Pierre Garnier, Chief Executive Officer of GlaxoSmithKline

'The pharma company of the future will be leaner, customer-focused and adaptive. Digital Strategies in the Pharmaceutical Industry describes information technology's critical role in making this happen in a world of networked healthcare.' - Alasdair Mackintosh, Vice President Life Sciences, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young

'Digital Strategies in the Pharmaceutical Industry represents an excellent overview of the successful business model employed by global pharmaceutical companies. But more importantly, the authors are able to demonstrate how e-business and Internet activity can further improve efficiency throughout the value chain and more effectively interact with all of our customers, be they payors, patients, or physicians. I also think readers will enjoy the various real world references and analysis from companies around the world.' - Gerhard Mayr, Executive Vice President, Pharmaceutical Operations, Eli Lilly

'In today's fast changing pharmaceutical environment the effective use of sound and innovative digital strategies can lead to faster product approvals and more effective targeted marketing. In Digital Strategies in the Pharmaceutical Industry, Leonard Lerer and Mike Piper provide outstanding background and advice that could give your company an important competitive advantage. These strategies may be particularly helpful for the smaller and more nimble biotech companies as they begin to compete directly with the multinational pharmaceutical giants.' - John W. Jackson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Celgene

'Digital Strategies in the Pharmaceutical Industry is a unique, comprehensive and thoroughly researched work which should be required reading not only for executives in the pharmaceutical industry, but practically for everyone interested in e-health...Before technology can be applied, its possibilities must be understood by the decision makers in the organization. The book gives an excellent overview of the opportunities in this still emerging field, many of which are still unused.' - Professor Gunther Eysenbach, Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, University of Toronto

LEONARD LERER is currently an adviser to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry focusing on investment and analytics. He is also Executive in Residence at the INSEAD Healthcare Management Initiative and was formerly Senior Research Fellow and Affiliate Professor At Large at INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France. He has advised investors, government, pharmaceutical companies, multinational corporations, the World Bank and World Health Organization, and is the founder of a company providing specialized marketing tools to the pharmaceutical industry. He has authored and co-authored more than 70 publications and is regularly an invited speaker at pharmaceutical industry conferences. Leonard Lerer is a medical doctor with post-graduate qualifications in epidemiology, biostatistics and pathology, and an MBA.

MIKE PIPER is a research analyst focusing on the pharmaceuticals and biotechnology sectors. He was formerly a consultant specializing in the life sciences and has worked on a broad range of strategy, due diligence and fundraising projects for clients in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, health insurance and publishing industries. In 2001 he co-authored a major report on the future of customer focus and customer value in the pharmaceutical industry with Leonard Lerer. He has a PhD from Cambridge University.