Patients are increasingly involved in their own health, and this is one of the major challenges that the pharmaceutical industry faces. To meet their needs, at Servier, we work with patients at each stage of the life cycle of a medicine in all our therapeutic areas, placing them at the heart of our strategy. Patients and the associations that represent them are at the heart of the treatment journey and involved from the earliest stages of research and development.
The development of digital technology, more specifically the availability of information on health and online forums, has given patients easy access to a vast amount of data as well as a place where they can talk about their diseases. As they have become better informed, patients in turn have higher expectations and are more involved in their health care.
Figures*
In 2022 in the European Union, one out of every two citizens (52%) between the ages of 16 and 74 used the Internet to search for health-related information. Finland ranked first (81%), followed by the Netherlands (78%), Cyprus (73%), and Denmark (71%) .
Since 2010, the number of people seeking health information online in the European Union has increased by 18%.
*Eurostat’s annual survey on ICT use in households and by individuals (2022).
Co-constructing with patient associations
Servier encourages this paradigm shift in how it endeavors to meet the needs of patients and their families. For several years now, we have been doing everything we can to ensure that they are fully integrated into the care process.
We are therefore multiplying our initiatives in partnership with patient associations to address very concrete issues, at all steps along the way from the diagnosis phase through to proper use of treatments. Indeed, we believe that knowledge of diseases and treatments is essential to advancing research and innovation, improving therapeutic solutions, and patient care.
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Patients In initiatives have been carried out at Servier in 2022/2023!
In particular, we have launched an internal platform called “Patient In’itiatives World”. This website aims to collect all the initiatives carried out with and for patients, in all the countries where we are present. As of early 2023, the website has identified 254 initiatives within the Group. Two particularly significant points: the number of projects carried out with patient associations has risen sharply (115 projects +37% compared with last year) and almost half the projects concern therapeutic adherence.
As such, we contribute to the “Behavioral and Adherence Model for improving quality, health outcomes and cost-Effectiveness of healthcaRe (BEAMER)” project, which is designed to improve the low level of adherence to treatments among patients. BEAMER was launched by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) and brings together 28 European partners from academia, civil society and industry.
In the same spirit, Servier also conducts real-world evidence with the help of patients. Patients are now involved throughout the project, from conception to publication. These data provide essential analyses of medical practices and patients’ experiences.
In 2022, “Data Saves Lives”, a multipartite initiative launched by the European Patients’ Forum and the European Institute for Innovation through Health Data, published on its website the findings of a real-world study carried out by Servier using the health data of people being treated for hypertension in Italy. This study was deemed to be a good example to illustrate the potential of real-world data to provide pertinent information about unmet patient needs in terms of therapeutic adherence and the potential interest of single pill combinations.
In order to establish a lasting dialogue, patients have been invited to get involved in the Servier R&D Institute in Paris-Saclay, France. The “Servier Saclay Research & Development Patient Board”, which is composed of 18 people living with different illnesses, has been working for over a year with our teams to better integrate the patient view in the research and development process for new medicine.
“In order to establish a lasting dialogue, patients have been invited to get involved in the Servier R&D Institute in Paris-Saclay, France. The “Servier Saclay Research & Development Patient Board”, which is composed of 18 people living with different illnesses, has been working for over a year with our teams to better integrate the patient view in the research and development process for new medicine.”
A welcome commitment
As proof of this commitment, Servier ranks higher each year in the survey carried out by patient associations around the world that gauges the reputations of pharmaceutical companies. Conducted by PatientView, this survey is based on criteria such as information provided to patients, ease of working together and commitment to research and development.
In the latest edition of survey in 2022, the Group posted the second-best growth in the rankings: it moved up twelve places to rank 14th out of 45 in the evaluation by the associations with which it works, and 20th (+8 places) among those who are familiar with the company.
Servier has also moved from seventh to second place in the PatientView 2022 survey assessing the corporate reputation of pharmaceutical companies working with oncology patient organizations. We improved our ranking with an uplift of 5 places compared to last year.
These are all encouraging signs, which reinforce Servier’s desire to work ever more closely with and for patients.
In 2021/2022, Servier collaborated with 29 international patient organizations in 4 therapeutic areas: oncology, cardiology, neuroscience and immuno-inflammatory diseases.