As a member of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) consortium, we actively contribute to the “BEhavioral and Adherence Model for improving quality, health outcomes and cost-Effectiveness of healthcaRe (BEAMER)” project. Kick-started in 2021, the project will run for five years. Its purpose is to identify patient behavioural types in order to provide solutions that will improve their adherence to treatments. It is within this framework that we included the BEAMER patient questionnaire in a new prospective study in cardiology. In this article, we review the initial successes behind this ambitious partnership.
Therapeutic adherence1 is a major concern for public health. To date, more than half of all patients do not take medications exactly as prescribed2. This can have lasting consequences on patients’ health and quality of life. What’s more, it significantly impacts health care costs the world over. In an effort to address this critical challenge affecting all pathologies, Servier has committed to the BEAMER project.
By contributing to BEAMER, we will be able to use current data as well as collect new real-world data on a large scale. Throughout the project, we also involve patient organizations to integrate their insights and ideas.
Servier support the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) since its creation in 2008 as a public-private partnership (PPP) between the European Union and the European pharmaceutical industry. At the end of 2021, the IMI became the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI), building on the IMI’s achievements. This Europe-wide PPP maintains its initial focus on advancing health research and innovation but now covers a broader range of sectors with new partners (biotech, medtech, vaccines, medical imaging) and an updated governance structure. Servier participates in the new IHI initiatives while reaffirming its commitment to IMI projects (14 underway at the end of November 2023).
Spotlight on an ambitious prospective real-world study
Our teams launched a prospective international and non-interventional study in cardiology. It aims to assess the real-world effectiveness and impact on quality of life of a medicine for patients recently diagnosed with angina pectoris that is not controlled by a first-line treatment. The BEAMER questionnaire was incorporated into this study and proposed to all patients; Real-world patient data collected as regards to therapeutic adherence will be used to enrich the BEAMER database.
A total of 600 patients from 5 countries will take part in the study. Started last summer, the study already includes over 200 patients, almost all of them agreed to complete the questionnaire. The data gathered for the BEAMER project will be forwarded to the consortium in 2024.
Key figures
28
There are 28 public and private European partners from academia, civil society and industry involved in BEAMER, including 7 pharma groups and 3 patient organizations.
The initiative will last 5 years, with completion expected in 2026.
Patient engagement, a key condition of BEAMER’s success
Patient views and opinions were factored in as the BEAMER questionnaire was co-build. The teams worked closely with five patient organizations to give full consideration to their respective standpoints.
“Supported by Servier teams, the questionnaire was readily adopted across the board, by patients and doctors alike. It was a great team effort to leverage collective intelligence and a real challenge. Placing patients at the heart of the development of this behavioral model reflects Servier’s commitment to therapeutic progress to meet patient needs.”
Valérie Lehner, RWE Global Medical & Patient Affairs at Servier.
Lastly, the BEAMER consortium formed a Patient Advisory Council aiming to reinforce patients’ perspectives in shaping the project. Maria George, founder and chair of the INOCA International patient organization, one of Servier’s close partners is a member of the Council. She was therefore instrumental in developing the BEAMER questionnaire.
“I am of course delighted to join the Patient Advisory Council on Adherence and am very happy to also join the Advisory Group on Patient Perspectives on the BEAMER project!”
Maria George, founder and chair of the INOCA International patient organization
Servier’s focus on improving therapeutic adherence
We believe that therapeutic adherence is a key lever for improving the efficacy of treatments to serve patient needs. As the fifth-leading global pharmaceutical group in cardiology3, adherence represents the cornerstone of our mindset.
Therapeutic adherence: the missing piece to treat chronic diseases: read Arnaud Lallouette’s opinion column, Executive Vice President Global Medical & Patient Affairs at Servier.
Disclaimer: The project has received funding from the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking under grant agreement No 101034369. This joint undertaking receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) and Link2Trials. This communication reflects the views of the authors and neither the IMI nor the European Union, EFPIA, or Link2Trials are liable for any use that may be made of the information contained herein.
[1] The World Health Organization (WHO) defines therapeutic adherence as “the extent to which a person’s behavior – taking medication, following a diet, and/or executing lifestyle changes – corresponds with agreed recommendations from a health care provider.”
[2] Adherence to Long-Term Therapies: Evidence for action. World Health Organization 2003
[3] IQVIA, Analytics Link / World 75 countries – MAT Q3-2023