Pharma Veterans

Supporting Serendipity in the World of Algorithms – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1114 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1114 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com  for publishing your contributions here. Credit: Gustavo Fring Credit: Ron Lach Preamble 2wIn today's digital ecosystem, algorithms dictate much of what we see, hear, and buy. From the videos recommended on YouTube to the products shown on Amazon, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven recommendation systems work tirelessly behind the scenes to personalize our experiences. These algorithms are designed to optimize relevance and engagement by curating content based on our past behaviors. But while this convenience is often welcomed, it raises an important concern: are we trading serendipity and self-discovery for efficiency and predictability? Klaus Wertenbroch's INSEAD article...

Pharma Marketing Over Decades– Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1079 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1079 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com  for publishing your contributions here. Credit: Leeloo The First Credit: Mikael Blomkvist Credit: Timur Saglambilek Preamble Pharmaceutical marketing worldwide has undergone a radical transformation over the past two decades, driven by technological advancements, regulatory changes, shifting patient expectations, and evolving healthcare dynamics. From traditional sales-driven models to digital, data-driven, and patient-centric approaches, the industry has adapted to a rapidly changing landscape. In Pakistan, last three decades have also seen major changes, however, these are not related to technology mostly. I would keep my focus on marketing part, not other areas of pharmaceutical industry. Shift...

Managing Drugs Shortage – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1028 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1028 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to aq.pharmaveterans@gmail.com for publishing our contributions here. Credit: fauxels Credit: Thirdman Credit: Tiger Lily Preamble Drugs shortages occur due to multiple reasons, some of which we shall see in some detail. And these are not always due to disruptions in supply chain. It is also a worldwide phenomenon.  I was reading an article in INSEAD Knowledge and quote a short excerpt here. [quote] An increasing problem in Europe and other parts of the world, drug shortages not only pose significant challenges for healthcare professionals, but they also put public health at risk by making timely, optimal treatment impossible. In worst-case scenarios, patient care is disrupted. In England, pharmacists have warned that drug shortages a...

Why do Senior Managers Keep Repeating the Same Mistakes? Part I – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #944 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #944 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to aq.pharmaveterans@gmail.com for publishing your contributions here. Credit: Andrea Piacquadio Credit: Belle Co Credit: Markus Spiske KK started his career in pharmaceutical industry fourteen years ago as Assistant Product Manager. He had an MBA degree from a well-reputed institution which was known to prepare their students well for job market. His beginnings were therefore better than others. He was received well, he was given somewhat better treatment, and he got more freedom to work.  Over the years, KK grew steadily, although he was not mentored much. This is one common issue with boys and girls coming from elitist institutions. Their senior managers treat them with somewhat more deference ...

Pharmaceutical Marketing in Pakistan is Not True Marketing – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #933 Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #933 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com . Please email to aq.pharmaveterans@gmail.com for publishing your contributions here. Credit: Hamza Nouasria on Unsplash Credit: Jason Goodman on Unsplash Credit: Smartworks Coworking It is a controversy generating statement, because the large corps of pharmaceutical marketers will contest it vehemently.  Let me take you to the historic journey of pharmaceutical industry evolution, and then make my point. When I started working in pharmaceutical industry almost 50 years ago, there was no marketing department in any pharma company. The MNCs received promotional materials from parent offices and got these reprinted here if more quantity was required. Local pharma companies got folders designed through printers. There...

New Products Market Entry – Points to Consider – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #883 Dear Colleagues!  This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #883 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans  aims to share knowledge and wisdom from Veterans for the benefit of Community at large. Pharma Veterans Blog is published by Asrar Qureshi on  WordPress, the top blog site. Please email to asrar@asrarqureshi.com for publishing your contributions here. Credit: Alena Darmel Credit: Leeloo Thefirst Credit: Mikael Blomkvist Pharmaceutical Industry is a happening place; the number of new products being launched every year is quite significant. For example, about 500 new products were launched during last year, most of these were generic products which added to the list of similar products. The companies are still launching Ceftriaxone, Meropenem, Piperacillin Tazobactam and even some old products. Not all launches are successful. A major company launched a brand of ondansetron with great fanfare but could...

AI and Chat GPT Based Digital Marketing in Pharma Business – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #810 Dear Colleagues!  This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #810 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans welcome sharing of knowledge and wisdom by Veterans for the benefit of Community at large. Pharma Veterans Blog is published by Asrar Qureshi on  WordPress, the top blog site. Please email to asrar@asrarqureshi.com for publishing your contributions here. Photo Credit: Ivan Samkov Photo Credit: Jep Gambardella Photo Credit: Vlada Karpovich A former colleague asked me to elaborate how AI and ChatGPT can support digital marketing. Here are some ideas to make it happen with particular reference to Pharma business. Digital marketing refers to the practice of promoting products, services, or brands using digital channels and technologies. It encompasses various strategies and tactics aimed at reaching and engaging a target audience through online platforms such as search engines, social media, email,...

Social Media and Business – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #809 Dear Colleagues!  This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #809 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans welcome sharing of knowledge and wisdom by Veterans for the benefit of Community at large. Pharma Veterans Blog is published by Asrar Qureshi on  WordPress, the top blog site. Please email to asrar@asrarqureshi.com for publishing your contributions here. Photo Credit: cottonbro studio Photo Credit: Eva Bronzini Photo Credit: George Milton Portions of this post are based on McKinsey survey report. (link at the end) Online shopping gained immense popularity during COVID19 pandemic and continue to rise unabated.  - 21% of global retail sales are online as of 2022.  It will increase to 22.3% in 2023.  - It is estimated that global e-commerce sales reached 5.7 trillion US$ in 2022. - At least 2.14 billion people shopped online in 2020 and this number is rising. - At least 75% of consumers shop online at least...

Sales Force Effectiveness – Part 2 – Benefits & Fundamentals – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #779 Dear Colleagues!  This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #779 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans welcome sharing of knowledge and wisdom by Veterans for the benefit of Community at large. Pharma Veterans Blog is published by Asrar Qureshi on  WordPress, the top blog site. Please email to asrar@asrarqureshi.com for publishing your contributions here. Photo by: RODNAE Productions Photo by: Tima Miroshnichenko Photo by: Tran Nhu Tuan Continued from Previous…… Benefits of SFE Sales force effectiveness programs can bring numerous benefits to a company, including but not limited to: On-target strategy and execution: The data generated through SFE program can be used to design strategies which are targeted at specific needs. The marketing and sales should sit together to jointly design programs which are aimed at achieving effectiveness which is practical and possible. The usual gap between...