American Pharmaceutical Review
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Recently, the pharmaceutical industry has been abuzz with the implications and promises of leveraging big data for better products and better patient care.
Pharma companies have been collecting data for a long time, but now it seems like all the pieces are in place to finally leverage that data for better outcomes.
The analysis of data is expected to bring big benefits to many functional areas within pharmaceutical companies that need to be more efficient and accurate and is expected to provide better products to more patients.
Beyond the use and analysis of data to better discover, test, manufacture, and distribute drugs; the use of post-market data from consumers is also expected to revolutionize healthcare.
The use of electronic devices for post-marketing information gathering will provide meaningful feedback to companies to improve their products. In addition, as electronic devices learn our habits, we will see proactive health reminders to keep us well. For example, if pollen is high, your device might remind you take your allergy meds.
As these advanced IT initiatives are gaining momentum and promise a true revolution in drug manufacturing and healthcare, I think it’s also important to look at the need for including essential information in our healthcare system. And for a very granular example of this, I point to a recent experience I had with an OTC product.
This was a generic, OTC product for congestion. This product, manufactured as a pill, and packaged in a blister pack, is probably made by the millions, and boxed in any number of generic/store brand packages.
Upon opening the box, I looked for dosage information. There was no insert, no paper instructions. Looking at the outside of the box – plenty of facts and warnings – but no dosage information. It’s probably printed on the inside of the box I thought – nope – nothing.
Was the dosage information missing on purpose? Am I supposed to know how many pills to take? Not even a website listed to go to find out.
So, in a world where big data is the next big thing, it’s still best to make sure essential information is included.