Medical communications -
an essential part of pre-marketing

It takes an average of 12 years and 50 million pounds, to bring a drug or medical device to the market. That leaves eight years of patent protection before the vultures start circling. Only eight years to recoup development and marketing costs and make a profit.

Yet many products are brought to the market without published data or the support of opinion leaders and patient advocates. The years immediately after launch are sacrificed to awareness building instead of making sales.

It doesn't have to be like this. Before launch direct promotion is prohibited but relationship building, data management and publishing and scientific presentations are legitimate and essential activities. By the time of launch, your product should be supported by publications in the right journals, presentations at the most influential scientific meetings and clinicians who are eager to use the product as soon as it is available.

This takes years. Don't waste them.