Sanofi India Chief, Ex-GSK Exec On Pharma’s Digitization Journey, Tech Confluence
Executive Summary
Sanofi India managing director N Rajaram and ex-GSK executive Salil Kallianpur discuss with Scrip a range of aspects around pharma’s digitization efforts including getting the "outside" talent mix right, avoiding digital "intrusion" in physician engagement and the impact of the surge in teleconsultation.
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated pharma’s digital transformation by up to six years by some estimates. Leading industry executives in India, in a conversation with Scrip, outlined the dynamics around taking digitization beyond the traditional sales organization.
Getting the digital building blocks right is pivotal and may also mean that organizations need to adjust their structures and processes to be able to include people of "very different origins" in terms of talent, said Sanofi India Ltd. managing director N Rajaram.
Organizations are moving away from a “command and control, one-leader organization chart” to more agile structures amid digitization. New talent, including from the technology world, will flourish when senior leadership in pharma are able to provide the right cultural environment, though a “minimum critical mass” of outside talent is also very important, he underscored.
The sharp uptick in teleconsultation and shifts in pharma’s commercial model as firms both big and small pursue digital launches and efforts around personalization/customizing engagement with healthcare professionals (HCPs) were some of the other aspects discussed in our podcast.
Salil Kallianpur, a former executive vice-president at GlaxoSmithKline plc in India, noted how pharma- driven teleconsultation platforms are generally viewed with a degree of “trepidation” by some physicians, though paradoxically HCPs also expect industry to help manage patient engagement.
Kallianpur, who now runs a digital health consultancy, also emphasized that well-designed digital outreach can be extremely impactful, with HCPs being very receptive to such engagement.
Podcast Time Stamps
00:08 Introduction
02:28 Marketing as a function is being redefined
04:59 Pharma is using digital for improved patient care
07:43 Firms need to adjust structure/processes to include people of different origin in terms of talent
08:36 Sanofi University
11:13 How tech and pharma can see eye-to-eye
13:20 Digitization and cost avoidance
15:34 Teleconsultation is here to stay
17:17 Investments in telehealth globally are soaring
18:22 Consumers and do-it-yourself healthcare model
21:11 Pharma driven platforms viewed with trepidation by HCPs?
25:13 Innovation is beyond just the pill
28:10 Moore’s law
29: 28 Toujeo digital launch in India
31:00 Avoiding digital intrusion
34:20 The next big thing in pharma’s digitization journey
This and all our other podcasts are available on the Informa Pharma Intelligence channel on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, SoundCloud and TuneIn - and also now on Spotify Podcasts - and via smart speakers if one of these platforms has been set up as your default podcast provider.
Related Stories:
Bayer Execs On Digital Acceleration, Getting The Building Blocks Right
Commercial Models Shifting As Pharma Mulls Digital-First Launches
Boehringer India Chief On Putting Pedal To Metal For Digital Engagements
Sleeping With The Enemy? Open Mind Needed For Tech Giant Partnerships
China’s Internet Hospitals And New Commercial Models For Pharma
Content Personalization Scores As Pharma Ups Digital Ante