Q. What is global oncology market research?
A. Global oncology market research focuses on international healthcare markets, which may include respondents from just a single country outside of your own geographic area or respondents from many countries around the world.
Q. How is global oncology market research different from other market research?
A. The distinctions of each country including language, customs, culture, physician specialty distinctions, varied practice settings, health attitudes, treatment options, payor models, and other differences that define the local market add complexity to the mix. Each of these factors need to be considered for any global oncology research project.
Examples of specific types of cancers which may be under study include: head & neck, breast, colorectal (CRC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), leukemia (ALL, AML), pancreatic and prostate.
While medical research in general uses a lexicon of medical jargon the area of oncology takes this to a new level, as oncologists and treatments for oncology use complex and somewhat challenging terms and acronyms for the unfamiliar.
This is particularly true globally, when translations need to be clear for respondents.
Translations of all materials via a local language expert who is adept at oncology terminology is a required first step, to ensure clarity of the subject matter and questions for discussion.
When the research is qualitative in nature it is critical to have a local moderator with a deep understanding of oncology and experience interviewing oncology healthcare professionals, so they can converse with respondents about the scientific aspects of the study with competence.
Coordination is the critical component of any global oncology research, as there are many moving parts which need constant attention throughout a study. The opportunity for error is perpetual so oversight and attention to detail is crucial.
Analysis of data for global oncology research can require compilation of results from each country, region or a global perspective. It is vital to be able to dig down into the findings for various trends and to explain differences discovered at any level.
With the broad array of oncology treatments in development global oncology market research is a popular subject for market researchers.
Q. What types of projects are conducted for global oncology market research?
A. Typical types of projects for global oncology research may include:
Patient assessment, staging and treatment planning
Clinical trial recruiting/reviews
Treatment decision making
Buying process/patient flow
Claims and drivers testing
ATUs
Product positioning
Message, concept and ad testing