A panel discussion on the future of digital health in pharma at the MedCity CONVERGE conference in Philadelphia this week highlighted how Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Roche are using telemedicine, mobile health and connected devices as part of their drug development strategy. They also called attention to the impact of compliance on implementing these technologies.
Dennis Hancock, vice president of global connected solutions with Pfizer, noted that it built 140 clinician and patient-facing apps last year. He said the big pharma’s digital strategy revolves around three things. He emphasized that any digital health tools it enlists needs to be useful and fill an important gap. It also needs to be something that is easily used and engages with patients and it needs to be connected.
Michael Doherty, head of strategic innovation for pharma development at Roche, said it’s interested in several aspects of digital health, such as using telemedicine to decentralize clinical trials and using apps to effect the outcomes of trials and reduce safety events.
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