Identifying key opinion leaders using an integrated research approach

An oncology-focused pharmaceutical company wanted to identify key opinion leaders(KOLs) in the area of multiple myeloma and its treatment, in order to build a panel of national experts across select ASEAN countries. However, with no internal research support, it sought to collaborate with Netscribes to undertake extensive data and information research to help benchmark the top key opinion leaders based on a set of competitive parameters.

Objective

A mid-sized pharmaceutical company focused on oncology, was in search of key specialists in the area of multiple myeloma. With the aim to round up a panel of national experts in this realm, the company needed to source information on hematologists with national reputation and the most impactful speakers on the subject in their respective geographies.
It sought Netscribes’ research expertise to identify potential panel members, based on their foresight into existing treatments and future drugs for the medical condition. Their target countries spanned Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore.

Approach and Solution

The Netscribes team conducted extensive desk-based research to identify key specialists in the area of multiple myeloma, including hematologists. An online nomination survey was designed to gather information on the doctors, who were national-level experts in the area of treatment of multiple myeloma. The interviews were conducted through a mix of online methodologies and CATI. A total of 500 surveys lasting 10 minutes each, were conducted.
The information gathered was first analyzed, re-validated, and sanitized at multiple levels. The sanitized data was collated for further analysis. The results helped identify key opinion leaders (KOLs) from the nominations from each select country. A tentative list based on the following criteria was prepared:

• Highest number of nominations under various categories, such as current experts with national reputation, impactful speakers, and average patient load in the area of treatment of multiple myeloma
• Years of experience
• Active participation in conferences and seminars

Results Delivered

Based on our analysis, we shared an extensive report with the client with the following highlights:

• Detailed profiles of the top 10 KOLs
• Final recommendations on the KOL benchmarking report (n= 9, one for each country), addressing the client’s key business requirements