Case Study
Narcolepsy and Idiopathic Hypersomnia
Navigating the Landscape of Narcolepsy and Idiopathic Hypersomnia (IH) Treatment in France
Details
- Therapeutic area:
Narcolepsy and Idiopathic Hypersomnia (IH)
- Number of respondents recruited:
15 narcolepsy and hypersomnia patients
- 5 Narcolepsy Type 1 (NT1)
- 5 Narcolepsy Type 2 (NT2)
- 5 Idiopathic Hypersomnia (IH)
- Methodology:
WATDIs (web-assisted telephone interviews)
- Country:
France
- Type of client:
Consulting and brand strategy firm
- End client:
Pharmaceutical
Project Objectives
The project aimed to explore how narcolepsy and IH patients navigate the treatment process, including facilitators and hindrances. It mapped the buying process surrounding treatment decisions, medication trials, and patient perspectives.
The research delved into drivers and barriers to various aspects of the patient’s treatment buying process, involving therapeutic change, patient involvement, and reactions to suggestions for change. Additionally, the study determined stakeholders in the buying process and gathered patient reactions to potential Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) for upcoming clinical trials (e.g., fatigue, cognition, QOL, ADLs, etc.).
Challenges
The client sought to better inform the choice of secondary endpoints for upcoming clinical trials by understanding the treatment experiences and perspectives of narcolepsy and IH patients.
The challenge was reaching these patients, and the recruitment strategy needed to be creative to ensure quotas were met, considering the distribution across Narcolepsy Type 1 (NT1), Narcolepsy Type 2 (NT2), and Idiopathic Hypersomnia (IH).
- Hard-to-reach patients
The patient population was challenging to reach, requiring a creative recruitment strategy. - Quota distribution
Achieving the required distribution across NT1, NT2, and IH patients was crucial.
The Med Planet Solution
Med Planet tackled the challenges through a multi-faceted approach. Creative recruitment strategies were employed to reach the challenging patient population, ensuring the required distribution across NT1, NT2, and IH patients. Med Planet ensured compliance with industry standards and GDPR regulations in recruitment via referrals. Local market knowledge was leveraged to identify targets and optimise the effectiveness of recruitment. Despite the relatively high number of patients required for this condition, Med Planet achieved the recruitment quotas within a short timeframe, ensuring efficiency.
Client Impact
The client’s feedback at the end of the project was highly positive. Despite the challenges associated with the hard-to-reach patient population, Med Planet successfully conducted all aspects of the research on time. The project allowed the client to make informed choices and take relevant directions in identifying the most pertinent secondary endpoints for upcoming clinical trials. The compact and efficient recruitment strategy, combined with the regular feedback provided on a rolling basis, ensured a seamless and impactful research process. Med Planet’s ability to navigate the complexities of patient recruitment and deliver insightful data contributed to the client’s success in making informed decisions for future clinical trials.
