73% of Pharmaceutical Companies Begin Medical Publications Activities by Phase II, According to Cutting Edge Information

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC--(Marketwire - July 16, 2008) - Planning ahead is crucial in any business function, especially marketing-related functions. According to a new study released by Cutting Edge Information (http://www.PharmaPublicationStrategy.com), 73% of pharmaceutical companies have brand publication plans in place by the end of Phase II development. Those that wait until Phase III or even launch cause their brands to begin their life on the market with a severe handicap.

Beginning medical publications planning early allows pharmaceutical companies to adjust their publication strategies when trial results point the drug in a new direction or the overall market shifts. Proactive companies begin their planning while the brand is still in pre-Clinical development. That way, by the time the public hears of the compound, the company is already molding its marketing message. As it stands, there are too few companies utilizing this strategy. Most companies wait until Phase II when the brand is already known in the industry.

The least forward-looking companies wait until Phase III or even launch to craft their publications, losing up to a decade of planning and marketing time. By this point, the company has lost its opportunity to shape the market's thinking about the brand. According to Elio Evangelista, research team leader at Cutting Edge Information, "Companies that wait until Phase III or Launch to start their publications efforts inevitably set their medical publications strategies up for failure. Companies that see the risk in arriving at negative trial results are acting shortsightedly. The sooner they publish positive results, the more success their brands will see."

A brand that already has literature disseminated has a much easier time weathering negative results because the market already wants the brand to succeed and is therefore more willing to give it a second chance.

"Pharmaceutical Medical Publications: Market Preparation & Strategic Support" (http://www.PharmaPublicationStrategy.com), was designed to explore pharmaceutical companies' medical publications structures, strategies and processes. Through this report, readers will be exposed to some of the industry's best medical publication practices and will be better positioned to streamline their own strategies and processes by benchmarking their efforts against those of top-leading companies.

Download a free summary of "Pharmaceutical Medical Publications: Market Preparation & Strategic Support" at http://www.cuttingedgeinfo.com/pharmapublicationstrategy/PH104_Download.asp.

Contact Information: CONTACT: Elio Evangelista (919) 433-0214