50th Anniversary

Celebrating 50 years of Service.  1961 - 2011

MESSAGE FROM THE EphMRA PRESIDENT

Dear Members,

Happy New Year from all at EphMRA!

Of course, 2011 is not just any year…2011 marks EphMRA’s half-century: 50 exciting years of growth and evolution!  When EphMRA first came into being, market research was in its infancy. Now it plays a critical role in guiding companies’ tactical and strategic decision-making. As the role of market research has changed, so too has the role of EphMRA. Today we exist to help equip healthcare market researchers to be highly valued partners to their businesses. When I look at the range of initiatives both in place and on the horizon, I have no doubt that EphMRA will spend the next fifty years continuing to do just that.

As we celebrate our anniversary and all that has been achieved, I would like to make two very important toasts; firstly, to all those who have given their time and expertise over the years to make EphMRA what it is today; and secondly to you, our members, for your continued support – without which we would not be able to provide the services we do.

So once again, from all at EphMRA, happy New Year, happy anniversary, and thank you!

Best regards,  Rob Haynes, President of EphMRA

 

 

HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?

In the 1950’s, the pharmaceutical industry grew rapidly – thanks to the introduction of many new and unique products designed for the relief of human and animal suffering. As a result, however, the costs of research escalated exponentially. At the same time, legislation and controls were introduced in many countries at an ever-increasing rate.

For research-based pharmaceutical companies, continued viability and prosperity became increasingly dependent on the successful introduction and acceptance of their products in countries throughout the world.

With the growing need for – and emphasis on – a multinational outlook regarding product research and marketing, there was a common requirement for reliable and comparable information about these different countries.

In order to explore the obstacles to achieving comparable information on a multinational basis, and to design methods of overcoming them, representatives of fourteen research-orientated European-based pharmaceutical companies met in Geneva on May 5th 1961.

The result was the foundation of the European Pharmaceutical Market Research Association (EphMRA).

 

1951-2011: THE KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

Fifty years on, EphMRA now has members worldwide and is responsible for a wide range of initiatives and services that us to help achieve our vision: ‘‘creating excellence in professional standards and practices to enable healthcare market researchers to become highly valued business partners’.

Here just some of the ways in which EphMRA supports members and, by extension, the industry today:

Bringing Clarity & Order

EphMRA’s Anatomical Classification of Products (ACP) enables the industry to view the market in a systematic and uniform manner. Used across the healthcare industry, this system classifies all products in all therapeutic categories worldwide – over 300,000 – and is continually updated to meet market changes. The robustness of the ACP is evidenced by the fact that it forms the architecture of virtually all pharmaceutical audits globally.

 

Setting International Standards

As the international standard-bearer for healthcare market research, EphMRA works to ensure that market research is reliable, robust and ethical. Our latest EphMRA Code of Conduct, released in 2009, is specific to the healthcare industry and covers all legal, ethical and data protection issues – in line with both international and local country codes. A ‘living document’, the Code is continually updated to meet the industry’s changing needs and includes a Code Enquiry Service for members.

 

Championing Members’ Interests

EphMRA’s active Committees – including Data & Systems, Syndicated Data, Primary Research Methods & Training and New Form Codes – allow healthcare companies and their suppliers to work together to raise standards and develop new methods and systems for the benefit of all. All six of EphMRA’s committees (including the Classification Committee and the Foundation Committee) harness members’ collective knowledge for investment in the industry’s future.

 

Providing Data & Information

EphMRA is also a key source of data, information & guidance on industry-critical issues. Our Foundation Committee was established to support and fund original projects in the international healthcare market research and business intelligence fields, and its outputs offer members incisive information and knowledge on key issues – the BRIC physician internet access survey, due this month, being just one. In addition, EphMRA products publications such as the EphMRA Lexicon and member resources like the forthcoming repository of free-to-access high quality secondary data. 

 

Training the Industry

Widely praised in a recent member survey, the EphMRA training programme includes everything from research and business skills to healthcare leadership skills. Delivered both face-to-face and online, training is objective, structured and flexible, and covers everything from basic introduction to advanced skills. Perhaps most importantly, EphMRA’s training programme creates a recognised and respected career development path that helps attract and retain talent within the healthcare market research industry.

 

Sharing Knowledge & Opening Communication Channels

Finally, as per our founding principles, EphMRA believes that knowledge sharing and communication offer enormous benefits for individuals and member companies – both for stimulating innovation and for overcoming common issues. EphMRA opens the channels of communication both formally via industry conferences and scheduled communications, and informally through the facilitation of peer-to-peer and supplier interaction at events.

HOW ARE WE CELEBRATING?

The past 50 years have given EphMRA much to celebrate! We will be toasting our achievements at this year’s annual conference: ‘Stepping it Up’, Basel, 27-29 June.

Registration opens in January so watch this space…

 

HAVE YOUR SAY

What do you think has been EphMRA’s most important contribution? How could we make the next 50 years even better?

Tell us by emailing generalsecretary@ephmra.org and we’ll publish some of your answers in the next issue of EphMRA News.