Pharma companies must tailor sales strategies in BRIC markets

A country-specific approach is needed to prioritise pharmaceutical sales and marketing tactics, Manhattan Research has said.

Pharmaceutical companies are unlikely to be able to use a 'one-size-fits-all' approach when it comes to developing sales and marketing strategies in emerging markets, a study suggests.

The 'Taking the Pulse BRIC' study, compiled by healthcare market research firm Manhattan Research, looked at doctors' use of the internet in the four so-called 'BRIC' economies - Brazil, Russia, India and China.

It found that doctors' use of the internet during their working day varies greatly among these four countries.

For instance, while 76 per cent of doctors in Brazil use the internet as part of their daily routine, this falls to 41 per cent of physicians in India and just 25 per cent of those in China.

This means that pharmaceutical companies will need to rely less on digital channels for their sales and marketing initiatives in countries such as China.

James Avallone, principal analyst at Manhattan Research, said: "Physicians' digital professional profiles vary market-to-market, whether we look at the use of mobile devices between consultations and at the point of care, or the kinds of social networks relied on."

He added that pharmaceutical companies need country-specific knowledge in order "to prioritise tactics and investments".