Excellence in Communication of Survey or Market Research Data

Summary of work

Shire’s rare disease campaign sought to communicate hard-hitting data on poor access to rare disease medicines to policymakers. A priority was to use the data to build consensus amongst the rare disease community and policymakers that the NHS needed to adopt an implementation plan for the 2013 Rare Disease Strategy.

To increase the impact of data on access to rare disease medicines across the EU5, collected by the Office of Health Economics, Shire’s campaign included a report developed by a Steering Group of experts and a major rare disease summit in London. The report and summit received coverage, including in the Health Service Journal, the Pharmaceutical Journal, The Financial Times and full page coverage in The Times. The summit, which took place at the King’s Fund, was attended by over 100 guests from the rare disease and policy community and had 21 speakers and two videos. The data was widely circulated and led to NHS England making a commitment to introduce an implementation plan for the rare disease strategy. The data was pivotal in reviving interest in rare diseases. Shortly after the ABPI reconvened its Rare Disease Group and the BIA launched its Rare Disease Industry Group.

Judges' comments

Hanover and Shire put together a survey that was integrated well with Shire’s media campaign. They gained real traction and helped change NHS strategy.