Excellence in Customer Focus - Physician/Prescribing

Summary of work

An innovative medical education programme helped Pfizer introduce the first pharmaceutical product to a disease area and customer group – comprising physicians treating hand disorders – that was already satisfied with established surgical techniques. 

XIAPEX, an injectable treatment for Dupuytren’s contracture in adult patients with a palpable cord, was launched by Pfizer in Europe in March 2011 as an alternative for patients. Market research shows many patients refer to surgery as a “last resort”.  

In a risk-averse regulatory environment, Pfizer recognised the need to develop a formal training programme, as the treatment procedure is unlike surgical intervention and the injection must be precise to protect patients by avoiding serious adverse events. 

The core training programme, including a detailed brochure, video and online course, was developed with Europe’s foremost hand specialists and helped secure marketing authorisation in February 2011. The programme was disseminated via a peer-to-peer education cascade, involving training workshops, symposia and development of a bespoke training model. 

Knowledge of XIAPEX and interest in introducing it into clinical practice have increased dramatically, with over 2,000 hand, orthopaedic and plastic surgeons in 13 countries trained how to use XIAPEX in 2011 alone. Customer feedback on the training programme has been consistently excellent.

Executive summary as submitted