Prescribing Influences: Allergic Rhinitis – Treatment tolerability remains a key differentiator

Introduction

Many of the top challenges in allergic rhinitis are linked to the need for disease-modifying treatment, making this need stand out. Among symptomatic treatments, over-the-counter availability plays a key role in both patient behavior and marketing decisions, and with treatments considered mildly differentiable in terms of efficacy and safety, tolerability is a key prescribing influence.

Features and benefits

* Access Datamonitor’s primary research of 149 pulmonologists, ENT specialists, and allergy specialists in the seven major markets
* Review the driving forces behind allergic rhinitis prescribing behavior, and where they can be influenced
* Evaluate the drug attributes that have the strongest prescribing influence in allergic rhinitis
* Assess current use of immunotherapy, and its restrictions

Highlights

DTC advertising is a key method of marketing in allergic rhinitis. Allegra’s January 2011 OTC approval was followed by a significant marketing push with considerable DTC advertising. In the nasal steroid class, companies provide physicians with samples, allowing patients to test the tolerability of the products before paying for them.
Among the top five allergic rhinitis treatment challenges rated in Datamonitor’s survey, three are linked to the need for a disease-modifying treatment. In 2009, ALK-Abelló’s Grazax became the first immunotherapy in Europe to gain approval as a "disease-modifying treatment." However, a number of factors continue to restrict immunotherapy use.
Datamonitor’s survey revealed efficacy is the number one prescribing influence in allergic rhinitis. With little difference in efficacy seen within drug classes, this stems from the difference seen between classes. Side effect profile was scored as the second most influential attribute, with decision making focusing on tolerability of the drugs.

Your key questions answered

* How do allergic rhinitis experts rank the different challenges in allergic rhinitis treatment?
* Which drug attributes have the greatest impact on prescribing behavior?
* What marketing strategies are employed in allergic rhinitis, and how do they impact patient behavior?
* How prevalent is current use of immunotherapy, and what restricts its uptake?

Executive Summary
Strategic scoping and focus
Datamonitor key findings
Related reports
OVERVIEW
Catalyst
Summary
UNMET NEEDS
Suboptimal therapy
Disease-modifying treatment
Uncontrolled disease
Patient behavior
PRESCRIBING INFLUENCES
Treatment guidelines
Antihistamines
Leukotriene receptor antagonists
Corticosteroids
Intranasal chromones
Decongestants
Intraocular treatments
Immunotherapy
Patient acquisition process
Introduction
Patient care path
Points of influence in the patient care path
Trends in marketing strategies
Sponsorship/disease awareness campaigns
Direct-to-consumer advertising
Factors influencing physician decision making
Efficacy
Side-effect profile
Disease modification
Treatment of multiple symptoms
Cost/reimbursement status
Reimbursement
US formulary tier status for leading brands
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Journal papers
Websites
APPENDIX A
Primary research methodology
Physician sample breakdown
The survey questionnaire
APPENDIX B
Contributing experts
Conferences attended
Report methodology