Paper
Journal of Medical Marketing (2003) 3, 189–193; doi:10.1057/palgrave.jmm.5040118
Strategic responses of pharmaceutical companies and healthcare organisations to maintain competitive advantage in the cataract market
Georgios Labiris1, Georgios Papadopoulis2 and Andreas Petounis3
- 1Managing Director, Intermedico Network, Epigenous 15, 11143, Athens, Greece, Tel: +30 2102513868, Email: labiris@usa.net
- 2Medical Affairs Manager at Intermedico Network
- 3Director at the Department of Ophthalmology at Patissia General Hospital, Athens, Greece
Revised 8 April 2003.
Abstract
This paper describes the overall strategy of two pharmaceutical companies (providing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drops, NSAID) and a general hospital (department of ophthalmology) when the market (cataract market) is modified (prevalence of phacoemulsification). The new entrant introduces a superior product (Single Dose Unit, SDU NSAIDs), which fails to prevail due to incompatibility between research and development (R&D) and marketing objectives. The suboptimal strategy of the entrant helps the regular supplier to maintain the domination of the market by introducing a substitute product supported by a strong marketing policy.
Keywords:
cataract, cost-effect, market audit, NSAID, phacoemulsification, pharmaceutical
