Pharmacy Executives Rank Novartis First for Meeting
Their Overall Needs, Cognet-X, Inc. Reports
FEASTERVILLE---(November 21, 2002)---The most influential
managed care pharmacy directors in the country have rated Novartis
Pharmaceuticals Corp. as the pharmaceutical company that best meets their
overall needs, Cognet-X, Inc. announced today.
This marked Novartis’ first No. 1 ranking in the
Overall Needs category. The company ranked second in the first-quarter 2002
ranking period of the twice-yearly Corporate Assessment Total Rankings
component of Cognet-X’s PAR-Rx (Promotional Assessment Research) Report™.
Novartis received a total of 375 points through
Cognet-X’s proprietary Scale of Influence model, garnering 31% more points
than its nearest competitor, GlaxoSmithKline. GSK rose from fifth place in the
1Q 2002 rankings to second place.
PAR~Rx panelists also ranked Novartis first in the
Knowledgeable Account Manager/Personnel category in this assessment period.
Thus, it is not surprising that many panelists mentioned Novartis account
personnel as key contributors to the company’s first-place Overall Needs
ranking.
“Rep is calling on a regular basis, visiting when
necessary, has great follow-up with high integrity,” one pharmacy director
said in explaining his Overall Needs ranking. Another commented: “Novartis
has excellent products that are well-priced and is very managed care-friendly.
My account executive is professional and helpful.”
Novartis also won praise for its clinical programs in the
areas of diabetes and cholesterol reduction, as well as for its corporate
culture. “Very honest. Will say what can and cannot be done, but always
finds some mutually agreeable solution,” one PAR~Rx panelist noted.
Close behind GlaxoSmithKline was Merck & Co., Inc.,
with only four points separating the two corporations. Merck had been No 1. in
the Overall Needs category in the previous ranking period.
Aventis Pharma AG slid one ranking space to fourth place
in the 3Q rankings. Aventis’ ranking was within 10 points of
GlaxoSmithKline’s and Merck’s. After placing eighth in the 1Q assessment
period, TAP Pharmaceuticals climbed to fifth place in the most recent cycle.
Interestingly, TAP received fewer mentions than
lesser-ranked competitors. However, under the Scale of Influence model, TAP
received high rankings from panelists at more
influential—higher-weighted—organizations.
PAR~Rx panelists also gave a higher ranking to Abbott
Laboratories in the 3Q period; Abbott finished sixth, up from 12th
place. American Home Products/Wyeth, Forest Laboratories, Inc., AstraZeneca
PLC and Sankyo Co. Ltd. rounded out the top-10 places in Overall Needs.
About the PAR-Rx Report
Cognet-X’s PAR-Rx Report is a year-round service that
provides the pharmaceutical industry with real-time, Internet-based
competitive intelligence on pharmaceutical company promotion to influential
managed care pharmacy directors.
The Report offers Cognet-X clients the ability to
evaluate and analyze variable differences that are critically important to
their decision-making process. The Report collects comprehensive data that can
be segmented and analyzed to provide clients with “21st-Century
solutions to their 21st-Century challenges.”
About Cognet-X
Cognet-X offers the pharmaceutical industry market
research, consulting and software development that help companies build and
refine their relationships with numerous customer bases, including the managed
care community. Based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Cognet-X is privately
held and employee-owned.
For more information on the PAR-Rx Report or other
valuable Cognet-X products, please contact Robert E. Houghton (extension 101)
or James A. Barone (extension 102) at (215) 396-8300 or via e-mail at robh@cognetx.com
or jimb@cognetx.com.
