Thoughts from Key Opinion Leaders a First Word Report

The role of the Key Opinion Leader (KOL) has changed over the past 30 years. And it’s about to change again according to a recent report from FirstWord. 

Once viewed with suspicion by their non-consulting peers, clinicians are now considered less significant if they do not collaborate with the pharmaceutical industry. Yet with the implementation this year of the Physician Payment Sunshine Act (PPSA), that role is about to come under scrutiny once again.  While some KOLs feel it could herald the end of such relationships, a wide-ranging FirstWord poll has found they have other, equally pressing issues. 

From how manufacturers utilizes their expertise in planning drug trials to how it engages them professionally, KOLs are raising concerns about the state and future of their work with industry. 

In Meeting KOL Needs: What Pharma Needs to Know, FirstWord taps into the mindsets of 33 leading international KOLs to discover how they view their industry work and where they want—and need—their collaborations to go.  From KOL views on feedback, trial work and how follow-ups could be improved to invaluable insight on the PPSA’s potential impact and how manufacture cutbacks have negatively affected their knowledge base, the report exposes KOLs’ major concerns.  Based on in-depth, qualitative interviews and analysis, the report offers the industry an open window into the KOL relationship and how it can be strategically improved. 

The report first discusses the how KOLs view their role, which includes a description of the evolution of the KOL, how KOLs provide unbiased and independent insight, and their role in influencing peers.  The report then explains how KOL’s engage with manufacturers, such as being investigators in clinical trials, presenting at conferences, participation on advisory boards, and design of clinical and scientific meetings.  It also discusses educational support from manufacturers and diverging views on bias.  

Additionally, the report goes into detail about what KOLs would most like to experience from manufacturers in the future.  This included increasing interaction in the drug-development process; utilizing KOLs to help develop innovation; industry responsiveness to KOL suggestions; a need for follow-up and feedback systems; reward independence; more involvement of doctors; increased use of digital media; engagement with company staff with knowledge of the disease area as well as the drug; and better organization of KOL activities