.png?v=fb8b372394a0fd31a1f56ec5bd26b0b3)
How has technology helped to transform Pharma?
Responsible for researching and developing the latest drugs, finding cures for inherited diseases, and tackling the latest strain of virus, the pharmaceutical industry covers everything from creating vaccines to developing the latest chemically synthesised drugs. Providing employment for millions of people, it is also a vital lifeline for the millions of people who suffer from diseases and illness around the world.
Clearly, the demand for high quality healthcare, and for newer, faster and more efficient drugs and devices to supply to hospitals around the world, has never been higher - and one of the biggest factors that is set to have an impact on the industry is that of technology. The pharma sector has always relied on the latest, cutting-edge technology to constantly improve its client offerings, and provide better ways of tackling viruses or diseases. The massive growth that has taken place over the past decades in technology is allowing scientists to push the boundaries of healthcare and research like never before.
Today, technology is affecting every area of the pharmaceutical industry. From medical sales to big data, the way in which scientists and salespeople alike are using it to connect with patients, work on medical breakthroughs, and even explore new avenues of research to transform the sector.
As we move further towards an AI-driven drug discovery space, here are some of the biggest developments to look out for.
Better patient care
Thanks to the spread of technology, the way in which many companies do business is starting to change to a more customer-focused model that builds on the ease of access offered by the internet. Now, governments are starting to introduce procedures like e-prescribing, which lets healthcare payers access prescriptions more easily, and gives patients who have difficulty accessing a doctor the chance to contact one remotely. In a market with a rapidly-aging world population, and a corresponding rise in chronic disease, better communication with patients, via portals and apps, may well prove a lifeline to millions of patients.
Indeed, many large firms are also making the switch to a more patient-oriented approach, engaging with the end consumer via technology to provide them with support and assistance. AstraZeneca’s Day-by-Day app, for instance, provides support and coaching for heart-attack patients through digital content and live chat, whilst Novartis’ Together in HF was launched in January as a heart failure social network. Through technology, these big firms are not only developing a closer connection with their patients, but gathering data that could help them to cure more illnesses or diseases in the future.
More data
Big data is one of healthcare’s buzzwords this year, and for good reason: it has the potential to revolutionise and speed up the way in which drugs and devices are developed and researched. The rise in technology has resulted in more efficient ways of gathering data, whether that’s from patient smartphones, wearable apps that track the amount of iron in the blood, or intensive medical trials.
It has become easier than ever to collect vast amounts of patient data and then analyse it. With such a wealth of data at the hands of scientists, from patients or clinical research trials, the possibility of finding previously impossible patterns in millions of entries, or making new medical breakthroughs, is unprecedented. Expect this sector to take off in the coming years.
Nanotechnology and genomes
Advances in technology have allowed scientists to start manipulating matter at a molecular level, and to make new discoveries in nanotechnology. A relatively new industry, nanotechnology is rapidly taking off in the pharmaceutical landscape: indeed, the global market is expected to grow by around 17% between 2017-2024.
Nanotechnology also heralds a shift in the way the pharmaceutical industry operates, as it is helping shift focus away from the hunt for the next panacea, in favour of developing drug therapies that are personalised to the user. Though the development of ‘novel’ drugs is coming to an end, advances in areas like genetics have allowed scientists to identify new ways of targeting and treating diseases, based on the new understanding of human biology that nanotechnology has given them.
Nanotechnology has made it easier than ever for the same scientists to deliver tailored drug solutions to patients, and is still paving the way for new developments: for instance, scientists recently incorporated nano-scale drugs into liposomes, thus vastly increasing the efficiency of disease treatment in patients.
This transformation has also spread into genetics, with scientists making medical breakthroughs in treating previously incurable diseases through advancements such as DNA-editing CRISPR, which essentially uses molecular scissors to alter DNA strands, or target multiple regions of DNA simultaneously: indeed, the first human trials are already happening in China and this type of genome editing could soon become a revolution in healthcare.
Medical Sales
Better technology hasn’t only benefitted Research and Development, it’s also done wonders for marketing, and for medical sales in particular. With the advent of Cloud storage, salespeople can have remote access to documents, learning materials, and new information whenever they need it, thus making their job easier than ever and making it easier to close their sales deals.
Similarly, marketing is also set to change drastically over the coming years, as the industry shifts from a mass-market to a target-market approach that comes with the shift in product development within the pharma sector. Many of the specialist medicines that the industry is currently creating - for more information on why orphan drugs are taking off, have a look at our article here - are aimed at people who have rare or uncommon diseases or conditions; as a result, pharma will have to start providing more support for medical education programmes and educating the general public if they want to raise awareness, keep doctors up to date with the latest technology, and generate sales.
Today, through websites, social media, and the internet, audiences are more connected to pharma companies than ever before.
Looking to the future
Technology has already transformed the way in which pharma operates. From patient communication to the way in which Medical Sales Representatives go about their jobs, technology allows people to be more connected than ever before and is allowing scientists to explore new avenues, and take advantage of new software to make new discoveries.
At IQVIA™, we like to keep our finger on the pulse of the changing pharmaceutical industry so we can continue matching the freshest talent to the best jobs in the sector. To get involved, why not browse medical sales jobs?
Find out more about life at IQVIA
Did you know IQVIA has
Excellent work-life balance
and is committed to this kind of culture
Did you know IQVIA has
86,000+ employees
from clinicians to data scientists each transforming healthcare in 100+ countries
Did you know IQVIA has
4,600 data scientists
including statisticians and analytics developers
Did you know IQVIA has
Countless development opportunities
for personal and professional growth
Did you know IQVIA cares about
Health and Wellbeing
for all its employees
Did you know IQVIA has
1,900+ epidemiologists
and real world insight experts
Did you know IQVIA has
56+ petabytes of unique data
including 1.2B+ non-identified patient records
Did you know IQVIA has
Excellent work-life balance
and is committed to this kind of culture
Did you know IQVIA has
86,000+ employees
from clinicians to data scientists each transforming healthcare in 100+ countries
Did you know IQVIA has
56+ petabytes of unique data
including 1.2B+ non-identified patient records
Did you know IQVIA cares about
Health and Wellbeing
for all its employees
Did you know IQVIA has
4,600 data scientists
including statisticians and analytics developers
Did you know IQVIA has
1,900+ epidemiologists
and real world insight experts
Did you know IQVIA has
Countless development opportunities
for personal and professional growth
Related jobs
We are sorry but your search has returned no results.
Please try some of the links below to find what you are looking for:
Since joining IQVIA I have had unrivalled support and development from my manager to enable me to aspire to move into secondary care. I feel like my career is strongly supported by my manager in order to maximise my potential.
A quick note to say thank you for your time this morning discussing my future career options. As you know I was feeling very conflicted about the right decision. Discussing the role with you gave me chance to clarify what is important to me.
Once again I cannot thank you enough for not only approaching me with this opportunity but also for all the support you’ve given me along the way!
Just following on from the amazing news I got yesterday I wanted to say a really special thank you for all the help and support you have provided throughout the entire recruitment process.
IQVIA has been behind my development to become a MSL. The contracts that I have worked on have allowed me to push clinical projects with a recent opportunity to manage a pilot scheme integrating e-detailing into an established field based team. The result was an increase in sales.
A quick note to say thank you for your time this morning discussing my future career options. As you know I was feeling very conflicted about the right decision. Discussing the role with you gave me chance to clarify what is important to me.
IQVIA Related insights

Teaser
Medical Sales & ServicesContent Type
ArticlePublished
24/10/2024
Summary
We caught up with Diana Heres, a Service Development Executive at IQVIA Interface, on her career development journey with us so far. Diana shares her journey to help answer questions such as “How do
by
Ruth Lynn

Teaser
GeneralContent Type
ArticlePublished
08/10/2024
Summary
Recently, we interviewed Corinne Scott, Client Services Manager at IQVIA for her insight into how to decide a career change. Corinne shared her own journey and valuable advice with us to help answer
by
Corinne Scott

Teaser
SalesContent Type
ArticlePublished
04/10/2024
Summary
Virtual Sales has a growing presence in the healthcare and medical solutions industry, especially since the pandemic. Virtual Sales is set to be the new normal, even as we’ve emerged on the other side

Teaser
GeneralContent Type
ArticlePublished
27/09/2024
Summary
Kickstarting or switching your career is only made easier by having solid technical skills under your belt. Technical skills are expertise and specialised knowledge that you enhance throughout your c
by
Ruth Lynn

Teaser
SalesContent Type
ArticlePublished
18/09/2024
Summary
If you’re a recent or soon-to-be graduate of biomedical science, and have realised that a laboratory-based career may not be the right direction for you, you may be wondering what other career opti
by
Tracey Smith

Teaser
Medical Sales & ServicesContent Type
ArticlePublished
17/09/2024
Summary
Stepping into any role in the healthcare sector comes with its challenges, and being a successful medical sales representative is no exception. Whether you’re an experienced sales rep and feel confi
by
Ruth Lynn
.png)
Teaser
Medical Affairs & ServicesContent Type
ArticlePublished
13/08/2024
Summary
Medical Affairs is a fast-paced sector and the work is so varied that no two days will look the same. Medical affairs professionals working in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device in

Teaser
Medical Affairs & ServicesContent Type
ArticlePublished
31/07/2024
Summary
At IQVIA, we recruit for various roles within the MedTech sphere and we’re always looking for professionals keen to move healthcare forward. In this article, we’ll outline the market for MedTech so
by
Tracey Smith

Teaser
MedicalContent Type
ArticlePublished
30/07/2024
Summary
In IQVIA, we support customers in their mission to get drugs to patients. As such, we recognise the value of keeping track of the latest market trends, developments, and insights. Modern healthcare
by
Catherine Scott

Teaser
Clinical OperationsContent Type
ArticlePublished
23/07/2024
Summary
Clinical pharmacology, a specialised branch of biomedical science, holds a pivotal role in developing vital drugs and ensuring their effective use in patients. Clinical pharmacologists bridge the ga
by
Ruth Lynn

Teaser
SalesContent Type
ArticlePublished
23/07/2024
Summary
Oncologists focus on diagnosing and treating cancer while overseeing treatment and managing post-treatment care. The oncology drugs market worldwide is expected to reach a market volume of $268bn by
by
Ruth Lynn

Teaser
GeneralContent Type
ArticlePublished
17/07/2024
Summary
Market access is all about preparing a drug for market entry, and as such it’s a vitally important part of the drug development process and wider pharmaceutical industry. While for pharmaceutical an
Recently viewed jobs