Medical Oncology has taken great strides in the past decade. The development of new therapeutic products and interventions has served as a boon for countless patients suffering from neoplasms of different sorts. Oncology research and the development of drugs, diagnostics devices, and surgical equipment are indeed ongoing processes because diverse types of cancers require different treatment and diagnostics approaches.
The process of devising therapeutic modalities is an intensive process. Pharma companies devising a specific oncology treatment or diagnostic device often seek expertise of Oncology KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) to drive their objectives to success.
These oncology KOLs are highly knowledgeable in specific oncology domains, which include medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, pediatric oncology, hematology-oncology, gynecologic oncology, and neuro-oncology.
Their insights guide pharma companies in understanding the latest treatment trends, patient needs, and market penetration. They further help facilitate relationships with healthcare providers, which leads to increased adoption of new therapies and a more robust market presence.
Partnering with the right KOLs is thus imperative for pharma teams as the entire scope and success of the project are highly dependent on the expert advice that these healthcare professionals provide.
Having said that, collaborating with the right set of oncology physicians is not easy. Life sciences teams, often the Oncology Medical Affairs or even the commercial teams of a pharma company, need to scout through extensive sources to identify the most qualified KOLs who align with their strategic initiatives and objectives.
Checklist for Identifying the Right Oncology KOLs
The criteria for identifying the oncology KOLs may differ from one company to the other, as well as the purpose for which they intend to engage them. Nonetheless, below is a general checklist that applies to most KOL identification processes.
- Clinical Expertise and Specialization
Oncology experts with deep clinical expertise in specific cancer types can offer relevant insights into a drug’s target indications. They understand the nuances of disease pathology and treatment response, which are crucial for defining clinical development strategies.
They help optimize treatment regimens, identify potential biomarkers for patient selection in clinical trials, and evaluate the real-world implications of the trial’s results. Pharma teams can thus enhance the efficacy of their therapeutics drugs and improve patient outcomes.
- Research and Publications in Oncology
KOLs with a strong track record of publications in peer-reviewed clinical oncology journals are often seen as leaders in the field. It demonstrates their expertise in complex oncological concepts and their commitment to advancing cancer treatment. Most pharma teams also engage them to establish best practices and inform treatment protocols.
Their robust publication record enhances their credibility and visibility, making them obvious candidates for driving oncology research and meaningful advancements in patient care.
3. Influence in the Oncology Community
KOLs who have developed a strong reputation among their peers and those who are a part of leading oncology associations, conferences, or oncology departments are sought after. Their influence extends beyond clinical expertise, which impacts the overall direction of oncology research and treatment trends.
These respected figures are invited to speak at prestigious oncology conferences, where they share their insights on various topics, including emerging therapies and clinical best practices. Their discussions not only sparks curiosity about the topic but also elevates their professional standing.
4. Leading the Clinical Trials
KOLs who have led clinical trials are invaluable for pharma companies as they have firsthand experience with investigational therapies. They have a deep understanding of the drug’s clinical efficacy, safety, and patient outcomes, which are very important factors for pharma strategies.
5. Speaking Engagements
Some KOLs are great speakers who are frequently engaged by the oncology industry to speak at major oncology events. They lead discussions on topics related to oncology clinical trials, the latest advancements, biomarkers, or genes. Collaborating with such thought leaders is a great way to generate visibility about a pharma brand at medical events and in the oncology community.
6. Advisory Board Participation and Consulting Roles
Pharma companies often seek KOLs who serve on advisory boards or as consultants. They share their insights on drug development, patient care, and market trends, which makes them key partners in the drug lifecycle.
Tools and Platforms for Identifying Oncology KOLs
Once the team has a clear idea of the criteria they are looking for in KOLs, they can move on to identifying them. Some tools and platforms that can be used to identify the preferred KOLs are as follows:
- Publication Platforms
These platforms allow pharma companies to track research output, publication impact, and KOL networks. They also offer valuable insights into the thought leadership and scientific influence of KOLs in oncology.
- Social Media Platforms
Many oncology doctors maintain a strong presence on social media, where they engage with peers, patients, and the broader healthcare community. Tools that track online influence can help pharma companies identify Digital Opinion Leaders (DOLs) in oncology.
- Conference and Event Participation
Tracking participation and presentations at major oncology conferences can help identify KOLs and even rising healthcare professionals who are contributing to advances in the field. Their involvement in these high-profile events often signals their thought leadership.
- AI-Powered Healthcare Intelligence Platforms
Teams who want to eliminate the hassle of discovering oncology doctors manually can rely on advanced platforms such as the AI-Powered healthcare intelligence platform – konectar, which does all the above-mentioned jobs. Yes, that’s the power of this new-age data analytics platform! It crawls all relevant data sets and sources across the web to analyze and generate a list of medical oncology KOLs that are an ideal match to the life sciences companies’ objectives.
Moreover, the platform comes equipped with varying tools and functionalities that offer teams valuable insights on various aspects of healthcare and healthcare professionals’ landscape.
Compliance and Ethical Considerations
Once teams shortlist KOLs, it is imperative to ensure that their relationships with them are transparent. Any potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed. Maintaining ethical standards in KOL engagements is critical to ensure that collaborations are driven by genuine scientific value and patient benefit.
Moreover, these engagements must comply with regulatory standards set by authorities for promotional activities, financial compensation, and data transparency.
Measuring the Impact of KOL Engagement on Pharma Outcomes
For teams engaging KOLs for clinical trials, the success can be measured on the efficacy and quality of patient recruitment, trial design, the selection of meaningful endpoints, how scientifically robust and clinically relevant the trials were, and time taken to gain regulatory approvals and market the drug/device.
For those engaging KOLs to improve brand prescription, their advocacy, particularly in high-visibility platforms like publications, and medical conferences, can be evaluated. Their impact on market penetration includes increased prescription rates, market share growth, and the speed at which new drugs are adopted in clinical practice.
The number of publications authored or co-authored by KOLs, citations of these works, and mentions in key clinical oncology journals and clinical guidelines can help gauge the broader influence of KOL engagement.
The financial return on KOL engagement can be measured by comparing the cost of the collaboration with the economic benefits generated, such as increased drug/device sales, reduced time-to-market, or enhanced brand awareness.
The ultimate measure of KOL engagement is its impact on patient outcomes. Since these healthcare professionals are responsible for educating and guiding treatment protocols, metrics such as patient response rates, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) rates in real-world settings can offer a compelling measure of the value of their engagement.
Tracking social media engagement, such as the number of followers, likes, shares, and comments on KOL posts, as well as the reach of digital campaigns led by KOLs, can provide insights into how they are shaping the perception of therapies among other oncology physicians and the public.
Closing Remarks
The strategic identification and collaboration with the right KOLs can significantly influence the trajectory of life sciences companies’ objectives. This approach not only enhances the relevance of new therapies but also translates them into tangible benefits for countless individuals affected by this challenging disease.
