One of a Kind Philosophy & Methods

Fair Market Valuation and Procurement Supporting Information

Leveraging Crowdsourcing,  Social Media, Algorithmic Decision Modeling & Artificial Intelligence

Digital technology and social media provide new tools to identify and communicate with patients in extraordinary ways. It is now possible to broadcast and interact primarily with highly spcified cohorts, such as people who identify with advanced Parkinson’s disease. Advertising dollars can be directed towards these patients and their loved ones and do not need to be expended on a non-applicable audience. Choose to reduce your marketing budget or increase your impact by narrowing the target audiance. Social media opportunities not only offer laser focus but also massive broadcast. Facebook recently celebrated 1 billion active users in a single day. Through the proper use of social media advertising, Research Catalyst can reach nearly 1 million people in the U.S. who identify with Parkinson’s disease as either a patient or a caregiver. HIPAA compliant technology has also advanced to the point that algorithmic decision models can collect health information with extreme efficiency. Research Catalyst has developed a process that automatically collects up to 115 pieces of information from a member as they answer questions to identify their suitability for investigational and approved treatment options. Through technology comes efficiency, and as a result of a more focused and automated screening process, extensive resources can be delivered to the right people once they have been identified.

Compliance Is Just The Start

Research Catalyst does more than follow the rules; The legal and development teams work with the people who make the laws as to embody their intention. The regulatory environment concerning the use of social media for the promotion of pharmaceuticals is complex. A comprehensive understanding of not only the rules but also the intention of the law is imperative. Research Catalyst approaches the ethical considerations of patient education and marketing from a patient first perspective. All information provided must be accurate, truthful, complete, fair and balanced. The industry standard of fair balance for post FDA marketing generally includes an accurate representation of the indicated use, proven benefits, and potential side effects. Research Catalyst not only abides by the rules established to govern FDA approved marketing campaigns but also adhere to a stricter and more comprehensive set of guidelines designed for the medical research community. The set of principles most relevant to this discussion is generally known as the informed consent process. This ethical framework not only requires accurate and balanced information about a treatment option (indications, potential benefit and risks), but most notably incorporates education about other suitable opportunities the patient should consider that are not associated with the sponsored treatment. Broadly educating the patient about reasonable options such as support groups, exercise, physicians in their area, and other treatment opportunities not only protects clients but also gains the patients’ trust as  their wellbeing is prioitized above financial incentive.  Research Catalyst is not only doing what is compliant but also what is right.

This methodology goes well beyond what is required by law and actualizes the governing bodies vision as it relates to the incorporation of digital media to the patient education process. By placing the patient first and understanding both the laws and their intentions, Research Catalyst establishes the security to leverage internet technology with unprecedented results. Our clients are distanced in this way from the bleeding edge and stay firmly at the cutting edge. By educating patients broadly, trust is earned and the message is heard. Integrating the most ethical practices with the most sophisticated technology can produce the greatest reward for both the patient and the organizations that support them.

Research Catalyst has worked through the compliance issues with multiple Pharamcuetical companies and is able to share with your General Counsel, the legal support to develop an MSA and SOW that protects all parties.

Highly Focused Messaging Exclusively to the Parkinson’s Disease Community

Through past and current work in clinical trials subject recruiting throughout the United States related to advanced Parkinson’s disease, Parkinson’s disease dementia, and Lewy body dementia as well as work educating patients about approved therapuetic options specific to patients experiencing severe akinesia, Research Catalyst has learned how to target this patient population with extreme efficiency. Nearly all paid impressions will be delivered to people who indicate that they have or are related to someone with Parkinson’s disease.

  • Tracking & Iteration- Offline advertising creates an information gap between the referral source/content ( i.e. tv commercial) and the intended conversion event (i.e. email signup or website referral). As a result precision analytical tracking and iterative learning process are hampered. Computer and smartphone delivery methods of advertising can be traced directly to the intended conversion events.  This allows Research Catalyst to quickly learn what works and what does not and to make changes in real time to increase efficiency and redirect resources to the highest value campaigns. The implemention of human augmented machine-based learning processes (AI)  rapidly iterate for peak performance which maximizes the relevant effect.

  • Make the Comparison – Research Catalyst communicates with the Parkinson’s disease community very effectively through the use of social media to crowdsource the identification of appropriate patients and smart forms to further determine suitability. By efficiently identifying candidates your resources are not wasted. The savings can be allocated towards productive disease state awareness efforts, branded advertising campaigns, and  advocacy programs which includes one-on-one phone support with our staff trained within a movement disorders center by the Medical Director, an MDS Neurologist.

Uniquely Specified Resources

The team was built from the ground up with the purpose of finding and supporting advanced Parkinson’s disease patients seeking additional treatment options.

  • Medical Direction– integrated and highly involved collaboration with a movement disorders specialized physician enables unparalleled advantages.

  • Educated Advocates – in-house team of professionals hold scientific collegiate and postgraduate degrees and are trained at our movement disorders clinic and research site.

  • Data Aggregation Team-  offshore clerical team identifies massive highly targeted audiences for ad delivery which assist in the targetting of appropriate patients when automated processes are not available or sufficient.

  • Technical Capabilities– substantial experience specific to the development of resources such as websites, social media groups, social media advertising assets, digital delivery techniques, secure patient communication tracking systems, algorithmic decision modeling, machine learning (AI), and the secured collection and processing of patient health information specific to movement disorders (primarily Parkinson’s disease).

  • Ethics & Compliance– exceptional team including industry-leading lawyers with direct access to leadership within the FDA, experienced physicians/principal investigators, renowned internal review boards with access to thought leaders publishing guidance documents on the ethical use of technology in healthcare, and innovative technologists consistently improving the functionality and security of our digital infrastructure.

Social Media Advantage

Imagine a football stadium with 100,000 people. 

When you speak to this audience through television, you might reach 20 people who will potentially benefit from a therapy for an advanced PD patient. The Research Catalust  football stadiums are similarly packed with 100,000 people but  have over 3,500 who could immediately benefit.
Choose to drive down overall marketing costs, increase the number of impressions the target audience receives, and increase the quality of communication with PD patients and their loved ones that are experiencing advanced Parkinson’s Disease symptoms.

Search Based

Google

Search Based Advertising

This method requires the patient to come to you by searching for a keyword. This is useful but very limiting.

Profile Based

Facebook

Social Media

Targets profiles, not keywords. You go to the patients to deliver the message opposed to waiting for them to ask the question.

47,600,000 Facebook users over the age of 55 in the US as of January 2018

Approximately 92,800,000 people in the US are over the age of 55

FOCUSING RESOURCES FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT WITH SOCIAL MEDIA DELIVERY

Video Delivery Methods

Audience Size  (Delivery Cost)

Target Audience

Efficiency

TV Audience US (assumes 100% of people watch)

323,100,000

50,000

0.02%

Social Media US PD Audience +55 

730,000

 25,560

3.5%

With a target audience of ~50K who currently could benefit from your therapy, precision targeting is essential. Research Catalyst has identified 730,000 people on Facebook and more through Instagram and WhatsApp with profiles indicating they have PD, are caregivers of someone with PD, or work in the field as a practitioner. Nearly 51% of all people in the US aged 55 and up use Facebook according to Statista.

For every one hundred people, Research Catalyst communicates with, three of them are highly related to Parkinson’s disease and are likely to qualify for advanced therapies immediately or in the very near future. The equation is as follows:

  • Estimated portion of the PD population currently requiring advanced PD therapy = 50,000
  • Number of people with PD that can be reached = 730,000
  • The portion of people in the US over the age of 55 that use Facebook = 51%
  • (50,000 x 51%) / 730,00 = 3.5%