Biopharmaceutical brand websites fulfill a pivotal role in educating patients about their medical conditions and preparing them for critical healthcare decisions. Superior brand websites deliver key patient support – and effectively brand the treatment of a condition – using the wide array of tools afforded by the Internet, such as online tools, medical and insurance glossaries, treatment kits, hotlines, signature support incentives, and access to experts. The path to online patient support leadership traverses several critical patient lifecycle phases: from learning about the condition and starting treatment to developing and maintaining product loyalty. This benchmark study examined 10 leading biopharmaceutical products that treat chronic conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and cancer, for which treatment is often expensive and patient education and long-term support are essential.

1. Strategic Benchmarking Research & Analysis Best Practices, LLC Online Patient Support Excellence: Using Brand Website Services to Grow Loyal Customers

2. KEY OPINION LEADERS MANAGEMENT Access the Full Report at: http://www.bit.ly/BPwebsite For info: Contact Melvin Hines at mhines@best-in-class.com or 919-767-9175

4. Success Stories: Little Details Go a Long Way for Hope Patient testimonials are a powerful antidote to the negative feelings many people experience when diagnosed with a serious condition. In their use of patient success stories, brand websites often emphasize the little details – like patient names and pictures, or the diagnosis dates – to make a positive connection with new sufferers. When taken all together, the seemingly mundane particulars of other patients (like names, dates, and pictures) can combine into a highly relatable and inspirational cause for hope. Patient testimonials also situate a single patient within a larger community of patients and treatment knowledge, capable of improving individual experiences.

5. KEY OPINION LEADERS MANAGEMENT Access the Full Report at: http://www.bit.ly/BPwebsite For info: Contact Melvin Hines at mhines@best-in-class.com or 919-767-9175

6. Video Testimonials Allow Patients to Literally Hear Success Stories Seeing and hearing from actual patients – in this case, through embedded video on Rituxan’s brand website – vividly illustrates both the harsh realities of living with a disease and the joy of returning to better health. Videos are intermixed on the website in relevant locations, such as this page on “Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms.”

8. Provide External Links to Practical Treatment Tools Most websites provide links to independent informational and advocacy websites around a given disease state. A notable exception is Cimzia’s website, which links to both an external branded site for tracking rheumatoid arthritis symptoms (on left) and an external non-branded site around easing the financial burden of treatment (right).

9. GETTING STARTED: Tools for Obtaining Treatment (n=10) Benchmark brands provide the following website tools for prospective patients ready to begin treatment. The following slides examine the prevalence these tools, highlighting innovative examples from brand websites. "Tools for Obtaining Treatment" Benchmark Average: ( % of Brand Websites Using ) Hotline - General Information 80% Information and Resource Kits ( Handbooks, DVDs, Folders, etc .) 80% Branding Your Patient Support Program Under Your "Product's Signature" 70% Signature Program Cards Incenting Patients to Start and Seeding Adherence 60% Branded Financial Assistance and Product Access Support 40% "Find a Local Physician" Directory 30% Symptom Quiz / Printable Doctor Discussion Guide 80%

10. KEY OPINION LEADERS MANAGEMENT Access the Full Report at: http://www.bit.ly/BPwebsite For info: Contact Melvin Hines at mhines@best-in-class.com or 919-767-9175

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