Driving Physician-Centered Migraine Therapy Choices Across Global Markets

Client

An international pharmaceutical manufacturer

Service

Physician feedback survey & real-world patient insights

Sector

Pharmaceuticals & Biopharma

Coverage

Chile, Argentina, Mexico, China, Italy, UAE

The challenge

In an increasingly crowded migraine treatment domain, understanding how physicians differentiate between similar therapies is essential for effective brand positioning. Our client, a global pharmaceutical manufacturer, sought to gain clarity on doctor behavior in branded drug choice, particularly across six key markets - Chile, Argentina, Mexico, China, Italy, and the UAE. They aimed to uncover the real-world factors shaping migraine care delivery and assess how treatment preferences vary regionally, despite the presence of overlapping drug options. The complexity of the task lay in revealing the clinical decision factors influencing physician prescribing behavior, while accounting for local practice norms, brand familiarity, and regulatory differences. A particular focus was placed on exploring the competitive therapy environment and identifying unmet needs that could inform future market access drivers.

What we did

To meet this challenge, we conducted a global physician study involving 72 qualitative interviews with neurologists and primary care physicians experienced in migraine management. Each 75-minute interview was conducted in the respondents’ native language, except in the UAE, where interviews were held in English and hosted virtually via Forsta and Zoom.

The study was locally moderated to ensure cultural sensitivity and relevance, and participants were carefully screened for their active role in prescribing migraine treatments. Our conversations explored how doctors choose pain therapies in real-world practice, delving into their treatment decision-making processes, perceptions of branded versus generic options, and prescribing habits across patient types. The research also examined how physicians evaluate safety, efficacy, patient response, and competitive differentiation, delivering a rich evidence base for understanding treatment pattern tracking and regional insights into drug usage. In capturing these diverse perspectives, the study provided deep healthcare provider insights and a robust foundation for further drug adoption research.

The impact of the research

This international care study delivered actionable migraine care analysis that uncovered clear trends in chronic pain management and cross-market prescribing pattern insights. Physicians across markets consistently emphasized clinical experience, patient outcomes, and drug tolerability as primary drivers of therapeutic choice, offering meaningful data on prescription behavior trends.

The findings illuminated key aspects of medical decision-making in neurology, from the weight of brand reputation to the influence of peer prescribing behavior. These insights enabled the client to refine their competitive therapy mapping and develop physician-centered brand positioning tactics tailored to each region.

In doing so, they also uncovered strategic opportunities for therapeutic segmentation by provider type and product differentiation strategy for physicians in crowded drug classes. Ultimately, the study equipped the client with practical insights for medical marketers, supporting more targeted communication, improved market access strategies, and enhanced global alignment across their neurology portfolio. By centering physician input on treatment preference, this research has become a cornerstone of the client’s migraine treatment research for marketers.

Contact us to power your strategy with physician-centered research that drives smarter market decisions.