Six of the top 25 largest global pharmaceutical companies announced the formation of Align Biopharma, a new group dedicated to setting technology standards that will make it faster and easier for healthcare professionals (HCPs) to connect with the life sciences industry. Founding members, with input from across the industry, will develop open standards and solutions for companies to streamline how HCPs get the drug and treatment information they need to deliver improved care to patients.

In ophthalmology, Allergan and Novartis, the parent company of Alcon, are members of the group.

“Common industry standards can make it more effective and efficient for life sciences companies and healthcare professionals to connect,” Patrick Retif, VP IT, Global Commercial at Allergan. “Working together can help harmonize digital engagement and information access across the industry and create a better experience for our shared customers.”

The rise of specialty drugs to treat complex diseases is creating a greater need for HCPs to have more timely and tailored information. As the number of new drugs increases so does the amount of information healthcare professionals require to facilitate patient engagement. There is significant potential for biopharmaceutical companies to use digital technology to inform HCPs on new or more complex treatments.

Initially, Align Biopharma will focus on developing two new standards to facilitate seamless digital engagement and simplify the HCP experience:

• Identity management—definition of an identification and authentication standard to enable a single sign-on for HCPs to access online content—including websites, portals, virtual events or webinars—across all companies.
• Consent and communication preferences—definition of standards for consent and preference management so that there is consistency in how HCPs specify communication preferences with each company.

“Digital is transforming how life sciences companies and HCPs collaborate and interact,” said Paul Shawah, vice president of commercial cloud strategy at Veeva Systems. “With the proliferation of advanced treatments and digital channels, adhering to industry standards will simplify the challenges doctors face in getting the right information quickly.”