The Blind Spot Undermining Pharma Product Launches – and How to Eliminate It

Something critical is missing: a clear view of what’s actually happening on the ground

Author: Robyn Nowers

By the time most pharma companies realise a launch is underperforming, it’s already too late to fix it.

The uncomfortable truth is that many are flying blind from the start.

Under pressure

Launch teams know the pressure. Expectations are high, timelines are tight and the first year carries disproportionate weight. Evidence suggests that more than 80% of launches continue as they start in their first 12 months – well or badly. In other words, what happens in year one tends to stick.

Yet across Europe, launches consistently fall short of expectations.

It’s not for lack of effort. Teams are experienced and well-resourced, with highly detailed plans. When pressure builds, the response is predictable: refine the national strategy, add headcount, commission more research. It feels like the right response: more rigour, more resource, more analysis.

And yet something critical is missing: a clear view of what’s actually happening on the ground.