An Integrated Approach for Processing Information Inquiries at the Time of a New Product Launch

At the time of launch of a new product, there is a sizable increase in the number of drug information requests received by the sponsor. It is important that medical personnel from the drug company be available to support the information needs of health professionals and the needs of the company sales representatives without crippling their own clinical research activities. This article describes a system designed to meet these needs. The Drug Information Service is responsible for coordinating an integrated system for processing both written and telephone inquiries. Preparation for launch includes development of a comprehensive product bibliography and index to facilitate access to literature, preparation of standard responses to anticipated inquiries, and conduct of training classes. Consideration is given to the use of unpublished data and the legal implications of responding to medical inquiries. An automated drug information system utilized for monitoring activities, tracking requests, and retrieval of previously completed replies is described.