Encountering objections and questions from payers and health technology assessment (HTA) decision-makers is an unavoidable part of bringing a new pharmaceutical or medical technology to market.
Payer conversations provide an opportunity to acknowledge potential issues or evidence gaps and alleviate concerns. Yet without careful planning and the development of effective objection handling resources, these concerns can cause delays and disappointment on the road to reimbursement or formulary listing.
Having the right tools to successfully manage payer objections is therefore an important element of any market access strategy. Objection handlers help equip affiliates with internally approved, scientifically robust and compelling responses to anticipated payer questions, and are a vital component of the value communication toolkit (alongside evidence dossiers, value stories, and other payer-facing materials).
At Clarivate, we understand the importance of robust objection handling and have extensive experience supporting clients achieve positive reimbursement or formulary listing decisions across a comprehensive range of indications. In this article, we outline our six golden rules for developing effective objection handling resources.
Pharmaceutical objection handling: Our six golden rules
1. Think like a payer to anticipate potential objections
To prepare for potential payer objections, it helps to understand their past behaviour. So, spend time reviewing the treatment landscape, hurdles or issues that payers have identified with competitor products, as well as the different payer archetypes and their priorities. Talk with local affiliate teams too – they may already have first-hand experience of your payers’ evidence requirements and pain points. What factors drive payer decision-making? What concerns might they have? By thinking like a payer and learning from their past decisions, you can then prepare your response with the most robust evidence and compelling arguments at hand.
2. War-game potential solutions to differentiate your product
A common challenge facing pharmaceutical and medical technology companies is the need to differentiate a product from a key comparator. Looking at the market from a competitor’s perspective can help to determine a key strategic advantage or unmet need, helping to identify where your product offers real value. Bringing teams together in ‘war-gaming’ workshops can therefore be a valuable and engaging way to develop a compelling argument to counter payer objections.
3. Provide clear, evidence-based responses to objections
Payer objections can arise for many reasons, including a lack of available information or misinterpretation of existing evidence. The “answer, context, bridge” approach is a highly effective method to navigate payer concerns, add value to conversations and bridge to the message you’d like them to remember. Backing up your statements with hard evidence, including data from clinical trials, real-world evidence, or patient-reported outcomes, will help build trust with your payer and provide the clarity they may need.
4. Target your objection responses to the relevant decision-maker
Not all payers have the same priorities when making reimbursement or formulary listing decisions. It’s therefore vital to tailor your response to ensure it resonates with your target stakeholder’s evidence needs and decision drivers. For example, while hospital managers and regional budget holders will want to understand outcomes such as drug costs, adverse events and resource costs, private health insurance companies will be more concerned about the overall medical expenses incurred by patients they cover. By understanding what motivates payers in specific markets and adapting your messaging accordingly, you’ll be well placed to alleviate their concerns and maximise buy-in.
5. Develop intuitive objection handling materials you’ll enjoy using
Clever design can transform an objection handler from being just another unwieldly slide deck to a powerful tool you (and your teams) will be proud to use. Intuitive navigation can help teams easily find relevant responses quickly and efficiently. Other design features, such as tabs and layered information, can help affiliates deliver just the right amount of information to their audience – short and snappy if time is limited, or with additional context if a deeper dive is appropriate. At Clarivate, our in-house graphic designers ensure the objection handlers we develop have a considered design, tailored for ease of use, comprehension, and high visual appeal.
Figure 1: Before and after: Transforming dull design (left) into an impactful tool your team will embrace (right)
6. Practice navigating payer conversations
Practice makes perfect, and the same is true when navigating payer concerns. Negotiations can be perceived as adversarial – making some people feel uneasy. But objections shouldn’t necessarily be seen as a bad thing, rather an opportunity to clarify, engage and offer a solution or alternative.
Interactive objection handling workshops can be an invaluable opportunity for affiliates to road-test responses and practise navigating anticipated payer questions. A well-run workshop with engaging activities can successfully prepare teams for critical conversations with payers and decision-makers, leaving affiliates with the confidence to solve potential challenges together with their target payer.
Handling payer objections: Key takeaways
Navigating payer objections is a critical and unavoidable part of the reimbursement and formulary listing process for pharmaceutical products and medical devices. By understanding key payer drivers, preparing compelling, evidenced-based responses, and giving affiliate teams the confidence to use them, payer uncertainty can be alleviated to achieve positive reimbursement and formulary listing decisions.
At Clarivate, we have a deep understanding of global payer behaviour and decades of experience developing compelling value communication materials and interactive workshops (including for objection hander planning and strategy, rollout of materials and war-gaming sessions), enabling us to partner with our clients to successfully navigate the reimbursement landscape. If you would like to learn more about how we can support your market access goals, please get in touch here.
This post was written by Ashley Newcombe, Senior Medical Writer, and Richard Massey, Director, Value Communication.
