AstraZeneca is digitising the patient experience
A digital solution for paper information leaflets
How closely do you read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine?
You know it’s important. If your doctor advises you to read it, you nod. Then what? A quick glance and then straight into the green bin? Pushed to the back of a drawer?
Data from the US and UK indicates that many people who take medicine don’t read the patient information leaflets (PILs) that come with medication. Those that do often find it hard to understand, or want more information. It clearly shows that paper PILs are not meeting the needs of today’s society.
In a digital economy, this outdated system needs a refresh. So, experts in the life sciences and healthcare sector are exploring the use of electronic product information (ePI).
With potential benefits for patients, healthcare systems and the planet, AstraZeneca is laying the groundwork for change: its goal is to introduce ePI across all products by 2030, whilst ensuring flexibility for patients to access product information through alternative ways if needed.
Since 2021, we’ve worked alongside AstraZeneca to build a robust ePI digital solution, creating a platform that allows access to ePI by scanning a QR code found on the pack of AstraZeneca medicines. When scanned using a web or mobile application the QR code will bring up a digital version of the paper PILs found in medicine packs.
It’s already been implemented across a wide range of medicine products, with pilot programmes rolled out successfully across 24 markets, including Japan, Singapore, Australia, Canada, Spain and Portugal.
Digital technology is playing an increasingly important role in our health and wellbeing
Many of us now look to trusted sources online for reliable information – and information about medicines should be part of this landscape. Digitising paper PILs is an opportunity to support an industry-wide shift that will bring benefits for not only the planet, but also patients and healthcare systems.
Ensuring that everyone can access the medical information they need when they need it remains the ultimate priority, and steps must be taken to ensure this is possible.
AstraZeneca is working in direct partnership with patient communities, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals to ensure their individual needs are met as part of the ongoing rollout. For example, in Australia paper leaflets are available from a pharmacist upon request.
Change won’t happen globally overnight. In many markets, including the EU and the UK, existing regulations require that paper leaflets be included in medicine packs.
Work is underway to catalyse an industry-wide transition, with organisations such as the UK ePI Task Force in the UK, EFPIA in Europe, RDPAC in China, AMPI in the US, and Interfarma in Brazil spearheading the change.
To ensure no one is left behind, AstraZeneca and Deloitte are collaborating with partners to design solutions that work for all patients and working closely with stakeholders. In the UK, these include the NHS, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the UK ePI Task Force.
of people who take medicine read the PIL (US data)
of people who take medicine don’t read the PIL (UK data)
of those who read the PIL don’t understand it (UK data)
of those who read the PIL want more information (UK data)
The benefits of electronic product information (ePI)
ePI is an example of how designing solutions in an integrated way can have benefits for people, society and the planet. Some of the advantages include:
Health literacy and patient care
Patient adoption of digital technologies is on the rise creating opportunities to improve health literacy, patient care and experience.
ePI is designed with easy online access in mind. It can be customised, accessed in different languages, updated and linked to further support resources. These features can help patients stay better informed, potentially supporting adherence to medication and improving patient outcomes.
Reduced environmental impact
Currently, 100 billion paper PILs are produced by the pharmaceutical industry every year, generating 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. By reducing paper usage, the environmental impact of medicine supply chains could be significantly reduced, with the potential to save an average of 500,000 trees and 1.6 billion litres of water each year.
In countries like Japan where ePI has been rolled out, the impact is already being realised with 30 million sheets of paper saved in just one year at AstraZeneca’s Maihara manufacturing site.
Speed in the delivery of medicines
Through modernising and simplifying the way in which medicine information is authored, updated and submitted, ePI can enhance industry-regulator collaboration, enabling quicker regulatory review and label updates.
For example, in Singapore, bypassing the need to produce paper leaflets has meant that new medicines were made accessible to patients on average up to three months earlier. Reducing the time required for patients to gain access to products could be vital for those living with life-threatening diseases. Easier provision of multi-language product information can also enable packs to be shared between countries in response to demand, enabling broader availability of medicines across markets.
Combining skills and experience
With the foundations laid for change, there are significant opportunities ahead.
Combining AstraZeneca and Deloitte’s skills, experience and sector knowledge has led to the development of innovative solutions. For example, results from a recent patient partnership study conducted by AstraZeneca showed that 98% of respondents had a positive experience using digital instructions, and almost 80% preferred the digital format, highlighting the impact the transition to electronic product information is already having.
However, it’s not always a simple process: “Introducing a system that provides ePI for every medicine, across multiple countries, isn’t straightforward,” says Tim Jessel, a director at Deloitte.
“The products are available across multiple countries and regions, meaning there are many different regulatory environments to contend with. Companies need to be aware of the local policies and stay in listening mode, to ensure they can make the most of the opportunities ahead.”
AstraZeneca is actively working to encourage a swifter pace of change across the sector, through building partnerships in local markets and ensuring system readiness across sites.
To realise the full potential of ePI, and to catalyse a broader industry shift, collaboration between governments, industry, regulators, patient organisations, and health technology developers will be crucial.
The switch to digital-first product information for medicines is a huge opportunity and we look forward to continuing to make progress with key providers like AstraZeneca at this intersection of technology, sustainability and healthcare.
Companies need to be aware of the local policies and stay in listening mode, to ensure they can make the most of the opportunities ahead.
Tim Jessel, Director, Deloitte
