The Art and Science of Oncology and Oncology Marketing

“The Art and Science of Cancer Care: From Comfort to Cure” is the theme of the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, which is held each year in early June. And it’s a beautiful encapsulation of what oncology providers and patients – and marketers – face. The field is one of extreme complexity, and the complexity of the oncology patient journey only continues to increase.  

This is, in many ways, a good thing! Increasing complexity means more choices, more possibilities, more hope. But it also means more decisions. Let’s look at three ways the complexity is increasing.  

The complexity of treatment continues to grow as more options become available.  
AI is increasingly being used to help with the process of drug discovery (Sanofi, Formation Bio and OpenAI recently announced a collaboration to create AI-powered software to speed drug development), as well as to predict outcomes and identify the right patients for treatments.  

The complexities of pricing, access and reimbursement are also growing.  
The market access landscape is evolving across the world. For example, in the United States, it is changing because of legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act, and in the European Union, it is preparing to change, with the European Parliament adopting a position on the proposed reforms to pharmaceutical legislation.  

The complexity of ethical, sustainable business is becoming more apparent to more people.  

Who gets access to diagnosis and treatment? It’s not always equitable, which is a problem that organizations such as The Chrysalis Initiative have brought to the fore and sought to rectify. Do the people who are part of clinical trials have access to the drug once it’s approved? In the age of global trials that take place in many nations, that’s often not the case. 

Now let’s look at how ASCO’s theme can help us with that.  

But can it? Art is complicated. Science is complicated. How does it help us to consider the complexity of oncology in light of these two approaches? Doesn’t that just make it all messier?  

As Leonardo da Vinci said,“To develop a complete mind: Study the science of art; study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.” And, as Albert Einstein said, “The greatest scientists are always artists as well.”  

Now, of course, we’re marketers – not artists, not scientists and certainly not da Vinci or Einstein. But if you’re not at least part artist, you’re not a good marketer. And if you’re not doing your best to keep up with scientists, you’re not a good pharma marketer. The complexity that we face, when we try to help oncology brands find the patients that need them, requires both.  

We need to employ the artistry of creating compelling, meaningful, emotional creative to break through the noise and connect with our patients and providers. And we must have a solid understanding of not only medical science, but also the latest tech to help us reach them in the best ways and at the most opportune moments.  

Here are a few examples of how excelling at the art and science of oncology can make a difference:  

• Creative: As Fierce Pharma put it, here’s “How EVERSANA roared back from rejection to craft Cannes-winning campaign hospitals couldn’t ignore.” 
• Medical: Here’s a short video explaining how “Therapy and Tumor Types Drive Launch Strategies.” 
• Technology: We’re putting AI to work throughout the commercialization process, from awareness to diagnosis to treatment to affordability to adherence – and you can visit the Innovation section of the EVERSANA INTOUCH site to learn more! (For example, specifically for brand planning season, you can access our recent white paper on “Leveraging Generative AI in Brand Planning: Insights From the Second Annual Pharmaceutical Brand Planning Survey.”)