For years, “market access” has been the holy grail of every pharma launch—a checklist of regulatory approvals, pricing negotiations, and payer agreements. It’s the moment when companies declare, “We’ve arrived.”
But here’s the truth no one says out loud:
Market access doesn’t guarantee patient access.
And unless we focus on optimising patient access, our efforts fall short—and so does our impact.
Market Access vs. Patient Access Optimisation
Let’s clarify the difference:
Market Access is about:
- Securing regulatory approval
- Navigating payer and HTA negotiations
- Achieving commercial availability
It answers the question: “Can we sell this medicine in this market?”
Patient Access Optimisation is about:
- Making sure patients can find, afford, and start therapy
- Dismantling system, awareness, and delivery barriers
- Sustaining use for real-world health outcomes
It asks: “Are patients actually able to receive—and benefit from—this therapy?”
The uncomfortable reality? You can check every market access box and still have a product that never reaches those who need it most. That’s not success—it’s a missed opportunity wrapped in good intentions.
Why Patient Access Optimisation Matters
A therapy listed on a formulary and reimbursed may look like a win. But if:
- There’s no clear diagnostic pathway,
- Physicians aren’t aware of the therapy,
- Patients can’t afford their share of the cost,
- Or they live too far from the nearest provider,
Then “access” is just a word. Patients still lose.
There’s no value in market access if patients can’t access the product.
This is the difference between “we launched” and “we made a difference.”
What Does Patient Access Optimisation Involve?
It’s about building the bridge all the way from molecule to outcome:
- System readiness: Is the infrastructure in place to support the therapy?
- Physician awareness: Are clinicians informed and empowered to prescribe?
- Affordability: Are there copay support programs or local pricing solutions?
- Cultural and logistical barriers: Can patients reach providers, and do they trust the system?
- Ongoing support: Is there education or technology to support adherence and follow-up?
It’s a mindset shift—one that starts with the patient, not the payer.
Making the Shift: What Needs to Change
- Redefine success: Go beyond reimbursement. Track how many eligible patients are treated, and what outcomes they achieve.
- Break down silos: Patient access requires collaboration across regulatory, commercial, medical, public affairs, and community partners.
- Invest locally: Co-create solutions with local insights, not just global assumptions.
- Stay accountable: A launch isn’t “done” until patients are benefiting—at scale.
Final Thought: Access Is Not a Checkbox
As an industry, we’ve grown too comfortable measuring access by price corridors and policy wins. The real measure should be: Who got better—and who never had the chance?
Patient access optimisation isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s the only access that truly matters.
Let’s build strategies that go beyond the gatekeepers—all the way to the people whose lives we aim to change.
💬 Over to You
· Have you seen therapies succeed on paper, but fail in practice?
· What’s one thing your team or organisation could change to put patients at the heart of your access strategy?
Let’s move the conversation forward—from “access to market” to “access to patient outcome.”
