Should Medical Device Companies Use Key Opinion Leaders?
Over the last year, Healing Innovations has stated that they’ve been making a case for great collaboration between the medical device industry and physicians. Interestingly enough, they have also blogged about the “conflict of interest which may result from clinicians becoming mouthpieces for new products and clinical trial results.”
Most medical device companies end up utilizing the influence, marketing resources and thoughts of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs). According to Best Practice website, KOLs' have “proven to be among of the most effective and critical means of building product awareness in the medical and scientific communities.”
Healing Innovations pointed out that there are four key areas to a medical device company:
1) Strategic Marketing
2) Research and Development
3) Business Development
4) Legal (patent counsel)
And, while the article pokes fun at these areas being not the greatest fit for doctors with limited time, patients, and passion for the device industry, clinician collaboration may still be beneficial. In fact, the article closes with this statement, “Physician innovators are valuable resources that are under utilized and misappropriated. New collaboration tools and approaches are needed to make medical device development more efficient and effective.”
What are your thoughts on the industry using Key Opinion Leaders versus using clinicians? Share your thoughts with us!
Photo Credit: Bohman
