Spotlight on Pharma Market Research
Interview with Hazel Haskayne:
Pharma Director at Purdie Pascoe
An introduction to Hazel
Hazel, tell us a bit about yourself?
With over 25 years of experience in the primary market research industry, I've had the privilege of collaborating with some exceptional researchers across various industries. My career has predominantly focused on Life Sciences, as a qualitative practitioner I uncover the true drivers of human behaviour and decision-making which is both challenging and exciting.
Outside of delivering market research insights, what do you enjoy doing?
I love being outdoors! I'm about to get my first dog, but for the past seven years, my husband and I have regularly ‘borrowed’ a friend's beautiful German Shepherd to join us on long walks through the stunning countryside right on our doorstep. Last year, I was persuaded to try paddleboarding, and this year will be the real test to see if I can keep it up. It's a wonderfully calming and mindful activity.
I also have a passion for travel, exploring different countries and cultures. I always make it a point to learn something new or different to appreciate the incredible diversity of humanity. Oh, and you'll often find me hosting the weekly quiz at the local pub in my village.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be, and why?
I would love to have the ability to teleport, allowing me to quickly reach any destination and maximise time with the people I cherish and the experiences that enrich my life.
Hazel’s Perspective - Deep Dive
You joined Purdie Pascoe in early 2025. With vast experience across the industry, what attracted you to joining Purdie Pascoe?
I have witnessed Purdie Pascoe's remarkable growth since its inception in 2008. What drew me to the company was the chance to collaborate with an exceptional team of directors who are actively involved in projects, alongside highly talented researchers. This allows me to focus on my passion – research!
I thoroughly enjoy engaging with clients, healthcare professionals, and individuals living with various conditions and diseases. My goal is to ensure that I guide the right path to successful launches and commercial success for brands that enhance quality of life and outcomes.
You have been in the industry for over 25 years, how has the industry evolved?
Scientific advancements and discoveries have been remarkable. We've seen significant progress in various fields, particularly in neuroscience, precision diagnostics, and medications. Targeted oncology therapies have improved overall survival rates for certain cancer types. Additionally, novel biologics have revolutionised the treatment of autoimmune diseases, alleviating chronic pain, stigma, and lifelong disruption for people living with disease.
The rise of biotech and biopharma has brought attention to orphan diseases, offering hope to those living with rare conditions. The goal is for this focus to continue, increasing awareness among healthcare professionals and society about the signs and symptoms, thereby improving diagnosis times and rates. This would allow treatments to mitigate some of the damage we see today.
Digital health and technology are also at the forefront of everyone's minds. The rapid pace of change is evident; NHS England had to accelerate a planned five-year rollout of digital consultations when COVID-19 struck, demonstrating that technology can be swiftly adapted when necessary.
Artificial Intelligence (no matter the definition known or used) has been around for decades but is now making a significant impact. Tools designed to support and guide diagnostic and treatment decisions are not only easing time pressures but also enabling healthcare professionals to better listen to those seeking their expertise and intervention.
Looking ahead, this growth is set to continue. Real-world health data is in high demand, and the creation of data lakes will inform every stage of the pharmaceutical development journey—from identifying needs and white space opportunities to predicting performance in more diverse clinical trials and post-launch use.
In your opinion, what are the key challenges in launching a new pharma product and how can these challenges be addressed?
Timeliness is crucial; delivering to the end-user as quickly as possible while providing sufficient evidence and reassurance that the right measures are in place. This also ties into clinical trial design and recruitment, where there is a greater need for multi-site designs to not only increase the pool of eligible candidates but also enhance the diversity of the inclusion set. There is also the issue of finding willing volunteers for trials, there can be a reluctance to support pharmaceutical companies.
Being meaningfully different is essential. If not, it's important to find and own a point of difference. While some novel products are being launched, we often see multiple brands within new class launches hitting the market within weeks of each other. This novelty sometimes requires enhanced education, such as understanding the differences between various IL agents, which can be overwhelming for healthcare professionals.
A great example of being meaningfully different is Merck's approach to branding Keytruda when immuno-oncology (IO) assets were coming to market in quick succession. Merck adopted a 'consumer-like' approach, leading with the brand name Keytruda rather than pembrolizumab. They used brand identifiers like the Keytruda 'key,' and maintained semiotic symmetry in colours, tones, and language. They even built brand ownership and consistency in trial nomenclature with the Keynote trials.
How is Purdie Pascoe addressing these challenges?
The genuine agility at Purdie Pascoe is truly exciting. We have an outstanding group of senior directors with over a century of combined experience, complemented by a new generation of researchers contributing to everything we do. This means we challenge the status quo, understand the industry, have witnessed its evolution, know the trends, and aren't afraid to ask different questions or challenge our clients to think differently about their true business needs.
Our boutique model, filled with creative minds, ensures we don't do the same thing just for the sake of it or because it's easy. While we have established methodologies and offerings to support our clients, they are not fixed. We adapt and evolve as needed to ensure the right approaches, innovations, and attitudes deliver the precision promised and expected.
We recognise that we are humans, and so are our clients, their prescribers, and users. Achieving great outcomes means enabling people to truly live with a condition, not be limited or impacted by it. Purdie Pascoe is committed to supporting life science companies getting the best medications into the hands of those who need them, in a timely manner.
For pharma companies looking to partner with a firm for their market research needs, in your opinion what are the most important factors to consider?
I would say trust is a key factor in all partnerships, especially in this industry. With the decline of blockbuster drugs, the rise in research clinical trial (RCT) failures, and the increase in litigation suits, the perception that the pharma industry is flush with money isn't quite accurate. Budgets are not infinite (and never really have been), so it's crucial for clients to feel confident that they are working with a market research agency that truly knows what it's doing and prioritises their business success in all aspects of design, execution, and delivery.
It's not just about being in a safe pair of hands; it's about having hands that are prepared to challenge because they understand the therapy area and/or methodology. It’s imperative to care deeply about the outcomes and need to ensure that the outputs place clients on the right path.
What makes Purdie Pascoe unique as a business?
One of the unique qualities that truly stands out at Purdie Pascoe is our authenticity. We don't pretend to be something we're not. We are market research experts dedicated to life sciences, with a deep understanding of what it takes to launch and market a product, including the potential pitfalls along the way. What you get with us are market research experts who work with agility (a benefit of being a boutique agency), creative, end-goal mindsets and missions.