https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3128-5574
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigated why some clinicians switched growth hormone (GH) brands in pediatric patients with GH-related disorders to Norditropin® since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the clinicians’ perceptions of the results, and whether observations from this period of disruption could inform clinical practice in the future.
Patients and Methods
Clinicians (N=106) from the UK, France, Italy, and Japan who had switched at least one patient to Norditropin® from a GH therapy manufactured by a different pharmaceutical company between February and November 2020 participated. They completed an online survey and submitted patient report forms for up to three switched patients.
Results
Since the start of COVID-19, 39–54% of the reported consultations were virtual (ie, via telephone or online means) in the UK, France, and Italy. Overall, 17% of patients seen by respondents in the survey were switched to a different GH brand; approximately two-thirds of switches were to Norditropin®. Clinicians’ top considerations in choosing a GH brand were patient/carer feedback, patient support programs, and the need for easy-to-use therapies in the context of virtual consultations. The top reasons for switching patients to Norditropin® included ease of use, device features and benefits, better patient/carer feedback, and ease of training in device use via virtual consultations. Norditropin® was considered suitable for use in virtual or in-person consultations or a mixture of both. Based on patient/carer feedback, 66% of clinicians believed that patients preferred Norditropin® to their previous therapy in terms of overall satisfaction.
Conclusion
In this survey, key considerations in prescribing GH therapy were ease of use and acceptability to patients and carers. If virtual consultations increasingly replace in-person ones, ease in training patients/carers in device use will be particularly important. A majority of clinicians considered that their patients preferred Norditropin® to their previous therapy.
Data Sharing Statement
The relevant data from this survey are contained in the article and supplementary materials.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank all the respondents to the survey. They also thank Anna Nicholls, Research Director, Instar, for data analytics support. Medical writing and submission support for this manuscript was provided by Grace Townshend and Liz Beatty of Bioscript Medical, UK, and funded by Novo Nordisk Health Care AG, Switzerland.
Author Contributions
All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Disclosure
J Blair has received payment for membership of the Publication Steering Committee of the NordiNet® International Outcome Study, sponsored by Novo Nordisk. She has received honoraria for presentations given at scientific meetings sponsored by Novo Nordisk and sponsorship for attending a scientific meeting. K Warth is an employee of Instar, a preferred market research supplier for Novo Nordisk, which was commissioned by Novo Nordisk to carry out the survey and analyze the results. Y Suvarna is an employee of Novo Nordisk. M Cappa has received honoraria from Novo Nordisk for presentations given at scientific meetings and membership of a Scientific Board, and sponsorship to attend a scientific meeting. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.