With hardware going obsolete, how will we detail?

Pharma's (WIP) transition from print to tablets was to create "paper on glass"- merely load a pdf of the print VA on the tablet. Hopefully a transition from tablets to the metaverse will be different.

Many years ago, in my corporate stint, I was asked to present on the impact that tech would make on pharma. Amongst other things I had said that by the time our sales force gets comfortable with iPads as a detailing tool, hardware will go obsolete. We had just rolled out iPads to the sales team and understably, the boss man wasn't pleased. There were polite sniggers and I could see most minds shutting off to whatever I said after that.

Earlier this week, I read an article in Financial Times that the makers of RayBan glasses had formalised a 10 year collaboration with Meta to create a mixed reality distribution tool. I felt good at being vindicated. 

My rant is done. Please do read on.

In recent years, one of the boldest predictions in the AR/VR domain is that mixed reality (MR) glasses, capable of overlaying digital information onto the real world, will one day replace mobile phones. This shift is not mere speculation; recent partnerships, such as the collaboration between EssilorLuxottica and Meta, signify the growing commitment of major companies to bring this future to life. 

As we delve into the implications of this potential transition, it is essential to consider how it might transform the pharmaceutical sector, which was the topic of my presentation back in 2016.

Today, mobile phones and tablets are more or less ubiquitous and essential tools for product detailing to doctors. However, MR glasses will surpass mobile phones in these functions by allowing users to interact with digital content more naturally and hands-free. The convenience of hands-free use, immersive digital displays, and interactive virtual elements suggest that MR glasses could evolve to offer a more integrated and efficient alternative to mobile phones.

The development of MR glasses will soon reach a point where they provide all the functionalities of a smartphone or tablet, potentially reducing the need to carry both devices.

Like I had said, hardware will eventually go obsolete.

Sales teams in the pharmaceutical world are just getting comfortable with tablets. The replacement of phones with MR glasses has significant implications for the pharmaceutical industry in detailing to doctors.

To be sure, our transition from print VAs to tablets was to create "paper on glass" - merely load a pdf of the print VA on the tablet without accounting for the various capabilities of the tablet to create dynamic, engaging, multimedia presentations with various options to capture customer behaviour in real time. Several companies do this today too.

Hopefully the transition to the metaverse will be different.  As MR glasses and the metaverse approach mainstream adoption, pharmaceutical companies should begin preparing for this shift to leverage new opportunities which they failed to do in the transit to tablets.

The first is to invest in creating Mixed Reality or MR-compatible content, such as 3D models of drugs, VR training simulations, and virtual patient journeys. Developing a library of high-quality digital resources will be helpful as doctors adopt MR glasses and other immersive technologies.

The next will be to evolve current detailing tools beyond flat presentations and videos. Companies should prioritize tools that allow interactive exploration, immersive visuals, and real-time data tracking to enhance the physician experience. This may involve partnerships with AR/VR developers to integrate these functionalities seamlessly.

The collaboration between EssilorLuxottica and Meta to create AR-enabled glasses indicates a shift towards a world where eyewear becomes a digital gateway, potentially replacing mobile phones. 

As the metaverse continues to develop, companies that embrace these technological changes will be better positioned to meet the evolving needs of healthcare providers and, ultimately, improve patient care.