Patient Preferences on Drug Product Design Attributes Among UK Lung Cancer Patients

OBJECTIVES: To assess experiences and preferences regarding drug product attributes among patients with lung cancer in the United Kingdom (UK) using a multi-method approach.

METHODS: A patient advisory board and online quantitative survey using object-case (case 1) best-worst scaling (BWS) were conducted. Advisory board participants completed the survey before participating in the advisory board. After the advisory board, the survey was edited based on member feedback and administered to a separate group of patients recruited through 3 UK patient groups. 27 attributes were evaluated across 3 separate BWS exercises. Qualitative perspectives were elicited during the advisory board. Demographics and experience with lung cancer and drug product attributes were collected.

RESULTS: 8 patients attended the advisory board. A total of 43 patients were surveyed (advisory board participants (n=8); online survey respondents (n=35)), 40% were aged 55-64 and most were female (74%). Most patients had experience taking tablets (67%) or capsules (37%) and limited experience with infusions (23%) or injections (5%). Oncologists were the most common source of drug product information and blister packs were the most preferred packaging type. Among the mode of administration attributes, once a day was preferred regardless of number of tablets and an injection (once weekly) was 1.7x more preferred than taking a tablet/capsule three times daily. Patients avoided tablets that did not feel smooth or had a rough surface (4.7x less preferred than injection); roughness was believed to indicate poor swallowability. Complicated medication instructions were 1.1x-2.3x less preferred than injections. Results of the survey following the advisory board confirmed the results from the advisory board participants, supporting generalizability of the advisory board findings.

CONCLUSIONS: Combining a drug-product attribute survey and discussion of results with a patient advisory board provided insights to inform more patient-centric drug product design which may result in increased adherence and better health outcomes.