Myth no. 1:
An innovative product has not had time to prove itself.
Bénédicte Hivin –- “First and foremost, it’s important to remember that all medicines and vaccines are required to have a marketing authorisation (MA). Scientific studies were carried out as a necessity before the product was launched. For medical devices, an MA is not required for animal health. There’s no obligation for animal feed either. That said, companies and brands of recognised quality in the sector will have carried out practical case studies and assessments demonstrating the benefits for animal health. It’s then up to laboratories or pet food companies to provide veterinarians with the results of these assessments and tests and present them clearly.
What’s more, with each new product, it takes years to collect enough tangible data. So if a veterinarian doesn’t use or recommend a product, they’ll never know its benefits. Innovations always bring more benefits than old-generation products – you just need to take a step back to realise this”.
Myth no. 2:
I don't have the time to learn about innovations or get training.
Myth no. 3:
Another innovation? I don't need it!
Bénédicte Hivin – “Sometimes, innovations emerge in R&D without any demand having been expressed in the field. Veterinarians haven’t identified a need and therefore haven’t provided any feedback to the sales team. The relationship between innovation and market need isn’t necessarily obvious to veterinarians or customers at first glance. However, an animal health company has identified a new, more convenient or effective solution. It will therefore have to provide both scientific and pragmatic proof of its usefulness to veterinarians.
Let’s take the example of a new medication to treat diabetes in cats. Until now, veterinary teams had only injectable insulin treatment at their disposal, which worked perfectly well. Recently, an innovation has been made available to vets and cat owners in the form of a drinkable solution. It’s much simpler than an injection. It’s a win-win situation: the vet can more easily explain how to administer the medication, the cat owner’s life is simpler, and the animal no longer has to endure injections every day.
This means that animals whose owners could previously refuse treatment because it was too complex can be better cared for, and more lives saved.
Another example is measuring blood glucose levels using a drop of blood. This is a system that’s been around for a long time, but now some devices are connected. Rather than being recorded by hand, blood glucose readings can now be recorded automatically and sent directly to the cat’s owner via an app, for example. Time is saved and reliability is increased (no errors when recording data) at every level! Here too, there was no identified need, yet this innovation won over both veterinarians and their customers”.
Myth no. 4:
Of course, innovation is expensive!
Myth no. 5:
Innovations are all very well, but they're never very clear.
Bénédicte Hivin – “The successful launch of an innovative product depends on adoption and a change in practices. And you don’t change your behaviour unless everything is clear and you understand the benefits for yourself and your patients. This is where training plays a key role. To clarify the issue and convince them of the benefits of a new solution, it’s essential to get the various players – representatives, veterinarians, pet owners – involved. The message should be cascaded to each target. Everyone needs to understand.
Case in point: after launching an asthma inhalation device for horses, a laboratory realised that veterinarians and horse owners didn’t know how to handle it safely. The training course we developed enabled us to review the use of the device and demonstrate all the benefits for horses. The impact on usage and therefore sales was rapid. Traditional product promotion through advertising or sales visits is essential, but not sufficient. We need to put it into practice and talk about it in a way that is concise and has an impact. That’s what training is for. The representative must be able to clearly explain the benefits and advantages of an innovation to a veterinarian, who can then explain it to their customers – for the benefit of their patients. .
That’s what training is for. The delegate must be able to clearly explain the benefits and advantages of an innovation to the veterinarian, who can then explain it to his customers… for the benefit of his patients.
Innovation in animal health therefore isn’t risky, complex or disconnected from the needs of all those involved in animal welfare: veterinarians, families, pet owners, breeders and the animals themselves. On the contrary, every innovation will be adopted as long as it adds real value. But we need to understand this perceived value and be able to explain it. And this is where training has a major role to play!”
