Brand Health in Indian Pharma: Why It Matters More Than Ever

In Indian pharmaceutical marketing, we often track brands through sales numbers, market share, and rankings. These numbers matter. But they tell us only what happened, not why it happened or whether it will continue. That is where the idea of brand health becomes critical.

Brand health is one of those concepts everyone senses intuitively, but few define clearly. Yet it plays a decisive role in whether a brand merely survives or continues to grow year after year.

In simple terms, brand health is the ease with which a doctor chooses your brand.

• Not after multiple reminders.
• Not because of pressure.
• Not because of a scheme.

But how naturally your brand comes to the doctor’s mind and pen when a clinical situation arises.

A healthy pharma brand:

• Is recalled easily
• Feels safe and dependable
• Is used repeatedly
• Continues to get prescribed even when effort reduces

An unhealthy brand may still sell, but only with constant pushing. The moment pressure drops, prescriptions drop. So, brand health is not about how loudly you promote. It is about how comfortably the brand gets chosen.

Why Understanding Brand Health Is Critical

The Indian pharma market is crowded, competitive, and increasingly similar at the molecule level. In this environment, brand health becomes the real differentiator. Sales numbers alone can be misleading. When brand health is poor, every new competitor hurts more, price sensitivity increases, and schemes become necessary for survival. Growth becomes fragile.

On the other hand, when brand health is strong, brands withstand competition better, doctors stay loyal longer, and growth becomes less effort-dependent. Healthy brands grow not because they are pushed harder, but because they are chosen more comfortably.

How Can Brand Health Be Measured or Diagnosed in Pharma?

Brand health in pharma is best read through behaviour, not opinions. The most reliable behaviour is the pattern of prescriptions. Prescriptions are not random acts; they are the final outcome of a doctor’s thinking. Studying prescription patterns reveals the underlying belief a doctor holds about a brand.

The first signal to examine is presence. Is the brand getting prescribed? What is the traction?  Does it appear consistently in the doctor’s consideration set? Without this, no further diagnosis is meaningful.

The second signal is perception. What does the brand stand for in the doctor’s mind? Is it seen as strong or mild, routine or specialist, first choice or fallback? Brands with unclear or shifting perceptions struggle to build conviction. This can be judged through PDPC. Where is it getting prescribed? How is it prescribed? What else is recommended along with this (Co-Rx)?

The third—and most telling—signal is usage behaviour. Who uses the brand, how frequently, and in which types of patients? Is it prescribed only in mild cases, or also in difficult situations?

Strong brand health reveals itself in frequent, confident, and consistent usage among target specialists. Weak brand health shows up as hesitant prescribing, irregular use, or deployment in second-choice indications—no matter what sales numbers show.

Early Warning Signs of Deteriorating Brand Health

Brand health rarely collapses overnight. It deteriorates quietly. Study of prescription data would reveal the health status.

Some early warning signs include:

• Sales holding steady only because the investment keeps increasing
• Reduction is per doctor prescription
• Doctors using the brand only in less important indications
• Prescriptions dropping sharply when calls reduce
• Increased dependence on schemes or samples
• Brand being easily replaced by “me-too” competitors

This is the time to intervene.

Can Brand Health Be Improved? How?

Yes, brand health can be improved—but not by doing more of the same.

The first step is diagnosis. Identify whether the weakness lies in the presence, perception, or confidence of usage. Trying to fix behaviour directly when belief is weak almost always fails.

If presence is weak, consistent reach and visibility are required. But this should be disciplined, not noisy.

If perception is weak or confused, marketing must step in with clarity. Indian pharma brands often try to say too many things at once—multiple indications, multiple messages. Healthy brands stand for one clear role, repeated consistently.

If usage confidence is weak, the solution lies in field coaching, not new creatives Brand health improves when conversations move beyond call averages and targets, and towards patient profiles, appropriate usage, and clinical confidence. Doctors build belief when they see consistency between what is said and what they experience.Confidence builds when doctors know exactly where and how the brand fits. Thus following can be considered.

• Scientific storytelling: Present evidence in simple, memorable narratives that reinforce trust.
• Consistent MR engagement: Build relationships through clarity, responsiveness, and value-added support.
• Patient-centric programs: Samples, adherence tools, education materials — these extend the brand beyond the pill.

Most importantly, push should be used as a support system, not a crutch. Push creates exposure. Brand health develops when that exposure slowly turns into preference and habit.

A Final Thought for Brand Managers

Whether you are new to brand management or have decades of experience, remember this:

Sales tell you how your brand performed yesterday.

Brand health tells you whether it will perform tomorrow.

Brands stagnate not because teams stop working hard, but because health is ignored for too long.

If you listen carefully to how doctors perceive, trust, and use your brand—you can diagnose early, intervene wisely, and build brands that grow with confidence, not fatigue.

Healthy prescription brands are those that consistently foster trust, recall, and positive patient outcomes, backed by ethical engagement and strong relationships availability.

That is what brand health truly means in Indian pharma.

—- Satish Dandekar