Trends

The world of health care is rapidly evolving. The way in which we will make diagnoses, administer medication, identify or prevent diseases and monitor patients will be revolutionarily different from today.
There are ten trends that influence the evolution of health care
Ageing population

Population ageing is a primarily Western phenomenon. People remain active and independent longer, and only really require help at a much later age. This demographic change will result in more people suffering from cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disorders and chronic diseases. Those patients will also require other types of care.
Personalized Care

Therapies and medications will need to be better adapted to the individual needs of the patient as we gain a better knowledge of his genetic profile, his metabolism and the specific disease he or she is suffering from. We will evolve towards an individualized risk assessment in our approach to certain diseases. Each patient must receive the right treatment, in the right dosage, and at the right time.
To map out this path for the future, the company has set up Janssen Diagnostics: multifunctional teams working in cross-therapeutic areas on diagnostic tools to allow earlier, better and more efficacious use of medicines.
Changing Competition

Competition in the pharmaceutical industry will not only come from other pharmaceutical companies. Industries and companies that develop technologies, IT solutions and mobile communication targeted at the early identification of pathogens or the measurement of the intake of medication will also move onto our market. Companies operating in these domains are potential partners for Janssen, since the health care of the future requires integrated therapeutic solutions.
Therapy Adherence

The success of a therapy largely depends on the patient taking his medication correctly and consistently. New technological developments will significantly improve and support therapy adherence. New applications for smartphones, for instance, can help us steer patient behavior.
Smart Materials and Technologies

With “smart packaging” using built-in technologies such as radio signals, we will be able to track the medication’s path at any time during the distribution process, and the conditions involved. This allows timely action if something unexpected or undesirable occurs. Smart materials and technologies can also be used to develop mini-sensors for treatment monitoring and providing means to simplify it.
Prevention

Prevention is better than cure. Research will be aimed at assessing the risk of later disorders or diseases in healthy people in advance, and suggesting appropriate solutions. Prevention therefore starts at an early age to curb the onset of age-related disorders.
Product Authenticity and Safety

The authenticity of the medication on offer is not always easy to check, especially on the Internet . Verification systems will make it possible to check the authenticity of every medicine, thereby guaranteeing patient safety.
Always in Touch by Communication Technology

Small bioactivity meters on or in the body will communicate wirelessly with a mobile phone or smartphone. The mobile phone forwards the data to the physician. This enables him to monitor his patients round the clock. He will know whether they are taking their medication in time and how they respond to it, and he can remotely monitor the patient’s health status. In the future, modern communication media will also be used for the continuous exchange of information between patients, healthcare providers, healthcare payers and other stakeholders.
User Friendliness

People have much higher expectations with regard to comfort and user friendliness than before. They expect more integrated solutions in their daily lives. Think, for example, of the smartphone, which combines many functions in one device. This development is also to be expected in the healthcare sector. Taking just one pill per day that gradually releases the active ingredient is more likely to ensure good therapy adherence.
Sustainability

Sustainability in the healthcare sector not only means a responsible attitude towards the environment, but should also ensure access to medication, acting with respect for people (both patients and own staff), and generating a profit that is acceptable from an ethical point of view. Our Credo and the local campus values have put sustainability high on the agenda for some time already.