Checklist · Pharmaceuticals · 4 min read
Pharmaceuticals market research checklist: 10 steps before you brief an agency
By the HealthcareMarketResearch research team, Pune · Updated
Quick answer
Before briefing a pharmaceuticals research agency, write down the business decision, the hypotheses, the target audiences and markets, the timeline, the budget range and how results will be used. A clear one-page brief usually cuts proposal time in half and improves study quality.
Key takeaways
- One decision per study
- List hypotheses to test
- Name audiences and markets
- Agree deliverables up front
The 10-step checklist
Work through these before your first call with an agency.
- Write the business decision the study informs
- List 3–5 hypotheses
- Name the audiences (e.g. payers and HTA advisors)
- Choose markets and any India or US state focus
- Decide qual, quant or both
- Set the timeline and key dates
- Give a budget range
- Agree compliance and AE reporting needs
- Define the deliverable format
- Name who will act on the results
Common mistakes
The most common mistake in pharmaceuticals research is asking too many questions at once. The second is choosing the method before the objective. Both lead to long surveys, tired respondents and weak findings.
What happens next
Send the brief to two or three partners and compare how they challenge it, not just their price. HealthcareMarketResearch is headquartered in Pune, India, with a network of 5,000+ healthcare market researchers, physicians, payers and industry experts across 100+ Indian cities.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a research brief be?+
One to two pages is ideal. Focus on the decision, audiences, markets, timing and budget.
Should I share a budget?+
Yes. A range lets the agency design the strongest study you can afford instead of guessing.
Need answers for your own project?
Our Pune-based team and 5,000+ researchers can scope a study in 24–48 hours.
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