Often Pharma uses actors in films about patients. We wanted to show ACTUAL patients and allow them to tell their story. Sometimes treatment causes more problems and old fashioned drugs may solve one problem but create a new set of problems elsewhere. These are the difficult-to-treat forgotten patients. We felt it was our job to give them a voice. We felt we should create a documentary style film so that the viewer could be transported into the world of the patient. Using 3 patients, Claudia being one of them, we wanted to show the effects that current treatment has on these patients both physically and mentally and for them to describe their lives in their own words unscripted. Using real patients in their real settings we felt the honesty of the piece could change a prescriber’s mind-set of these forgotten patients and look upon them more sympathetically.

The implementation of these films is global. The films were showcased at two recent congresses: EAACI in Vienna and at ERS in London. The intended use of these films is as follows:

• In promotional materials of GSK medicines to inform and educate doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals

• On Health.gsk (healthcare professional site)

• In meetings where presenting disease or product information to healthcare professionals

• Training for GSK employees

• On GSK booths at medical congresses and symposium meetings

• As a case study for discussion with doctors

The film has had a huge emotional impact on those that have seen it. It has been a stark reminder that there is a huge unmet need in this disease area.

The film has also engaged and motivated the internal GSK teams. The launch lead in the UK felt the films were very relevant and they plan to use them when talking about the NICE approval.