IMS Acquires Marketing Initiatives in USA

The US business unit of IMS Health has acquired New Hampshire-based Marketing Initiatives, Inc. (MII), an information and services firm specialising in healthcare facility profile data.

The combination of IMS and MII will create the industry's most complete, accurate source for non-retail pharmaceutical data - integrating product sales information with rich details of health system purchasing dynamics and facility affiliations. About one-third of all pharmaceutical sales are made in non-retail settings such as hospitals, clinics and nursing homes.

MII supports pharmaceutical sales and marketing activities through detailed profiles of integrated delivery networks and their affiliations with group purchasing organizations (GPOs), hospitals, ancillary facilities and physicians. MII will operate as an IMS business unit, based in Bedford, New Hampshire. Financial details were not disclosed.

'This acquisition supports our growth strategy, adding complementary skills and resources that will enhance our ability to deliver innovative new client solutions,' said Gary Noon, president of IMS's U.S. Division. 'MII's in-depth insights about the important, complex relationships within integrated health systems are an excellent fit with our existing pharmaceutical sales knowledge - and will help our clients formulate more impactful sales and marketing strategies.'

IMS and MII have been working together for several years and launched their first joint effort earlier this year with DDD Integrated Views. A comprehensive database linking healthcare system purchasing dynamics with sales dollar volumes, DDD Integrated Views helps pharmaceutical companies improve targeting strategies, identify sales opportunities and risks, achieve operational efficiencies and enhance contract compliance. The solution has already been implemented at several leading pharmaceutical companies.

'Until now, clients needed to manage multiple, unrelated data sources to capture non-retail intelligence,' says Thomas DiGiacinto, MII Chief Executive Officer. 'The real power of the IMS/MII union is our ability to seamlessly blend our respective competencies and deliver fully integrated solutions that our clients value.'

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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