Why are co-pay program activation rates so low for specialty drugs?

Specialty drugs see lower co-pay activation rates primarily because of increased workflow complexity. Support is often discovered too late, enrollment requires additional documentation, and the prior authorization process introduces long delays. Even after “activation,” many patients face denied coverage or wait times that lead to abandonment. In 2024, 70% of branded fill attempts were initially denied for commercial insurance plans (IQVIA, 2026).

How much manufacturer co-pay spend never converts to a confirmed fill?

Industry estimates put the total spent on co-pay and patient support at $23B+ annually, but roughly 80% of this investment does not convert to an activated, usable saving—let alone a confirmed therapy start (Asembia, 2025). The three major breakpoints in the conversion funnel are support discovery, enrollment friction, and prior authorization delays.

What are the main reasons co-pay program activation fails to lead to therapy starts?

The failure typically occurs at three breakpoints: (1) patients or prescribers do not discover the savings in time, (2) enrollment friction in forms or portals causes drop-off, and (3) a PA is still pending when the patient reaches the pharmacy, leading to abandonment. Most brand teams lack end-to-end workflow connection and patient-level attribution (MGMA, 2026; Surescripts, 2025).

How can brand teams measure patient support program ROI more accurately?

Accurate ROI requires tracking from first intervention through to confirmed fill at the patient level. This means connecting data from co-pay discovery, enrollment, ePA status, activation confirmation, and pharmacy fill in one workflow. Measurement that relies on aggregate program metrics will always overstate ROI and underestimate drop-off (Asembia, 2025).

Does electronic prior authorization solve the activation-to-fill gap?

Electronic PA, when embedded inside the prescribing workflow, can materially reduce approval times. Surescripts reported an 18-second median approval for in-scope meds (Surescripts, 2025). But for most brands, implementation remains limited. Many clinics still manually navigate numerous payer portals each week, spending more than 35 minutes per request on average (MGMA, 2025; MGMA, 2026).

What is the typical drop-off rate between patient support program enrollment and a confirmed fill?

Nearly 60% of patients who begin the enrollment process for a support program do not complete it, often due to form burden, portal friction, or PA-based delays. The final fill rate for a typical specialty support program remains under 40% (Asembia, 2025).

How do accumulator and maximizer programs affect co-pay ROI?

Accumulator and maximizer programs operated by PBMs reduce the value of manufacturer support by preventing co-pay dollars from counting toward a patient’s deductible. This results in a higher out-of-pocket expense for the patient and further erodes the conversion of co-pay spend to actual therapy starts (IQVIA, 2026).

What capabilities define a connected workflow for therapy access?

A truly connected workflow includes: (1) co-pay discovery, (2) RTBC at prescribing, (3) ePA before pharmacy, (4) AI-guided enrollment, (5) activation confirmation, and (6) patient-level analytics. Bringing these together inside the EHR allows for closed-loop attribution and measurable ROI at the therapy-start level.

Can brand teams pilot a connected workflow without replacing their existing hub services?

Yes. Most modern platforms in this category are designed to run alongside existing hub contracts, not replace them. This enables brand teams to pilot closed-loop attribution and activation workflows in parallel, minimizing risk and operational lift (Asembia, 2025). --- This argument doesn’t close with a tidy fix, because the industry’s workflow isn’t built to deliver one. The right answer is structural, not just tactical. The measurement gap and activation gap are two symptoms of the same design: a system built for enrollments and activations, not for therapy starts. That’s what needs changing.

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Doceree at NEXT Pharma Summit 2026

May 20, 2026 Author: Doceree 2 minute read

Doceree had a remarkable presence at the NEXT Pharma Summit 2026, held on May 19–20 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. The summit brought together leaders across digital, commercial, medical affairs, AI, and technology — all focused-on collaboration and meaningful impact, with one simple question at its heart: What's next? Doceree showed up to help answer it, with Jiten Jain (Vice President & General Manager, UK & Europe), Fleur Gill (VP Sales & Partnerships, Global), and Sabina Kapp (Director, Sales & Partnerships, UK & Europe) representing Team Doceree across two packed and energizing days. From the main stage to Booth #3 and the NEXT Innovation Gallery, the team was at the center of every important conversation.

Booth #3: Where the Industry Came to Connect

If there was one place at NEXT Pharma Summit 2026 that never had a quiet moment, it was Booth #3. The booth drew a steady stream of industry peers across both days — commercial leaders, medical affairs professionals, and digital health innovators — all keen to explore and engage.

The team had the privilege of sitting down for one-on-one conversations with key industry leaders and senior pharma professionals, diving deep into the summit's central theme — what the future of pharma's sales and commercial model truly looks like. The conversations were candid, forward-looking, and led to one common realization: the traditional rep model alone can no longer meet the demands of modern HCP engagement. That is exactly the gap RepTwin was built to fill — and once leaders heard about it, the questions didn't stop.

What is it? How does it work? Can it really engage HCPs 24x7 across EHRs, journals, and brand platforms? The answer to all three — yes. A first-ever AI-powered virtual brand rep that knows no geographical borders, present across multiple markets, channels, and touchpoints simultaneously, brand-trained and hyper-personalized to each HCP's needs. The more the team shared, the more the interest grew.

Booth #3 didn't just connect people; it sparked conversations that will shape decisions long after Dubrovnik.

Taking the Main Stage: The Sales Organization of the Future

Doceree didn't just attend — it led the conversation. On May 20th at 10:00 AM, Jiten Jain, Vice President & General Manager for UK & Europe, took the main stage with a session titled "The Sales Organization of the Future — Designed and Powered by AI."

As healthcare ecosystems grow more fragmented and access pathways evolve, traditional sales models struggle to keep pace. The future belongs to adaptive organizations — sales ecosystems that simulate impact before deployment, align global strategy with local execution, and dynamically optimize territories, incentives, and resource allocation. The session explored how leading pharma companies are building the sales organization of the future — transforming traditional static field force models into intelligent, continuously evolving structures that are ready for the demands of tomorrow. The audience response was electric — attendees were deeply engaged, asking thoughtful questions that made the session truly interactive, and the conversations it sparked carried well beyond the session itself.

RepTwin at the NEXT Innovation Gallery: Real Problems. Real Answers

At the NEXT Innovation Gallery — a curated showcase celebrating transformation across the pharmaceutical ecosystem — Doceree had a dedicated space to showcase RepTwin, its first-ever AI-powered virtual brand rep, purpose-built for pharma's commercial and medical teams.

The exhibit was framed around the questions no one has fully answered yet: What happens when your HCP waits hours for brand support? What happens when your patient drops off mid-enrollment? What happens when your rep is still training on slides? RepTwin answers all three. Embedded within EHRs, medical journals, brand websites, and training platforms, RepTwin is omnipresent, brand-trained, and designed to enable HCP engagement through video, voice, or text without geographical barriers.

A Summit Worth Every Moment

NEXT Pharma Summit 2026 was a resounding success for Doceree — in every way that counts. The team left Dubrovnik with meaningful new connections and a clear sense that the industry is ready for what Doceree is building. From the main stage to a buzzing Innovation Gallery and a packed Booth #3, Doceree made its mark at the forefront of pharma's commercial evolution. The question was What's next? Doceree came with the answer.

To explore more, visit us at: RepTwin