UZM. DR. MURAT YAYCI
ATABAY Medical Director

First, I would like to briefly outline the general promotional approaches companies adopt in the pharmaceutical sector. With the industry’s shift toward a patient-centric model that places the patient at the heart of product promotion, large companies no longer limit themselves to merely promoting the drug — they have transitioned to a position where they provide scientific support to physicians and guidance to patients throughout their entire treatment journey. It is precisely at this point that the medical department emerges as one of the key players in patient-centric promotion, functioning as the strategic unit that bridges scientific knowledge and the patient experience — embodying, in the truest sense of the word, a holistic approach. Today, virtually all major companies operate according to this model.

Atabay takes this holistic approach a step further, setting itself apart in the process. As an 86-year-old company with deep-rooted heritage, Atabay has in fact demonstrated its distinction across many areas for a considerable time. Most notably through its paracetamol active ingredient products — and across many others — Atabay synthesizes the active substances in-house, standing out as one of the few companies actively working to reduce external dependence. More significantly, products developed by Atabay are entirely gluten-free. This makes Atabay products an important choice for patients with celiac disease and individuals with gluten sensitivity.

I would like to share one of the finest examples of our work in this direction. Almost every year, we conduct an awareness campaign targeting both the general public and physicians on the subject of influenza — a disease that is widely prevalent from October through the end of May. As Atabay, we have been promoting the medicine used in influenza treatment to physicians for many years. We also engage in regular information sharing with physicians and pharmacists on current developments. Independent of product promotion, we provide physicians and pharmacists with the most up-to-date information on the disease, sharing excerpts from different publications in the literature on a weekly basis.

Upon request, we deliver the relevant literature to our physicians and pharmacists within 24 hours. In our public awareness efforts on influenza, in addition to underscoring the importance of initiating treatment early, we emphasize that influenza can in fact be prevented through very simple measures. We provide detailed information on how severely the disease can progress in certain high-risk groups, and inform these groups about the simple steps that can be taken to protect themselves. We believe that, as Atabay, we are taking significant steps — particularly in raising individual awareness — toward a healthier society. We are always one step ahead in our awareness initiatives. Through short videos we prepare on the treatment of diseases and, most importantly, on prevention, we touch people’s lives on social media. In this context, we continue to raise awareness through our “Don’t dismiss it as just the flu” series, in which we address a different topic every week.