PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the most relevant marketing factors and examine existing theories and to provide guidance for planning future studies. Since drug markets are very complex, this paper will focus on a particular market/country to reduce some of this complexity.Design/methodology/approachA serial research study is undertaken to examine the essential marketing success factors by means of two qualitative studies applying Focus group and Delphi survey techniques. Swiss healthcare professionals in middle and senior management positions (Focus group n=5, Delphi group n=11) are asked to voice their personal opinion regarding the importance of various factors that might influence the turnover of prescription drugs. The fundamental findings derived from the Focus group interview are used for the Delphi group survey set‐up. To reach a consensus within the Delphi group, a three‐step interactive procedure is applied. For the evaluation of the Focus group results, a content analysis is performed. The results of the Delphi study are investigated, using descriptive statistics.FindingsThe paper ultimately yields a ranking of 29 instruments perceived to be important in the marketing of pharmaceuticals in Switzerland. With this paper, the proposed model and its propositions could be supported.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper investigates their relevance based upon practical experience of Swiss health care professionals and is therefore somewhat limited to the Swiss market.Practical implicationsIn the Swiss market, successful marketing has to consider appropriate product properties including issues such as efficacy and safety plus a promotion policy that emphasizes relationship with opinion leaders and personal selling. Additionally, it is vital that the product is also distributed via sales channels such as hospitals and physicians and that the product will be reimbursed by health insurance.Originality/valueThese findings will enable pharmaceutical companies to improve their sales success. The proposed model can be extended to other markets and countries.

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Summary:Ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate monitoring were used for comparing the antihypertensive effect of a 1 -week treatment with enalapril and lisinopril 10 mg once daily (double-blind crossover placebo-controlled d y ) . Welve outpatients with mild to moderate hypertension were treated. Both drugs had a significant and identical hypotensive effect. Neither drug affected the diurnal rhythm of blood pressure or heart rate. Therefore the two drugs are equipotent antihypertensive agents. Both drugs inhibited ACE activity to a highly significant extent, but in this regard lisinopril was more effective than enalapril. However, lisinopril's greater ACE inhibition was not accompanied by a greater hypotensive effect. The clinical value of this difference is not yet established.