Case Study: Transforming traditional remedies into credible, clinician-ready evidence
The Challenge
Natural remedies are a challenging category for healthcare provider (HCP) engagement. While consumer trust may be strong, HCPs often view these products with skepticism due to the variable quality of clinical evidence and the prevalence of small, uncontrolled studies.
A global consumer health brand in the natural remedies space was looking to shift that dynamic. Their goal: improve market penetration to HCPs by demonstrating the scientific credibility of their products. They engaged a mid-sized US-based medical marketing agency, which in turn brought in Quill Science to strengthen the scientific backbone of their campaign.
The immediate need was to create an “HCP Playbook” — a clear, evidence-based resource summarizing the research supporting each ingredient in their formulations.
Our Approach
With timelines tight and the agency’s internal research bandwidth stretched, Chris from Quill Science stepped in to:
Systematic research: Conducted a comprehensive literature search for each ingredient, assessing study design, sample size, methods, and outcomes.
Evidence grading: Recognized that in the natural remedies field, rigorous placebo-controlled trials are rare. We graded each study transparently and noted key limitations.
Clear study summaries: Compiled concise, transparent summaries for each paper — including our interpretation and limitations — stored in a Zotero database for easy reference.
Tailored analysis: Reviewed country-specific marketing needs to adapt findings for different international markets.
Comprehensive deliverable: Developed 35 slides in a deck presenting the findings in a high-level yet thorough format for agency and client teams.
Along the way, we brought efficiency to the process by using AI to extract key study details, then verifying every data point manually. This helped us identify key studies and focus on the deeper analysis — the kind of work that turns a collection of studies into a persuasive body of evidence.
The Business Remedy
Our involvement solved two critical challenges:
Agency resource gap: We provided specialist research capacity the agency didn’t have in-house, allowing them to deliver on time without compromising quality.
Scientific trust gap: By applying a transparent evidence-grading system and clear communication of limitations, we created materials that HCPs could engage with confidently.
The Outcome
35+ slide evidence deck covering 15 natural remedy ingredients, from turmeric to marshmallow root to B vitamins, and more.
~200 studies reviewed, each evaluated for scientific rigor and applicability.
An HCP Playbook ready for agency adaptation and client distribution.
Lessons for the Health Space
Natural remedy brands face an uphill battle with HCPs, but credibility can be built when marketing is grounded in methodical, transparent science. For agencies, partnering with a research-focused team like Quill Science can mean the difference between “just another campaign” and a deliverable that changes the conversation.