LUTO Research Ltd - User testing experts

Formed in August 2004, LUTO Research Limited is a pharmaceutical consultancy specialising in the enhancing, editing and user testing of patient information for pharmaceutical, generic and OTC companies.

Crucially, user testing is the gold standard for performance-based testing of medicine information leaflets, an area where Prof Raynor and fellow co-founders Dr Peter Knapp and Mark Gibson have in excess of 20 years of experience.

Luto's fundamental business proposition is to provide a user testing service by which the company designs and tests Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) on behalf of pharmaceutical clients with the aim of ensuring that they are appropriate for use by end user patient groups.

Importantly, improving patients' understanding of their medicines is now being addressed by Council Directive 2004/27/EC, which originated from the Review of Medicines Legislation (Review 2001).

The directive makes it mandatory that the results of user testing be documented and submitted with other mandatory regulatory information necessary for the licensing of a drug (effective from July 1st 2005). The market value for user testing projects specifically for the pharmaceutical industry (branded and generic manufacturers) has a baseline total market value in the UK of 10's of £million with good levels of associated recurring annual revenues.

Luto's management team is highly committed to developing the business and is led by co-founder Professor Theo Raynor (Executive Chairman). Theo is a highly experienced health services researcher with a background in pharmacy. He is Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Leeds, having previously been employed in hospital pharmacy practice. His strong track record of research into consumer medicines information is complemented by a focus on linking research with practice.

The two other co-founders are Dr Peter Knapp (Scientific Director) who has worked for the past 6 years in research on pharmacy and consumer medicines information at Leeds and Mr Mark Gibson (Operations Director) who specialises in qualitative research in social and health sciences.

The team is further strengthened by Dr John Blenkinsopp who joins Luto as a non-exec director and brings specialised pharmaceutical consultancy experience and contacts.

For more information visit www.luto.co.uk