Another hangover for pharma...
May/24/2007 06:09 Filed in: Pharma
Business
We live in the information age thanks to the Web and portable handheld devices. Often when people wake up in the morning or get to the office the first thing they do is go to the Web to catch up on the news. Stories about pharma have been everywhere and are hard to ignore. There is a transformation taking place in the environment in which we market:
-Customers have more power than ever before and information can no longer be "pushed" to them.
-Transparency at the highest levels is becoming the norm for all industries and CEO's.
-There is a new FDA chairman who is facing intense pressure from a new Congress to implement changes at the FDA including the way the FDA approves drugs.
All this happening at a time when the biggest demographic segment in the US is reaching ages when they are going to need more and more prescription drugs to maintain their lifestyles. Now most DTC marketers will ignore these trends and act like they still need to push the brand message to consumers but I believe this is a big mistake. If customers research and compare detergents don't you think that they would do the same for prescription drugs that they put into their bodies?
It used to be that we could rely on physicians to tell us what drugs we should take but that is changing. Physicians don't have the time to sit with us and talk about medication side effects or choices. In fact research shows that consumers will go to product websites when receiving an Rx to determine if the medication is right for them and examine potential side effects. It has been my experience that one of the top pages within product websites is always the side effects and warnings pages.
Explanation of ongoing clinical trials
So what can the industry do to calm patient apprehension about prescription drugs? Well first the industry has to make clear that all medications have risks. Yes I know that is what fair balance is supposed to do, but it has to be more in a consumer friendly format that is easier to understand like Pfizer has done in their print ads. Second, the FDA and drug companies need to inform and educate patients about ongoing clinical study findings. If for example a new medication causes weight gain in some patients I would want to know that so that I can gauge the risk(s) and benefits of taking the medication.
For DTC marketers these events are going to present more of a challenge. Consumer can no longer be "told" what to buy so marketers are also going to have to be transparent in their marketing messages. Don't oversell the message and inform and educate patients/consumers. Separate promotional messaging from factual disease state messages. Ensure that the message in all channels is consistent and monitor BLOG's and chat rooms for buzz on your products. Listen to what your customers are saying about your drug and find ways to embrace Web 2.0 (if you don't know what this is your already in deep trouble).
There are challenges to be overcome but great marketers know how to turn challenges into opportunities. They embrace new channels and listen to what consumers want and need to make decisions. Pharma marketers need to understand that the environment is changing so rapidly that only those that keep pace are going to succeed.
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