Online Consumers Think Pharma Companies Should be Involved in Online Health Communities

42 Percent of Online Consumers Think Pharma Companies Should be Involved in Online Health Communities

– ADD/ADHD and Bipolar Disorder Caregivers Top Groups to Agree

ePharma Consumer® Study Reveals New Trends around How Consumers Interact with Pharma, Including Customer Service Options, Patient Education, and Pharma Websites – Webinar January 25 at 2pm ET

January 17, 2012, New York, NY – On the heels of the FDA issuing its “Guidance for Industry Responding to Unsolicited Requests for Off-Label Information About Prescription Drugs and Medical Devices”, pharmaceutical and healthcare market research company Manhattan Research releases new data exploring how consumers use social media and other online sources for prescription drug information and pharma interaction.

The ePharma Consumer® study found that 42 percent of online adults agree that pharmaceutical companies should be involved in online health communities for consumers. Additionally, only 19 percent of online adults disagree that pharma should participate in this type of forum - with the additional 39 percent being impartial to the issue.

Interest in pharma involvement is significantly higher among certain audiences, representing stronger opportunities for some pharmaceutical brands than others. According to the study, ADD/ADHD and Bipolar Disorder caregivers are the top groups feeling pharma ought to be active in communities.

Social Media in Pharma Summit starts today

Today is the first day of the Social Media in Pharma Summit.

Pharma IQ is proud to present Social Media in Pharma Summit, the first ever social media online event for the pharmaceutical community.

This interactive online event will bring together an international panel of thought leaders to discuss and debate the challenges and opportunities social media presents for the pharmaceutical industry – all of this in a convenient online format.

During the series of webinars, participants can see who is 'logged in' to the event and initiate a private chat to exchange ideas and contact details.

This 100% online event begins July 12 and runs through August 4, 2011.

I'll be speaking at BioConference Live 2011 about biopharma careers

I'll be speaking at BioConference Live 2011. My session is titled, "Physician careers in the biopharma industry" and it will occur on Wed June 15, 2011 from 2 to 3 pm EDT.

Abstract: As the health care industry undergoes significant changes over the next several years, we can anticipate that more physicians will be eager to leave clinical medicine and pursue careers in the biopharma industry. As a result, it becomes critical for biopharma professionals to recruit the best talent and to prepare new physicians for an industry career in pharmaceutical medicine.

This presentation will reveal physician attitudes and career trends that reflect the transition process as physicians consider careers in the biopharma industry. We will also examine results from recent physician surveys and polls to explore myths and misconceptions that are highly prevalent as physicians prepare for a career transition. Finally, we will explore effective strategies that will help physicians will make a smooth and successful transition into the pharmaceutical industry.

Sanofi-aventis Establishes Research Collaboration With Harvard University

The academic world depends on industry for medical research. Industry depends on academia for medical research. Is this a symbiotic relationship? Here's the press release:

Sanofi-aventis Establishes Research Collaboration With Harvard University

- Focused on translational biomedical research in multiple therapeutic areas such as cancer, diabetes and inflammation -

PARIS, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) announced today a research collaboration with Harvard University. The goal of the collaboration is to advance knowledge in the area of human health through basic and applied research and to promote scientific exchange between Harvard University and sanofi-aventis. The focus of this collaboration is translational biomedical research in multiple therapeutic areas such as cancer, diabetes and inflammation.

Pharma Market Expected to Grow to $880 Billion in 2011

IMS Health Forecasts Global Pharmaceutical Market Growth of 5-7 Percent in 2011, Reaching $880 Billion

* Patent expiries and new wave of drug budget controls subdue growth among brands in developed markets
* Pharmerging countries contribute nearly half of total growth, with China as world’s third-largest market
* Innovative products poised to provide new treatment options

NORWALK, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 7, 2010 - The value of the global pharmaceutical market is expected to grow 5-7 percent in 2011, to US$880 billion, compared with a 4-5 percent pace this year, according to IMS Health. The forecast, included in the latest release of IMS Market Prognosis™, is the leading annual industry indicator of market dynamics and therapy performance.

“While the overall market will appear to rebound somewhat in 2011, the underlying constraints to growth in developed markets are stronger than ever – including the impact of major patent expiries and payer mechanisms to limit drug spending,” said IMS Senior Vice President Murray Aitken. “We expect the pharmerging markets to continue their rapid expansion next year and remain strong sources of growth, and also see the potential for several significant innovative treatment options that are becoming available for patients in areas that include metastatic melanoma, multiple sclerosis and acute coronary syndrome.”

Pfizer and Washington University Announce a Groundbreaking Collaboration

Pfizer and Washington University Announce a Groundbreaking Collaboration

NEW YORK, N.Y., May 17 - In a first-of-a-kind collaboration between academia and industry, Pfizer Inc. will give scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis unprecedented access to information regarding more than 500 pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical candidates in a partnership that focuses on discovering new uses for existing compounds. Under the five-year agreement announced today, Pfizer will provide $22.5 million to Washington University and give its scientists access to research data on a large array of Pfizer pharmaceutical candidates that are currently or were formerly in clinical testing.

You can read the full press release here (PDF). 

CMSS Code for Interactions with Industry

The Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) represents 32 medical professional societies. This roughly translates to a membership of over 650,000 U.S. physicians.

Last month, the CMSS released the CMSS Code of Interaction with Industry. This voluntary code calls for independent and transparent interactions between medical specialty organizations and industry.

Here's a snippet from the April 21 press release:

“CMSS is committed to encouraging and supporting a culture of integrity, voluntary self-regulation and transparency,” said Dr. James Scully, CMSS President and CEO of the American Psychiatric Association.  “This code provides a clear benchmark for maintaining integrity and independence.”

Click here (PDF) to view the CMSS Code of Interaction with Industry.

Pharma reps with iPads instead of tablet PCs?

The Apple iPad is the latest trendy topic in the world of mobile technology. Will pharmaceutical drug reps knock on physician offices equipped with an iPad instead of a tablet PC? After all, this would give them another opportunity to have an engaging conversation about the latest in technology.

I can just imagine the conversation now:

• Drug rep: Hi doctor! Can I spend a few minutes and go through my e-detailing piece with you?
• Doctor: Sure. Wait, is that an iPad? Can I see that thing? Forget the e-detailing. I want to try out your iPad.

Very productive, yes? At least your bag will be lighter if you're carrying an iPad instead of a tablet PC. If you're interested in "How the iPad could change healthcare marketing," then make sure to read this piece by Kerry Hilton, president and CEO of HC&B Healthcare Communications.

Pharmaceutical industry CEO salaries

This is being republished from NonClinicalJobs.com 

Last week, you may have caught some news indicating that "Pfizer CEO Gets 12.5 Percent Raise From Last Year's $14.9M." Wow, it's hard to imagine what you could do with that much money.

Is that a base salary of $14.9 million? No, but this is how it breaks down:

CEO Jeff Kindler’s overall compensation for last year was $14.9 million, according to Dow Jones Newswire, a slight decrease from the year before, mostly because of lower stock prices for much of 2009. But Kindler stands to receive more this year: a base salary of $1.8 million (versus $1.6 million last year), an incentive target award of up to $2.7 million (from $2.4 million last year) and a long-term incentive award of $12 million (compared with $8.3 million last year).

Now, let's compare Kindler’s compensation package to a few other CEOs in the pharma industry:

• Abbott Laboratories’ Miles White reportedly received $25.3 million in 2008
• Merck & Co.’s Richard T. Clark, reportedly received $17.3 million in 2008
• Andrew Witty from GlaxoSmithKline received 1.78 million pounds ($2.51 million) in 2008
• David Brennan from AstraZeneca  received $4.7 million in 2008

You can actually find pharma CEO salaries posted on Forbes.com and other websites.

MIT Sloan BioInnovations Conference 2010

As an MIT alum, I'm always glad to promote MIT activities. In a few days, the MIT Sloan BioInnovations Conference will take place (March 12, 2010). It's a one-day event that will take place in the Boston Marriott Cambridge Hotel, Kendall Square, Cambridge MA. I really wish I could be there. I also wish I could be a member of the MIT Sloan BioMedical Business Club. Since I'm employed full-time, I can't practically go to HIMSS, the MIT Sloan BioInnovations conference, the MD/MBA conference, the Medical Fusion conference, and still have time for family vacations. My wife and I have been visiting Boston almost every year because we miss MIT so much. We look for every opportunity to visit Boston (and we'll be there in April).  

BioInnovations 2010 is the premier forum for leading thinkers from industry, academia, and government to discuss the next wave of innovations in life science technology, policy, and commercialization.

Learn more here: http://web.mit.edu/bbc/bioinnovations/2010/index.html

Flying to Chicago today

I'll be in and out of Chicago today for a business meeting. I woke up at 5 am this morning to get to the airport on time, so I really hope all the flights are on time! Who's in the Chicago area?

According to Manta, there are 19,256 company profiles for Healthcare Companies in Chicago, Illinois. There are 287 Medical Equipment & Device Companies. How many pharma or biotech companies are in Chicago? 

• TAP (what used to be TAP)
• Astellas
• Takeda
• Abbott

Some other major companies in Chicago include:

• Siemens Medical Solutions
• Fujifilm Medical
• Mead Johnson Nutrition

AstraZeneca to cut 8,000 jobs by 2014

The word "stability" doesn't seem to exist when we're talking about the world of pharmaceuticals. According to the Associated Press, AstraZeneca may be cutting 8,000 jobs by 2014.

There was a time when working for a pharmaceutical company seemed to be the "ideal" job for many working professionals. I wonder how those attitudes are changing during these difficult economic times.  Some physicians who wish to leave the world may be thinking about a career in the pharmaceutical industry, but how stable are such jobs?

DTC television ads driving consumers to pharma websites

Manhattan research recently conducted some market research studies to see how direct-to-consumer or DTC ads were impacting website traffic to pharmaceutical websites. The findings are from a report titled, "ePharma Consumer® v9.0" and it focuses on the attitudes and behaviors of consumers researching prescription drug information online.

Top Pharma Product Sites in Terms of Percentage of Traffic Driven by DTC Television Ads: 

1. NuvaRing
2. Latisse
3. Cialis
4. Boniva
5. Abilify
6. Gardasil
7. Yaz
8. Viagra
9. Levitra
10. Lunesta

"In today's multi-channel world, marketing initiatives must be designed to work together for optimal results," says Meredith Ressi, Vice President of Research at Manhattan Research. "While the television ad is critical to building awareness, for many patients, the Internet is a next stop for learning more before going on to speak to their physician about a product."

Noticing a theme? How many of the products listed above deal with sexual health? I count six out of ten (some may argue that Gardasil is in a different category).  I think we can be sure that we'll be seeing more ads on TV that focus on sexuality and sexual health. Just watch the Super Bowl and you'll see.

Sidewiki and pharma

Google Sidewiki is a browser sidebar that lets anyone contribute and read information alongside any web page. Now the issue for pharma is that anyone can post information on a pharma website. That information may be good, bad, accurate, inaccurate, on-label, off-label, etc. So you get the picture. No one can effectively control and monitor this type of user-generated content. You can try to block Sidewiki, but consider that a temporary measure since developers will continue to find ways to get Sidewiki to show up on your website. Here's a little video that further explains Sidewiki.

Pfizer and a $2.3 billion settlement

Wow, you don't hear about a $2.3 billion settlement every day. It's hard for me to even imagine that much money. According to several circulating reports, Pfizer will pay $2.3 billion for improper marketing of Bextra (Valdecoxib), which was removed from the market in 2005. Bextra was a COX-2 inhibitor. I remember when COX-2 inhibitors came out. Many people were so excited to see an NSAID that wouldn't harm the stomach. We saw tremendous success with Celebrex (Celecoxib) and Vioxx (rofecoxib). We thought they were going to be wonder drugs for older adults with arthritis, back pain, etc.

You probably know who made Vioxx (Merck). Do you know who makes Celebrex? It's Pfizer. Now, we're left with Celebrex as the only COX-2 inhibitor. I wonder if we'll see new COX-2 inhibitors emerge on the market.

Are you familiar with the World Diabetes Foundation?

I was reminded today that some pharmaceutical companies do invest in global public health initiatives. Novo Nordisk established the World Diabetes Foundation in 2002 and this foundation has funded projects focusing on diabetes awareness, education, and capacity-building in the developing world. This foundation focuses on these areas:

• Awareness of diabetes
• Prevention of diabetes and its complications
• Education and training of patients and health care professionals
• Enhancement of detection, treatment and monitoring of diabetes

Here are some interesting facts about this foundation:

• The establishment of the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) was announced by its founding father Novo Nordisk A/S on World Diabetes Day 2002.
  
• The World Diabetes Foundation has funded 208 projects to date, covering 87 countries.
  
• The Foundation is a independent and non-profit foundation governed by the Danish Act on Foundations.

I don't work for Novo Nordisk. None of my immediate family members work for Novo. I know people who work there, but that's not why I'm posting this. There is a tremendous need to improve diabetes care around the world. Millions of people lose limbs and go blind because of uncontrolled sugar levels. Simple medications can save lives and improve the quality of life for many of these people, but we simply don't have the means to disseminate that type of global care. The irony is that we have people who live in developed nations (like the U.S.A.) who have diabetes and who aren't receiving proper medical care. As a result, they are losing the battle against diabetes and they are requiring limb amputations, developing chronic kidney disease, and they are going blind.

To visit the World Diabetes Foundation, click on this link: http://www.worlddiabetesfoundation.org
(You may wish to make a donation while you're there)

AstraZeneca Expands AZ&Me Prescription Savings Program

During these difficult economic times, any type of savings program is appreciated. AstraZeneca is expanding its prescription savings program by extending assistance to qualifying patients who have recently lost their jobs, had their incomes reduced, or experienced a change in marital status or family size.

"AstraZeneca is committed to helping patients get the medicines they need," said Rich Fante, US President, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP. "Our responsibility goes beyond developing medicines to also making them available to those who cannot afford them."

Here are the details of the AZ&Me(TM) Prescription Savings programs:

• AZ&Me(TM) Prescription Savings program for people without insurance: AstraZeneca provides AstraZeneca medicines at no cost to qualifying individuals without prescription drug coverage who make up to $30,000 per year and families of four who make up to $60,000 per year.
• AZ&Me(TM) Prescription Savings program for people with Medicare Part D: AstraZeneca provides low-cost AstraZeneca medicines for qualifying Medicare Part D patients who make up to $30,000 per year or couples who make up to $40,000 per year.
• AZ&Me(TM) Prescription Savings program for healthcare facilities: AstraZeneca provides AstraZeneca medicines at no cost to qualifying non-profit healthcare facilities, such as disproportionate share hospitals, community health centers and community free clinics. This program connects patients to the AstraZeneca medicines they need at the same time and place they receive their treatment.

Patients can learn more about the AZ&Me(TM) Prescription Savings program at www.azandme.com or by calling 1-800-AZandMe.

Transparency and the government

These days, the word "transparency" is such a buzzword in the health and government communities. The FDA wishes to be more transparent. They've set up the FDA Transparency Blog. Pharmaceutical companies are doing things to become more transparent. Academic medical institutions are providing more faculty disclosures to be more transparent about industry relationships. The White House is becoming more transparent through its Open Government Blog. Will all these initiatives directed towards transparency revive the blogging industry?

Have you checked out these transparency-related blogs? Let me list them again:

• FDA Transparency Blog: http://fdatransparencyblog.fda.gov
• Open Government Blog: http://www.whitehouse.gov/open/blog

Will we reach a point where we feel like all this transparency may actually be harmful? What if people can't handle all the truth? Maybe some people would rather live in ignorance. After all, ignorance is bliss, right?

How Do You Become a KOL?

What's a KOLs (stands for key opinion leader)? They are generally physicians who are considered to be influential in their field of expertise. Some people may refer to them as "key thought leaders" in the world of pharma and market research.

USA Today has put up a list called "Most Influential Doctors"

Here's a quote: "Most Influential Doctors, an analysis by the medical information firm Qforma, lists thousands of physicians considered the "thought-leaders" in more than 300 U.S. metro areas. The list includes about 6,000 physicians in these four specialties:

1. hypertension
   
2. high cholesterol
   
3. asthma
   
4. diabetes

Here's a disclaimer: Influence does not imply a measure of quality of care, nor does this list serve as an endorsement by USA TODAY or Qforma.

So, do you think your doctor is on that list? How would you rate the quality if your physician? Remember, quality is not always equal to influential.

AMA on Ethics and CME

The CME (Continuing Medical Education) industry has gone through some significant changes over the last several years. Have you been keeping up with all the changes?

The American Medical Association (AMA) Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) recently released a report titled, "Financial Relationships with Industry in Continuing Medical Education." This report outlines the ethics of industry supported education - according to the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA).

Please note that advisory report will be up for consideration at the AMA's upcoming annual House of Delegates meeting. This report is not necessarily the AMA's take/perspective/position on ethics and CME.

Here's the bottom line from the CEJA report:

• It is ethically preferable to accept funding only from non-commercial supporters (this would probably mean that doctors would have to pay for their CME credits).
• It is ethically permissible to accept funding from commercial supporters (such as pharmaceutical companies, biotech, medical device, etc.). This generally leads to free CME.
  

The world of medicine is constantly changing and physicians need every opportunity to keep up with the latest clinical development. If they have to pay for CME, will they be less inclined to learn? Does the abundant supply of free CME cause physicians to practice evidence-based medicine? How does free CME impact patient outcomes?