Vol. 7, Issue No. 8: OCTOBER 2008 – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
Welcome to Volume 7, Issue #8 (OCTOBER 2008) of Pharma Marketing News. See the featured article summaries below.
John Mack, Publisher & Editor
editor@news.pharma-mkting.com Good Luck to Us All! Upfront Commentary
Whoever you support in the 2008 presidential election, and whoever wins, there is no doubt that the next several years will be very tough on the pharmaceutical industry and the nation in general. Many of us believe the pharmaceutical industry is in a recession and I am beginning to hear from friends that they have “left” their jobs to “pursue other activities.”
Jobs come and go, but friends are forever. Whatever we can do to help our friends and colleagues find new jobs or give their new endeavors a head start, we must do. Here are a few ways Pharma Marketing Network can help anyone who is looking for new opportunities within the pharma space…
Read this entire OpEd piece by John Mack here:
www.news.pharma-mkting.com/Article-Upfront-PMN78-Oct2008.pdf Obama v. McCain Survey Results Who’s Better for Pharma?
The Pharma Marketing News “Who’s Better for Pharma: Obama or McCain?” online survey has been running since August, 2008 and to date over 300 responses have been collected.
There have been a number of articles in trade publications and statements from industry spokespeople that shed some light on opinions from insiders of the candidates, but this is the only survey that is specifically targeted to a broad range of professionals working within and for the pharmaceutical industry. This article presents the results of this survey-not just who intends to vote for whom, but also the thoughts behind that choice and implications for the pharmaceutical industry.
Topic headings include:
- “It’s the Economy, Stupid” All Over Again!
- Issues of Importance to the Drug Industry
- Follow the Money
- Chart: Pharma/Health Industry Contributions to Candidates
- Chart: Top Pharma Contributors to Federal Candidates and Parties
- Insert: DTC Pundit Throws in Political Towel
- Respondent Profile
- Chart: How US Respondents Intend to Vote by Support for the Drug Industry
- Chart: How US Respondents Intend to Vote by Affiliation
Comments from Selected Respondents
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Medical Device Marketing Worlds Apart from Rx Drug Marketing
Medical device marketing is different than Rx drug marketing, which is something attendees of the recent PharmaMed Marketing & Media Conference hosted by Med Ad News learned. At that conference, Jill Serbousek, VP Business & Marketing Strategy at Medtronic, presented a case study of a marketing campaign for the Prestige Cervical Disc.
This article summarizes that presentation to demonstrate how medical device marketing to consumers and physicians is different than in the Rx drug world.
While some device marketing campaigns take a page from the Rx arena, there are difficulties and roadblocks ahead and these are also summarized in this article.
Topic headings include:
- Device Marketing ROI
- Big Pharma Shift
- Insert: Drugmakers Urged by UK to Lower Prices
- Anti Device DTC Sentiment on the Rise
- AAOS Survey of Orthopaedic Surgeons Regarding Device DTC Advertising
- Which Agency Regulates What?
- Consumers Union Recommendations
- Device DTC: Imagine How Far It Will Go!
- Innovative Online Device Marketing
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Global Pharma Competitive Intelligence A Necessity in Times of Economic Uncertainty
This year is proving to be a critical one for many industries, including the pharma-ceutical industry. The results of the 2008 presidential election, the economy, and sweeping changes in the global market place all factor into how leaders in the industry will either falter or thrive. Actionable, evidence-based and global pharmaceutical competitive intelligence (CI) and general business intelligence (BI) will play an important role in the drama about to unfold.
The pressing issues facing pharma CI were addressed in-depth at the 2008 Pharmaceutical Competitive Intelligence Conference where approximately 240 attendees got to hear excellent information on the state of CI within the life sciences, and interesting suggestions as to where the discipline is headed.
This article highlights several presentations made at this conference and discusses some common themes, including how environments for the pharmaceutical and device industries are changing dramatically with implications for CI going forward, the importance of keeping an eye on China, and whether CI is a strategic or tactical discipline.
Topic headings include:
- Innovation Proven by Value
- Softening of Medical Device Pipeline
- Keeping China in Sight
- Global CI Role
- Table: Challenges and Downsides of Emerging Markets and Countries
- Insert: Big Pharma Ranks China as Number One Destination in Asia for Pharmaceutical Outsourcing
- China’s Strengths and Weaknesses
- Is There a Balance between Strategic CI and Tactical CI?
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The State of CME in Europe A Work in Progress
Continuing Medical Education (CME) in Europe has undergone some major shifts in recent years. These have varied across Europe: from national changes in which systems have moved from being voluntary to mandatory, to the establishment of more formal systems to guide physicians on how to keep up-to-date with latest clinical practice.
“While for some, CME has become clear and straightforward, for the majority, European CME still remains a cacophony of disparate rules shrouded in mysterious regulations,” says Eugene Pozniak, Managing Director of Siyemi Learning.
This article, written two European CME consultants, provides an overview of the state of CME in the UK, France, and other European countries.
Topic headings include:
- Is CME Mandatory in Europe?
- Table: Where CME is “Mandatory” in Europe
- eCME in Europe
- Insert: The pharmaceutical industry and CPD in the UK
- The Other French Paradox: CME
- French Regulatory Activity
- Pharma Sponsorship of CME in France
- Case Study: BlogFMC.fr, a multi-author blog to discuss CME, sponsored by Pfizer France
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Turning Science into Sales Tips for Communicating Clinical Trial Results
Healthcare marketers are rewarded for increasing product revenue. However, product managers often miss a golden opportunity to drive product sales: they neglect to communicate clinical trial results properly and consequently fail to capitalize on completed medical research.
This article highlights how to effectively communicate scientific evidence in order to realize the full medical and commercial value of your brand and to maximize sales.
Topic headings include:
- Transparency
- TIP #1: Convey Your Message Comprehensively
- TIP #2: Establish Your Clinical Trial Vocabulary
- More…
TIP #11: Beware of Design Pitfalls
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