2004

Although the CAN-SPAM law is often portrayed as a white knight that will save us from dastardly e-mail spammers and pornographers, many of its provisions cover all commercial e-mail, even permission-based, opt-in e-mail. It is also applicable to B2B e-mail communications and one-to-one commercial e-mail messages such as e-mail from sales representatives to physicians.

Pharma Marketing News is the monthly e-newsletter of the Pharma Marketing Network (www.pharma-mkting.com). It is packed with facts, opinions, and case studies based upon interviews with experts in the field of pharmaceutical marketing. Highlights of presentations from industry conferences, contact lists for experts consulted, and links to references help susbcribers keep up to date on best practices and network with their peers.

Declining sales force productivity is a major issue on the minds of sales managers and corporate executives of pharmaceutical companies large and small. More and more physicians are limiting face time and closing their doors to sales reps.The nature of sales detailing has changed over the years and the time has come to reassess the process and potential of this sales channel.

What is the proper role of DTCA - educational or motivational? Is it capable of doing either? If so, how well is it doing?

A shifting, global regulatory environment, complex consumer behavior, and unpredictable competitive response all contribute to the complexity of the Rx to OTC switch decision. An effective strategy for maximizing the profitability of a switch begins prior to even Rx approval. The optimal timing of the actual switch may not always coincide with the end of patent protection, bottoming Rx sales, or loss of competitive advantage. Multivariate models are now available to help pharmaceutical mar-keters develop more preemptive strategies for switching.

Vol. 3, No. 1: January 2004 - CONTENTS Feature Article What You Need to Know About the New "CAN-SPAM" Law Conference Highlights Finding the "Right...

Why is the decision to switch from Rx to OTC usually considered a challenge? Is it because Rx and OTC marketing are seen as two separate sectors of a drug's product life cycle, with OTC always serving as the final stage? Or is it the stigma of lower profitability, deserved or not, that OTC-only marketing carries? These perceptions - or misconceptions - may sometimes cause a company's general management to be reluctant to concede to switching until the optimal timing for maximizing the contribution of a brand has passed.

Whatever your opinion of the CAN-SPAM law and blacklists, a bright light is now focused on the spam e-mail problem. As usual, those e-mail marketers who want to obey the law have to jump through new hoops and change their business practices. Meanwhile, the real spammers will no doubt continue to outfox the regulatory agencies, attorneys general, and the ISPs and continue to spew spam at will.