2011

The Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) and the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER); responsible for regulating medical devices, have issued guidance for mobile medical applications. The guidance focuses only on a select group of applications. Meanwhile, many pharmaceutical companies, such as Janssen, are developing mobile apps for the iPhone and iPad. Can some of these apps be considered medical devices requiring approval by the FDA?

Peter Pitts, author of DrugWonks Blog, has put together 11

Let's Look at Some Data PhRMA Doesn't Mention. PhRMA pointed out that nearly 9 out of 10 physicians considered company-sponsored peer education programs to be 'up-to-date, useful and reliable.'

According to a recent CDC Data Brief, antidepressants were the third most common prescription drug taken by Americans of all ages in 2005–2008 and the most frequently used by persons aged 18–44 years. From 1988–1994 through 2005–2008, the rate of antidepressant use in the United States among all ages increased nearly 400%. Perhaps not so coincidentally, antidepressants are among the TOP advertised Rx category in 2010, according to the recent AdAge analysis.

Lipitor Won't Go Gentle Into that Good Generic Night. Pfizer is taking a number of steps to protect it's Lipitor franchise and it hopes that many patients currently taking Lipitor will remain loyal to the brand.

Welcome to Volume 10, Issue #3 (17 FEBRUARY 2011) of Pharma Marketing News.

A conversation with Casey Quinlan, 'Mighty Mouth' at Mighty Casey Media LLC, Zoe Dunn, Principal, Hale Advisors, Richard Meyer, Principal Consultant, Online Strategic Solutions, Jerry Hall, Digital Media Executive, Advisor to Pearescope, about engaging and marketing to women online, especially via social media, which some new media marketers claim is 'all about women.'

This is the last in a series of three articles highlighting points made by Kantar Health executives in a recent webinar titled, 'Getting It Right in the Emerging Markets: Identifying the opportunities and avoiding the pitfalls in conducting market research in new geographies.'

The authors of a physician survey published in the November 8, 2010, issue of Archives of Internal Medicine conclude 'given that 83.8% of physicians have PIRs, it is clear that industry still has substantial financial links with the nation's physicians. These findings support the ongoing need for a national system of disclosure of PIRs [Physician-Drug Industry Relationships].' Such a system is part of the Physician Sunshine Law, which is scheduled to go into effect in 2012 with public disclosure of payments scheduled to begin September, 2013.

One survey says yes, pharma reps are important to physicians, another says not so much. Who are we to believe?