2011

Welcome to Volume 10, Issue #18 (1 DECEMBER 2011) of Pharma Marketing News.

Many critics of pharma-supported CME believe this support leads to bias. Between 9 May 2011 and 13 September 2011, readers of Pharma Marketing News were asked to answer a few short questions relating to potential bias in industry-supported CME programs and how to limit the need for industry funding of CME. The results are summarized in this article.

This article summaries research data exploring why physicians interested in using online peer-to-peer social communities outnumber by 2 to 1 physicians who are actually using them. Includes suggestions for what these communities must do in order to provide more value to physicians.

Is Your Brand a Digital Genius or a Feeble-Minded Idiot? When it comes to digital IQ, some brands are geniuses and some are feeble-minded idiots, according to the 'L2 Digital IQ Index' for pharmaceutical brands, a first-of-its kind measurement of the digital competence of 51 pharma brands across eight therapeutic categories.

A conversation with Mark Bard, founder of the Digital Health Coalition, regarding the mission of the Coalition and what companies and individuals are involved.

Pharma social networking sites like Facebook and YouTube may lack patient-centered information and can also be sources of misleading information that could potentially do more harm than good.

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether drug companies have to pay their sales representatives for working overtime hours, a question that could have considerable financial impact on the industry. The question before the court in case CHRISTOPHER V. SMITHKLINE BEECHAM CORP is whether or not pharmaceutical sales representatives are exempt from overtime pay under the 'outside sales' exemption of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. If the Supreme Court rules that pharma sales reps are NOT exempt, some sales reps worry that they will become

NPs, PAs, and even RNs are for the most part overlooked by the pharmaceutical industry, according to David Mittman, PA, president of Clinician 1. This article reviews the issue and includes tips for marketing to NPs and PAs.

Every year without fail there are revelations about pharmaceutical companies behaving badly -- companies that have been charged with crimes such as making kickbacks to physicians, engaging in Medicare and Medicaid fraud, promoting products off label to physicians or companies that are called to testify before Congress about sub par manufacturing practices. 2010 seems to be unique in the number of companies behaving badly.

Welcome to Volume 10, Issue #11 (21 JUNE 2011) of Pharma Marketing News.