Articles

Usually, at this time of the year, editors look back on the major stories of the past year. Let's be different and look forward to the New Year!

The two traditional means by which pharmaceutical marketers have relied on for many, many years to encourage the uptake of new pharmaceutical products -- direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising and physician marketing -- are about to change. Prepare now for the coming FDA and pharmaceutical marketing reforms.

Market Strategies' 2008 MSImage Oncology Patient Assistance Program is a syndicated study that identified what oncologists and oncology practice managers perceive to be the top pharmaceutical PAPs in the industry. The study identified how PAPs influence overall corporate image among physicians, what performance measures drive a pharmaceutical company's PAP image, and which companies are perceived as having the best PAPs.

To paraphrase General Patton, 'Daschle, you magnificent bastard, we read your book!' Which is what all pharmaceutical executives and marketers should do. After all, Daschle warns that the 'health-care industry would have to reconsider its business model' and he include pharmaceutical companies as part of the health-care industry. For those among you who do not have time to read Daschle's book, Pharma Marketing News has done it for you. This article summarizes the main points Daschle makes and reveals his plan for 'fixing' the problem.

Possibly the most important political change facing the pharmaceutical industry in 2006 is who will be the new FDA Commissioner. Various stakeholders -- including executives and staffers working within the pharmaceutical industry, agents and vendors to the industry, healthcare professionals, members of the general public, and staffers within government health agencies -- have divergent opinions on who should be the commissioner and why. This article summarizes the results of a recent survey of such stakeholders.

Welcome to the December, 2008 issue of Pharma Marketing News.

Welcome to the December, 2008 issue of Pharma Marketing News.

Should free drug samples be banned? The new PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals bans free pens and out-of-office lunches, but it doesn't ban samples. Many sales consider free drug samples an important marketing tactic that they can employ to gain access to physicians. In 2005, the pharmaceutical industry distributed more than $18 billion worth of drug samples. But critics are concerned that drug samples increase costs, raise questions about the appropriateness of treatment choices, and create real or perceived conflicts of interest in the medical profession.

In today's competitive market, pricing and reimbursement strategies are key to maximizing brand success and ROI. Because every country's healthcare system is different-and every product situation is unique-every brand requires a specific access plan, tailored to each market. And you must support each plan with effective messaging that ensures strong product acceptance and uptake. Experts from TNS Healthcare spoke on this issue in a recent webinar and during an exclusive interview with Pharma Marketing News.

This article is a review of a presentation by Aaron Uydess, Senior eMarketing Manager at Novo Nordisk, made at Eye for Pharma's 3rd eCommunication and Online Marketing Summit held October 23-24, 2008, in Boston, Massachusetts. Uydess presents a best-in-class approach to developing online plans that align with strategy, reduce silos, and measure and merchandise digital strategies across a pharmaceutical marketing organization.