El miedo no es excusa: Pharma y Social Media/Redes Sociales

Pharma brands aren't participating in social media discussions.

Why?

Pharma marketers' indecision and reluctance stems from the restrictions associated with marketing medicine. For example, consider how difficult it is to translate elaborate sets of required disclaimers on all online ads. Also, let's not forget adverse event reporting, a federal mandate, that requires drug brands to respond to every single comment users make about their products—a task that can be daunting given the number of conversations happening online.

In addition, the U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administration is offering little guidance and remains undecided on its policies for Pharma's use of social media.

Social channels represent an unprecedented opportunity to build and foster customer relationships, with both existing customers and new audiences.

But let's look at a few that are proactively engaging in health care conversations and invite open discussions.

• GlaxoSmithKline launched a corporate blog for the U.S., "More than Medicine," to encourage open, productive dialogue.
• Johnson & Johnson, along with using many other social mediums, created the innovative Acuvue Acuminder Facebook application, where people were reminded when it's time to change their contacts.
• Pfizer is exploring new ways of applying social media by teaming up with Private Access to create a social networking site.
• To address adverse event reporting directly, Biopharma Company, UCB and PatientsLikeMe, an online community for people with life-changing conditions, have partnered to create an open epilepsy community online that captures real-world experiences of people living with epilepsy in the U.S.

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Gracias al "twittazo" de Pepe Bravo (amigo...)