2004

Despite the fact physician that usage of the Internet has increased over the past few years, solid evidence for the reasons they access the Internet or, more importantly, if the knowledge they gained from online CME presentations has any impact on their practice is still largely unknown.

On April 1, 2004, the Board of Directors of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), by unanimous vote, adopted the updated ACCME Standards for Commercial Support of Continuing Medical Education. This article summarizes when it is and is not appropriate for pharmaceutical companies to support independent CME programs.

So who wants to go head-to-head with Viagra? The ultimate pharmaceutical mega-brand: a blockbuster drug, with a superbly executed global campaign, an urban legend. According to Blair Waite, Brand Manager, Global Marketing for Eli Lilly and Co., Viagra is now the world's 2nd most recognized brand name, after Coca Cola.

How are DTC activities integrated as key components throughout the marketing mix, including advertising, advocacy and public relations? What are the risks and rewards associated with launching a DTC campaign? How have top pharmaceutical marketers managed to address sensitive health issues and drive awareness and sales through DTC? Is every drug really a viable candidate for a Direct-to-Consumer campaign? These were some of the questions discussed during an evening seminar entitled DTC Sweeps: The Impact and Evolving Role of Direct-to-Consumer Marketing.

Key external drivers shaping the short and longer-term futures of pharma, including political, economic, the provider market, plans, payers/employers, and e-business, among them. How to plan for scenarios based on these drivers.

This article, which is a review of the seminar, Best Practices for Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) held in Princeton, New Jersey, in January, 2004, highlights how MSLs can maximize their unique position to help improve medical care while they enhance their companies' bottom lines.

Patient compliance may be a core objective for pharma marketers, but an international quorum of compliance experts at the recent eyeforpharma Patient Compliance 2004 conference in London agreed that the very term 'compliance is incorrect. In 22 in-depth presentations over 2 days, 30 speakers and panelists agreed that marketers need to stop analyzing compliance, and start understanding patients.

Vol. 3, No. 3: March 2004 - CONTENTS Feature Article Scenarios on the Future of Pharma Marketing: No Time like the Present to Think the Unthinkable...

Patient compliance may be a core objective for pharma marketers, but an international quorum of compliance experts at the recent eyeforpharma Patient Compliance 2004 conference in London agreed that the very term 'compliance is incorrect. In 22 in-depth presentations over 2 days, 30 speakers and panelists agreed that marketers need to stop analyzing compliance, and start understanding patients.

This article summaries a presentation made by Diane Stafford, Head of Patient Relationship Marketing for Pfizer UK at a recent industry conference. In her presentation, entitled 'The E-nabled Patient: Using Technology to help build valuable patient relationships,' Ms. Stafford demonstrated how to implement 1-to-1 electronic relationships to deliver improved compliance, analyzed emerging new compliance initiatives using technology, and discussed successful approaches to develop patient 'loyalty' programmes and demonstrated their value.