Commonly regarded as an ancient practice, drug compounding may be making a comeback as industry professionals are seeing it as an “essential antidote to spiraling drug prices”. However, high costs of compounding utilization cause a significant financial burden on commercial and government health plans. For this reason, many observers see both positives and negatives. As […]
DTC in Perspective: FDA Very Busy in DTC Research
The FDA is becoming very active in DTC research. By my count they have identified ten studies that are in process to be fielded. Their glacial pace of completing their studies is well known so I am not sure when these ten will be completed and published. I know the people doing the studies are […]
Study Shows Cutting TV Spend Has Negative Impact
The significant majority of pharma budgets are often spent on TV media due to its wide reach and being a great starting connection with consumers. In a recent study by TiVo, which was not pharma specific but rather covered a broader TV industry perspective, found that reducing TV ad spend led to a loss in […]
Emerging Channels of Innovation in Pharma
4PL Models, Value-Based Services and Patient/Pharmacist Bloggers In this US presidential election year, political candidates and commentators alike are engaging in passionate discussions about the current movement. The candidate campaign slogans run the gamut from “A Future to Believe In” to “Fighting to Break Down Barriers that Stand in the Way.” The pharmaceutical industry should […]
Making Sense of Social Media Conversations
The relevance of social media monitoring and engagement in the healthcare industry Billions of conversations take place every month on social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, as well as blogs and forums. These conversations are not only taking place in social settings, but are influencing companies as well. Social media use continues to rise […]
The Next Generation of Multi-Channel Marketing
Healthcare is the most personal of categories, and the micro-/macro-economic benefits of addressing individual patient needs and barriers at population-level scale are huge. Digital marketers from the early 2000s will remember the earliest pushes into personalization – most efforts were not successful. But a lot has changed, especially in the past year. A new generation […]
13 Wrong Ways to Save on Prescription Drugs
In a recent article in Time’s Money Magazine, Kara Brandeisky put forward a number of ways Americans can save money on prescription medication. 13 to be exact. The solutions are interesting and creative. They range from substituting brand names for generics, asking your physician for combined pills, and pleading with your insurance provider, to changing […]
FDA Weighs Danger Tied to Blood-Monitoring Devices
The FDA has recently noted that there appears to be a trend of serious adverse events among those taking anticoagulants, which may be linked to faulty performance of blood clotting monitors. Senior FDA official Dr. Alberto Gutierrez recognizes this trend, but explains how it is difficult to measure how often these deaths are directly due […]
Vaccines 2016: Big Bets for Global Threats
As a result of the sudden Zika virus outbreak, both big pharma companies and non-profits alike are diving head first into vaccine research in hopes of halting this life-threatening virus. First to the table was Sanofi Pasteur, announcing that they “would lead the way against Zika”. Following their successful launch of the dengue fever vaccine, […]
DTC in Perspective: DTC Might Be Imperfect, But Still Important for Patients
Drug companies defend DTC by arguing it creates disease awareness and information on treatment options. Critics of DTC say it pushes high price drugs and creates undue pressure on physicians to prescribe branded drugs when alternative treatments are just as good. An article in the March 23 issues of US News and World Report written […]
