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The FDA recently released “Drugs@FDA Express”, a mobile app that allows users to search for information about FDA-approved brand and generic prescriptions, OTC medications, and biological therapeutic products. The mobile app is a “light” version of the full website, with the app omitting letters and reviews – although the app’s homepage states this and includes a link to the website for “the complete version.”

Users of the free app can search by drug name, active ingredient, or application number. They can also view the last seven days of product approvals, as well as links to FDA web pages and FDA help and support (including the agency’s glossary, FAQs, and emailing the Division of Drug Information, FDA/CDER).

FDA Commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, MD, stated in the news release announcing the app: “Consumers are embracing digital health technologies to inform everyday decisions. From fitness trackers to mobile applications tracking insulin administration, these digital tools can empower consumers with a wealth of valuable health information. Advancing mobile apps that inform people about their health and medical choices represents a significant public health opportunity and is a high priority for the FDA. The FDA is continuously seeking ways to bring information to consumers in more accessible formats. Today, with the launch of the Drugs@FDA Express mobile app, we’re bringing the public important information about drugs in an easy-to-use, mobile format. We hope that by making this important health information more easily accessible we can help empower patients and providers in making their treatment decisions.”

The app is available for both Apple and Android devices.

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Earlier this month, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) introduced a bill to end the advertising cost tax deduction; this is separate from the larger tax cut bill from last December which failed to remove the practice. This latest attempt, Senate Bill 2478 a.k.a. The End Taxpayers Subsidies for Drug Ads Act, is co-sponsored by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).

Much like previous bills similar in nature, industry pushback from both pharma and media companies alike is expected to be significant – largely citing the arguments that removing such an ad deduction for pharma would be discriminatory; it is a threat to the First Amendment; and it would prevent or limit important, valued health information from reaching consumers.

Jim Davidson, Executive Director of The Advertising Coalition, spoke with DTC Perspectives on this matter: “Section 162(a) of the U.S. Tax Code allows any U.S. business to deduct the ‘ordinary and necessary costs’ of conducting their business. Those costs include salaries of employees, office rent, business supplies – and yes, the cost of advertising. Rather than ending a taxpayer subsidy for advertising, S. 2478 would impose a tax on advertising for prescription medicines that does not apply to any other business advertising. Previous efforts to tax DTC advertising have been defeated because they threaten the First Amendment protection for commercial speech. The proposed legislation overlooks the information that this advertising provides to consumers who may be unaware of a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, depression, or Hepatitis C, among other diseases. Even more important, watching an ad may be the motivating factor that prompts someone with a medical condition to see a doctor for treatment.” (Jim will discuss this, as well as other Threats to Pharmaceutical Advertising, in his presentation at the DTC National Conference in Boston, April 18-20.)

“The Coalition [for Healthcare Communication], the 4A’s and our advertising allies will be taking this bill seriously, but it is unlikely that it will be enacted in this session of Congress,” said Coalition for Healthcare Communication Executive Director John Kamp in a news release in response to the bill. “While the provision is likely to garner some Democratic and even a bit of bipartisan support, the Republican-controlled Senate is not expected to hold hearings or set the provision for a vote.” He added: “The Coalition has long opposed such a change in the tax law. Proposing a ban or tax penalty on prescription drug advertising suggests that consumer ignorance should be preferred to consumer information and involvement in healthcare decision making.”

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In the latest Gallup poll, 55% of Americans “worry a great deal” about the availability and affordability of healthcare. The concerns around healthcare top the list, beating out other major concerns such as Crime and violence, Federal spending and the budget deficit, and Availability of guns. A further 23% ranked their concern level at “a fair amount” and another 23% classified themselves under “only a little or not at all.”*

According to Gallup, this is the fifth consecutive year that healthcare availability and affordability tops the list. (The first year that healthcare was asked about was in 2001.) Senior Editor Jeffrey M. Jones, PhD, noted in the article highlighting the results that, “It is the only issue of the 11 Gallup has measured consistently to maintain this level of worry.”

Jones added that after being nearly “equally likely to worry about [healthcare] in between 2014 and 2016, after major provisions of the Affordable Care Act went into effect,” currently “Democrats have typically worried more than Republicans about the issue, including a 72% to 39% difference this year.”

With President Trump and Congress “taking steps to undo key provisions of the law,” Jones predicts that “Americans’ anxiety about the healthcare situation should persist. … Democrats’ especially high concern about healthcare could make it a mobilizing issue for the party as it seeks to win control of Congress this fall.”

For more information and poll results, click here.

* Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted March 1-8, 2018, with a random sample of 1,041 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

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Out-of-home advertising company, Brite Media Group, has acquired Mesmerize Marketing, a leader in patient education at the point-of-care. “Gregory Leibert, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mesmerize, and Craig Mait, Chief Operating Officer, will join Brite Media in leadership roles and will continue to operate the Mesmerize business along with their existing team,” outlined the news release.

With Mesmerize’s “targeted educational materials including wallboards, literature distribution, branded medical essentials, and mobile integration to patients and care givers in waiting rooms, exam rooms, and other high traffic areas of doctors’ offices, dental offices, community-based organizations, AIDS service organizations, and independent pharmacies,” Brite Media now has strong access to the point-of-care space. In return, “[t]he partnership with Brite Media gives Mesmerize Marketing the resources necessary to scale our rapidly growing point-of-care networks,” said Leibert. “Mesmerize will also look to expand our patient education and deliver significant results to our customers, by supplementing our industry-leading static media presence with new static and digital media platforms.”

Michael Ellis, Brite Media’s President and Chief Operating Officer, added that “Mesmerize will perfectly complement Brite’s current media platforms. The combined companies will leverage the strengths, creativity, and human capital of both businesses to continue delivering outstanding results to our customers.” Brite Media had been acquired by The Beekman Group in 2014. Since then, Brite Media “has more than doubled in size through organic growth and acquisitions led by Beekman and management.”

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Andrew Schirmer has taken on the role of Chief Executive Officer with Ogilvy CommonHealth North America, a WPP Health & Wellness company. He returns to his roots, having started his career with the company in 1987. Schirmer was most recently President with McCann Global Health, overseeing the firm’s global and public health unit. According to the news release, he was “responsible for leading the work the agency did for UNICEF, the US government, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and private sector organizations, and the groundbreaking ‘Immunity Charm’ campaign, which tracks vaccinations on behalf of the Afghanistan Health Ministry, and for which the agency won a Grand Prix at Cannes Lions in 2017.”

Mike Hudnall, CEO of WPP Health & Wellness, stated in the news release: “Andrew exemplifies the values we hold dear: excellence in client partnership, support for our incredible people, and an unbridled passion for making the world a better and healthier place. His professionally diverse background in healthcare marketing, consumer wellness, and public health and policy positions him well to help accelerate OCH’s diversification and growth strategy moving forward. Andrew is a champion of great work and true visionary who will bring a human-centered leadership to OCH’s culture. I have complete confidence that Andrew is the right person to unlock the potential of our people and our business as we move forward.”

Schirmer will report directly to Hudnall and work closely with Marc Weiner, Ogilvy CommonHealth’s COO; Darlene Dobry, managing partner; and Terry Cully, managing director in Canada. Schirmer fills the vacant CEO position after Matt Giegerich’s departure in spring 2017. Giegerich founded his own company, Lucky 7 Consulting, before becoming CEO with Inception Companies, a leading provider of video production, interactive visual solutions, broadcast and webcast platforms for virtual meetings, and audio/visual support.

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DTC Perspectives, the leading forum for direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising thought leaders, will honor a dynamic group of pharmaceutical companies and brands at the much-anticipated DTC National Advertising Awards. The awards are part of the 18th Annual DTC National Conference held April 18-20 in Boston.

Sponsored by Health Monitor Network, the 2018 Advertising Awards showcase the best marketing and advertising across 22 categories, including a Voter’s Choice and Chairman’s Award categories. (Industry voting for the Voter’s Choice category will run in March. Stay tuned for details!) Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners will be announced during the Advertising Awards Dinner held on April 19.

“The DTC National is exciting each year for us as a celebration of the creativity and effectiveness of DTC consumer promotion,” says Ken Freirich, President of Health Monitor Network. “As an entrepreneurial company celebrating our 35^th anniversary, developing creative solutions to facilitate patient and HCP dialogue, we are pleased to sponsor the awards and to recognize the many successes in the marketplace.”

[button link=”https://www.dtcperspectives.com/dtcn/2018-ad-awards/”]View the 2018 Finalists[/button]

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Last week the Departments of Health Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Treasury proposed a rule that would “expand the availability of short-term, limited-duration health insurance by allowing consumers to buy plans providing coverage for any period of less than 12 months, rather than the current maximum period of less than three months.” This will not only provide affordable coverage to Americans who may not have been able to afford current premiums and options, or lacked access to choices that properly matched their needs, but it will “increase competition, choice, and access to lower-cost healthcare options for Americans.”

While the purpose of these health plans was for temporary coverage, but due to their affordability, access to such plans “has become increasingly important as premiums have more than doubled between 2013 and 2017 in health plans on the Federal Health Insurance Exchange,” the news release stated. The short-term, limited-duration insurance does not have to comply with federal requirements for individual health insurance coverage.

Health and Human Services Secretary and former Lilly USA president Alex Azar stated: “Americans need more choices in health insurance so they can find coverage that meets their needs. The status quo is failing too many Americans who face skyrocketing costs and fewer and fewer choices. The Trump Administration is taking action so individuals and families have access to quality, affordable healthcare that works for them.”

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In the spring of 2018, Apple plans to premiere AC Wellness, independent medical centers for its employees and dependents offering concierge-like healthcare. As first reported by CNBC yesterday, Apple “quietly published a website, acwellness.com, with more details about its initiative and a careers page listing jobs.” While little information is currently available, AC Wellness’ website boasts that their Network will combine technology, high-quality care, and a unique patient experience to drive engagement and achieve exceptional health outcomes. The website also advertises for career opportunities. Positions to be filled include Health Partner, Physicians, Care Navigator, and Nurses, among others.

This initiative comes shortly after Tim Cook commented about Apple’s ability to make “significant contributions” to health care earlier this month during a shareholders meeting. Cook shared that the tech innovator is in a “great position”, being able to leverage its consumer-friendly approach, as reported by CNBC.

Apple has already been collaborating with the FDA to improve regulations on digital health products. Other coordinators announced last summer as a part of the FDA’s Pre-cert pilot program were Fitbit, Johnson & Johnson, Pear Therapeutics, Phosphorus, Roche, Samsung, Tidepool, and Verily. The work is a part of the Digital Health Innovation Action Plan.

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DTC Perspectives, Inc., the leading conference, training and publishing company for the consumer marketing of pharmaceutical and healthcare products, is proud to announce its 10th annual class of inductees into the DTC Hall of Fame. The 2018 class will be honored live at an induction ceremony sponsored by PatientPoint, at the Sheraton Boston in Boston, MA as part of DTC Perspectives’ 2018 DTC National Conference. (Separate tickets are also available.)

“PatientPoint and I congratulate the 2018 DTC Hall of Fame inductees. Their extraordinary achievements in advancing the spectrum of patient communications has driven the industry forward, and for that, we are all grateful. We look forward to celebrating their accomplishments at the DTC National Conference.” Says Linda Ruschau, Chief Client Officer of PatientPoint.

This year’s inductees are:

Christine Sakdalan
Vice President Marketing, Bone and Cardiovascular Business Unit
Amgen

Gary Scheiner
EVP, Chief Creative Officer
ghg | greyhealth group

Tatyana Tsinberg
Vice President, Cross Therapeutic Area Brand Lead
Pfizer

Cynthia Rothbard
EVP, Creative Director
FCB Health

The DTC Hall of Fame is designed to honor individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in the advancement of direct-to-consumer marketing. Industry-wide nominations are collected and then the final four inductees are determined by DTC Perspectives’ executive and editorial teams.

“DTC marketing has been practiced successfully for more than twenty years and over this time it has grown to become a very important component of the pharmaceutical industry’s success,” says Bob Ehrlich, CEO of DTC Perspectives. “It is important to recognize those individuals who have shaped DTC advertising and significantly contributed to the communication of important healthcare information directly to patients.”

As part of the DTC National, the DTC Hall of Fame festivities include a cocktail party followed by a formal induction ceremony on April 18^th presented by PatientPoint, with video tributes and live introductions from industry leaders, as well as an address by the Hall of Fame inductees. Each inductee is also profiled in the annual conference guide publication.

The DTC National is a “must-attend” event for pharmaceutical marketers, agency executives, media partners, market researchers, and solution providers looking to further advance patient communications. Please visit our website, http://www.dtc-national.com, for complete agenda information, available sponsorship and congratulatory opportunities, and additional details.

Celebrate with the Industry’s Best

Congratulate the Hall of Fame inductees in-person and in our publications! DTC Perspectives offers reserved tables with seating for 10 at the Top 25/Hall of Fame and Advertising Awards ceremonies as well as congrats ads opportunities in our DTC Perspectives Magazine/DTC National Conference Guide, on our website, and in Email announcements. Click here to view awards packages and congratulate a Top Marketer/DTC Hall of Fame inductee today.

Print congrats ad deadline: Friday, March 2, 2017

Purchase Tables & Congrats Ads

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DTC Perspectives, the leading forum for direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising thought leaders names its 17th Annual list of the “Top 25 DTC Marketers of the Year.”

This year’s class will be honored during a joint ceremony dinner recognizing the 2018 Top 25 DTC Marketers and Hall of Fame class on the evening of April 18 sponsored by PatientPoint, at the 2018 DTC National taking place in Boston. It includes representatives from more than 15 different manufacturing companies, with each marketer championing both the interests of the patient and brand.

“PatientPoint and I congratulate the 2018 Top 25 DTC Marketers of the Year. These industry leaders have positioned their brand as true partners to patients throughout the care journey with innovative solutions that enrich the entire healthcare experience. We look forward to honoring their impressive achievements at the DTC National Conference and partnering with them on continued success,” says Linda Ruschau, Chief Client Officer of PatientPoint.

The Top 25 DTC Marketers of the Year for 2018 are…

Jason Alongi, Consumer Marketing, RESTASIS, Allergan
Jackie Balassone, Director, GI Marketing, Salix Pharmaceuticals
Bonnie Ben-Shmuel, Director, Planning and Innovation, Pfizer
Abigail Canlas, Sr. Associate Director, Oncology Marketing, Boehringer Ingelheim
Debra D’Amico, Senior Director, Consumer Marketing, Sanofi Genzyme US
Allison Doyle, Director eCommerce & Flu Trade Strategy, Customer Solutions Vaccines Business Unit US, GSK
Drew Fine, Senior Director Marketing – Aesthetics Business Unit, Galderma
Bijal Galloway, Consumer Marketing, ANORO ELLIPTA, GlaxoSmithKline US Pharma
Kim Gariepy, Sr Director – Mydayis Commercial Lead, Neuroscience Business Unit, Shire
Lise J. Hall, Associate Director of Consumer Marketing, Lung Cancer Franchise, TAGRISSO, IRESSA, LVNG With Lung Cancer, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals
Allison Harper, Associate Director Patient Marketing Insulin Portfolio, Novo Nordisk
Tywana Johnson, Consumer Marketing Director – Specialty Business Unit, Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Bill Keller, Vice President of Marketing, Acadia Pharmaceuticals
Tessy D. Malone, PharmD, Senior Director, Marketing, US Pulmonary, Grifols Inc.
Jennifer McIlvaine, Associate Director, Marketing, AstraZeneca
Kristy Meisler, Director, Patient Marketing, Pfizer
Karen Newmark, Associate Brand Director, Consumer/Patient Lead COPAXONE and Austedo, Teva Pharmaceuticals
Cindy North, Oncology Consumer Marketing Lead, Bayer
Eileen Regan, Associate Brand Manager, Eli Lilly & Company
Jarrett Roth, Associate Director, Oncology Marketing – Keytruda, Merck & Co. Inc.
Rodney Spady, Senior Director, Digital Operations, Global Multi-Channel Engagement, Sanofi
Christine Steiner, Associate Director, Marketing, Merck
Nicki White, Consumer Marketing Manager, Vaccines, GSK
Beth Wilson, Director, US Marketing, Celgene Corporation
Ilija Zlatar, Director, HBV Marketing, Gilead Sciences

“These elite pharmaceutical marketing professionals are this year’s top contributors to the advancement of patient outcomes via direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical education and marketing,” adds DTC Perspectives Chairman and CEO Robert Ehrlich. “We would like to recognize the faces behind prominent DTC campaigns, because their hard work and dedication to fostering the industry is often not recognized. The awardees were selected from many worthy candidates.”

Click here to register for the DTC National Conference or contact the DTC Perspectives office at 770-302-6273.

Celebrate with the Industry’s Best

Congratulate the Top 25 DTC Marketers in-person and in our publications! DTC Perspectives offers reserved tables with seating for 10 at the Top 25/Hall of Fame and Advertising Awards ceremonies as well as congrats ads opportunities in our DTC Perspectives Magazine/DTC National Conference Guide, on our website, and in Email announcements. Click here to view awards packages and congratulate a Top Marketer/DTC Hall of Fame inductee today.

Print congrats ad deadline: Friday, March 30, 2018

Purchase Tables & Congrats Ads

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