DTC in Focus - DTC Perspectives

In the rapidly evolving landscape of direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical marketing, data compliance has traditionally been viewed only as a necessity— which is often perceived as a constraint on marketing-driven growth, personalization, and operational agility.

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing this perspective, positioning data compliance as a strategic asset that enhances marketing effectiveness, improves data integrity, and reduces risk. Today’s AI technology not only automates and streamlines first-party data collection and handling but also facilitates collaboration, customized reporting, and stakeholder-specific recommendations.

The Evolving Landscape of DTC Pharmaceutical Digital Marketing and Media

In early 2023, the pharmaceutical industry surpassed the technology sector to become the second-largest industry in advertising spending, increasing its share to 14% of total ad expenditures, second only to the retail industry. This significant investment underscores the industry’s commitment to direct consumer engagement as the engine for marketing-driven growth. However, it also amplifies the challenges associated with ensuring that marketing strategies comply with stringent regulatory standards.

A recent study of the data compliance risks on pharmaceutical websites by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and Compliant^[1] found that many healthcare and pharma websites failed to meet minimum standards for consumer data collection, consent, and data sharing. Companies like Better Help^[2], Costco^[3], and many others have found themselves in regulatory and legal crosshairs. Even industry associations have been targeted and found guilty by regulators^[4], leaving marketers with no choice but to look for ways to own data compliance themselves. This has led to a need for new tools to increase efficiency and accuracy in this critical area.

Without ethical guidelines and proper controls, large-scale consumer data collection, processing, and activation expose brands to significant liability and risk—often with minimal transparency or governance.

The rise of AI has expanded data compliance capabilities across multiple applications in the digital marketing business, including the ability to now build, create, analyze, enhance, and interact with consumer data in real-time in a “safe” and consistent manner. Done well, AI can empower marketing, technology, and compliance teams to operate together with greater precision and impact. AI’s ability to integrate compliance workflows with data optimization across websites, media campaigns, and cross-media applications adds unprecedented value for the DTC marketing process.

AI-Driven Data Compliance: A Strategic Asset

Traditional consumer data compliance processes in pharmaceutical marketing are often manual and time-consuming, leading to delays and inefficiencies. And while more than 70% of brands rely on agencies and partners to be educated and act in a legal and ethical fashion, less than one in four used automation to audit and verify data compliance across their digital marketing supply chain^[5].

AI helps address these challenges by enabling detailed data compliance testing, verification and remediation across various digital platforms, including websites, applications, and media campaigns. AI-driven tools ensure real-time adherence to regulatory requirements, enabling marketing teams to execute privacy-first media campaigns swiftly and confidently.

Jamie Barnard, CEO of COMPLIANT, emphasizes, “Leveraging AI-driven data compliance is both a sword and a shield. Done right, it can transform this complex subject from a regulatory and business barrier into a competitive advantage. It allows DTC marketers to innovate confidently, technology teams to reduce time allocated and compliance teams to sleep well at night. And it saves money from fines and resources, making the CIO and CFO happy”

Enhancing Data Integrity and Media Quality

In DTC pharmaceutical paid media, the collection and utilization of first-party data are crucial for effective consumer engagement. Finding and marketing to consumers in the healthcare space presents some unique regulatory and legal challenges – not the least of which is privacy and data integrity.

AI-powered compliance platforms continuously audit data collection points, consumer interactions, consent frameworks and other quality metrics to ensure media campaigns are accurate, relevant, and compliant with privacy regulations. This helps both the customer and the company by leading to:

Improved Targeting: Ensuring that marketing efforts reach the appropriate audience segments.
Enhanced Personalization: Delivering tailored content that resonates with individual consumer needs.
Increased Consumer Trust: Demonstrating a commitment to data privacy and security.

Pete Dannenfelser, a pioneer in digital healthcare marketing communications, notes, “The unexpected value add of the integration of AI in compliance processes is that it not only mitigates risk, but also elevates the quality of our data, enabling more precise and impactful marketing efforts. This not only leads to better marketing, but delivers higher quality, more appropriate messaging for the customer.”

Fostering Continuous Collaboration Between Teams

AI facilitates seamless collaboration between compliance and marketing teams by providing unprecedented transparency and control, real-time insights, and automated reporting. This continuous alignment reduces the need for multiple meetings and streamlines communication, allowing teams to focus on strategic initiatives and objectives.

Shailee Vimadalal, a partner at ZS Associates, observes, “Implementing robust AI-driven compliance solutions fosters greater transparency and control, enabling marketing and compliance teams to work in harmony towards shared objectives.”

Real-World Application of AI-Driven Data Compliance in Digital Marketing and Media

Today, data compliance platforms are removing risk and enhancing marketing performance for leading consumer brands worldwide.

Consider a pharmaceutical company launching a new DTC campaign. With an AI-driven compliance platform, the company can:

Confidently Activate Consented First Party Data : AI ensures that first-party data collection methods comply with privacy laws, maintaining data integrity.
Ensure Compliant Media Buying: AI ensures the impressions, audiences and media purchased through agencies/DSPs and from digital media vendors (publishers, SSPs and other 3rd party data sources) are properly consented and have higher data integrity.
Facilitate Cross-Functional Collaboration: Real-time compliance transparency, controls and insights promote a unified approach to campaign development which delivers greater trust and confidence to the organization.

This integration not only expedites campaign launches, but also helps ensure that all regulatory requirements are met, thereby enhancing the campaign’s overall integrity and effectiveness.

The Return on AI-driven Compliance

By embedding AI into compliance processes, pharmaceutical companies can transform a traditionally manual, reactive function into a proactive strategy that drives business value. The benefits include:

Operational Efficiency: Streamlining compliance tasks reduces time-to-market for new campaigns.
Risk Mitigation: Proactively identifying and addressing compliance issues minimizes the likelihood of regulatory penalties, lawsuits or reputational damages.
Enhanced Outcomes: Marketing-driven growth is predicated on finding the right customer, and serving them creative ads in context and with consent. Using data integrity and compliance metrics becomes an additional KPI.

Actionable Steps for DTC Marketers

To leverage AI-driven data compliance in digital media effectively, DTC marketers should:

Assess Current Data Compliance Processes: Identify areas where AI can automate and enhance existing workflows.
Invest in AI-Powered Compliance Tools: Select platforms that offer real-time monitoring and analysis of marketing activities.
Promote Cross-Functional Collaboration: Encourage ongoing communication between marketing and compliance teams to align objectives.
Stay Informed on Regulatory Changes: Utilize AI tools and services to monitor and adapt to evolving regulations, ensuring continuous compliance.

By adopting these strategies, pharmaceutical companies can turn compliance into a catalyst for innovation and a significant competitive advantage in the DTC marketing landscape.

Conclusion

The integration of AI into digital media data compliance marks a pivotal shift in DTC pharmaceutical marketing.

By automating compliance tasks, creating transparency among teams, enhancing data integrity standards, and fostering collaboration between marketing, IT and compliance teams, AI can transform compliance from a regulatory obligation into a strategic growth opportunity.

Pharmaceutical companies that embrace AI-driven compliance solutions are better positioned to navigate the complex regulatory environment, drive innovation, and achieve sustained success in the competitive DTC market.

Sources:

^[1] 2024 ANA Compliant Website Benchmark Report (LINK)

^[2] FTC Better Help announcement (LINK)

^[3] Costco sued for Facebook pixel placement on Pharmacy homepage (LINK)

^[4] IAB TCF framework judged illegal (LINK)

^[5] ANA Compliant report

Ian Wolfman

The recently passed Washington My Health My Data (MHMD) Act stands as a significant legislative milestone, reshaping data requirements for pharmaceutical companies and raises a new specter of non-compliance. Against a backdrop of increasing regulatory scrutiny and privacy concerns, understanding the implications of the MHMD Act is a critical first step and learning that they may not be in compliance is weighing on the minds of CEOs, CMOs and Chief Privacy Officers (CPOs) across the industry. Compliance Officers are asking what the impact of the MHMD Act will be, and, more importantly, how can they ensure that their companies are aligned with changing regulations?

What is the Legislation?

Enacted on March 31, 2024, the Washington My Health My Data Act represents a comprehensive framework aimed at enhancing health data ownership and privacy. Key provisions of the MHMD Act include obtaining explicit authorization from consumers before selling or sharing their health data, expanding the definition of health data to encompass various aspects of physical and mental health, increased transparency regarding data privacy practices, and stricter accountability measures in case of breaches or violations including enforcement actions by the Attorney General and private litigants.

Of course, the MHMD Act has profound implications for pharmaceutical companies, reshaping their approach to data privacy and compliance. In an industry characterized by stringent regulations and waning consumer trust, adherence to the MHMD Act is critical for several reasons, not the least of which being Regulatory Compliance. Healthcare companies operate within a complex regulatory landscape, subject to oversight from federal agencies such as the FDA, FTC and DEA. The MHMD Act introduces additional compliance requirements, necessitating proactive measures to ensure adherence and avoid negative PR and costly penalties.

Identifying the source of one’s FOFO: Fear of Finding Out

Pharmaceutical companies, their agencies, and internal compliance have always been a critically important part of program execution, but the stakes have just gone up. In fact, in this new compliance environment, one could now consider a proactive approach to data compliance management as a competitive advantage for the business. Specifically, the companies with the right approach and toolset to automate workflow, will have a new competitive advantage whenever engaging in marketing programs and at all digital consumer touchpoints. It also means the end of FOFO, because finding out about your level of compliance shouldn’t be a fearful situation.

Shailee Vimadalal, a partner at ZS Associates is a global management consulting and technology firm specializing in transforming healthcare and beyond said about these marketplace changes, “The Washington My Health My Data Act (MHMD) brings a renewed focus on consumer consent for data use by the US pharmaceutical industry. This necessitates investments in personal data collection and handling practices to ensure greater transparency, commitment, and control for the consumers on how their data and how it is being used. Implementing a robust consent and preference management solution can be a strategic step for pharma companies to navigate this evolving landscape.”

In the pharmaceutical industry, ignorance is never an acceptable reason for being out of compliance. In addition, once a company becomes aware of an issue, its leaders are obligated to act.

This draws a direct line from the CEO to the office of Compliance and across to the head of IT as Data Management challenges begin to emerge. Pharmaceutical companies handle vast amounts of sensitive patient data, including clinical trial results, medical records, and adverse event reports. Laws like this touch even simple “request more information” type functionality on product websites and extend throughout all brand digital media. Compliance with the MHMD Act requires attention to robust data management systems to safeguard the privacy and security of this information.

This Washington act will also impact Marketing Practices. The MHMD Act’s provisions for consumer authorization and data-based targeting have significant implications for pharmaceutical marketing strategies. Companies must ensure compliance with opt-in requirements and adopt data privacy-centric approaches to these campaigns while ensuring strict compliance with data-usage disclosures. In other words, proactive and skillful compliance in marketing workflows will become a key strategic and tactical competitive advantage for pharmaceutical brands in 2024.

Pete Dannenfelser, a pioneer of digital healthcare marketing communications, offers insights into the impact of the MHMD Act on pharmaceutical company compliance. “The industry’s historical commitment to conservatism and caution may make change easier. But the consequences of non-compliance underscores the importance of leveraging tools to assess the current state of a company’s digital platforms and readiness for what’s next.”

Dannnfelser goes on to say, “While these newly enacted requirements will hit the entire industry, pharmaceutical companies operating under Corporate Integrity Agreements (CIAs) must be able to act quickly to uphold stringent compliance standards. Non-compliance with the MHMD Act could jeopardize adherence to CIAs, leading to severe consequences.”

Amidst the challenges posed by the MHMD Act, Dannenfelser recommends leveraging new AI-powered digital tools to navigate compliance requirements effectively. In fact, adding these powerful new tools to workflow should foster a competitive advantage, not only in day-to-day tactical execution, but also with strategic planning in a rapidly evolving new regulatory environment.

“Advertisers can only effectively manage what they can measure, so optimal integration of compliance standards into workflows become an essential element of all digital media campaigns and web properties,” says Jamie Barnard, CEO of COMPLIANT, the industry leader in AI SaaS compliance software.

A.I. algorithms analyze vast amounts of data to assess compliance risk levels, identifying potential areas of non-compliance and guiding companies in prioritizing remediation efforts. These learnings can help pharmaceutical companies create comprehensive compliance roadmaps, outlining steps to ensure compliance with data privacy regulations, opt-in requirements, and data-based marketing practices. Beyond that, AI technologies enable real-time monitoring of compliance activities, allowing companies to detect and address compliance issues promptly and proactively, minimizing the risk of regulatory violations and associated penalties. As any seasoned Rx marketer can tell you, a little proactivity can go a long way when dealing with regulatory bodies.

The Washington My Health My Data Act ushers in the next era of significant regulatory data requirements with far-reaching implications for the healthcare industry among others. So, what should pharmaceutical companies be doing now to manage FOFO and stay ahead of this and other emerging data laws?

Embrace A.I.-driven tools to reactively assess active current content and proactively review new digital assets.

Adopt proactive compliance strategies leveraging tools and revising policies to be flexible enough to change with new laws.

Respond quickly when issues are identified – oftentimes, the remediation is not as intimidating as it seems, especially if repeatable processes and guidance is enacted.

Ian Wolfman & Pete Dannenfelser

What’s happening with TikTok?

As many of you have heard, TikTok has been formally banned in the U.S. (it will take effect by January 2025 at the earliest). The major reason for the ban is the national security threat from the Chinese government, which could potentially use it to spy on Americans or weaponize it to covertly influence the U.S. public by amplifying or suppressing certain content. While TikTok management is willing to fight the ban in court and looking for various workarounds, it is forecasted that the platform will most likely be purchased by one of the U.S. tech companies. Under the bill, TikTok will now have 270 days to divest. However, an additional provision could also see TikTok apply for an extra three months under certain conditions (e.g., if it’s negotiating with buyers and needs more time to finalize the deal).

We already see conversations around potential platform buyers. Experts say that Meta is the least likely candidate in this case, and it is more realistic to consider companies such as Oracle, Microsoft, Walmart, and Triller.

What does it mean for us as pharma marketers?

It is hard to predict how the platform will evolve if TikTok wins its legal case or if either of the players acquires it. This means it is too early for pharma marketers to consider future strategic considerations.

Regardless of the outcome, it’s obvious that the situation casts a shadow on the platform’s reputation in the eyes of pharmaceutical marketing stakeholders who were considering it for potential social initiatives. It also may affect the U.S. social media landscape, where we can expect a spike in snackable video content on Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts driven by migrated U.S. influencers.

We haven’t had a chance to produce any content for the platform in the past due to regulatory implications on our clients’ side. However, we are currently working on Instagram and Facebook Reel ads development for clients, which is a great opportunity to start exploring the format deeper as an alternative to TikTok.

When considering influencer marketing, it would be fair to eliminate TikTok as a platform for potential partnerships and focus on Instagram and YouTube. X (former Twitter) is a questionable platform for HCP influencers as it is still experiencing some market backlash and had a 7% drop in brand use in 2024.

The upcoming changes aren’t supposed to significantly affect the way we’ve been strategizing our clients’ social presence. However, we should keep exploring alternative platforms to help brands engage effectively with patient/HCP audiences while keeping a close eye on the next steps on the TikTok side. As an agency committed to staying ahead of the curve, we’re prepared to navigate these changes alongside our clients and help them thrive in the evolving social media landscape.

Helen Hoye

Healthcare providers are analytical and methodical professionals who make important decisions every day affecting the lives of their patients. Constant learning is critical to their performance.

But HCPs are also human, with egos, personal lives, daily pressures, and jobs that impose long hours and high demands. Their time and attention are at a high premium.

To effectively educate HCPs about a brand and differentiate it in their minds, marketers must optimize product messaging so that it quickly and vividly resonates with each audience segment. An effective tool for doing this is heuristics, a term that encompasses a process of psychological shortcuts that simplify and accelerate decision-making.

We all use heuristics in our everyday lives, especially when faced with new or high-volume information and a limited time to process it. In a stressful situation, for example, we might base our response on how we successfully handled a similar situation in the past.

In healthcare marketing, there are numerous heuristics domains that commonly affect the decision-making of HCPs. Some of these include:

Background Contrast Effect: People are more likely to select an option when an inferior choice is present, i.e., they judge an option based on its contrast with a lesser option rather on its merits.

Instant Return: People want a return on their investment (time, effort or money) immediately.

Novelty Bias: People often think newer is better.

Negativity Bias: People pay more attention to and give more weight to negative things than positive things.

Zero-Risk Bias: People prefer reducing a small risk to zero rather than making a larger reduction in a bigger risk.

Understanding and prioritizing which heuristics are applicable in a specific situation – i.e., which are most relevant to target HCPs and pertinent to the features of a particular brand – is an important step in developing effective brand messaging. Here are some examples of how heuristics can guide and optimize messaging.

If the dominant heuristic is Instant Return, optimized messages will focus on how quickly results can be expected, e.g., “Observable results in two weeks, with proven significance at six weeks,” or “Improvement you and your patient can both see in as little as six weeks.”

If Novelty Bias is the dominant heuristic, what’s new and unique about the product will be the focus, e.g., “Only Product X has once-daily dosing and no meal restrictions, which may help your patients remain compliant.”

Similarly, if the dominant heuristic is Background Contrast Effect, optimized messaging will emphasize the drawbacks of an inferior choice (such as remaining untreated for a particular condition) to underscore the value of a different option, e.g., “The impact of body movements isn’t just physical; even mild body movements hold patients back from making meaningful connections and performing daily tasks”.

Of course, optimized messaging isn’t the end of the story. The next step in successfully connecting HCPs to a brand is delivering those messages through powerful creative that communicates quickly and is pertinent, impactful, and memorable. Powerful creative is also visually compelling – studies show that the vast majority of human communication is nonverbal, people process visual information much faster than text, and they retain more of what they see than what they read or hear.

Ultimately, powerful and effective creative is distinguished by four key hallmarks. First, it’s quick, to the point, and communicates in the blink of an eye. Words and pictures work seamlessly together to deliver a disarmingly simple idea. Second, it’s relevant, telling a meaningful story that resonates with viewers and indelibly marks the brand message in their minds. Third, it makes an emotional impact, connecting with the hearts and minds of viewers and communicating benefits, not just product features. And fourth, it’s distinctive, standing out and delivering a message so fresh, daring and different that it’s impossible to overlook.

Optimized brand messaging that is guided by heuristics and realized by powerful creative is a solid foundation for effective advertising and a confirmed way of connecting HCP’s to your brand.

Jody Van Swearingen

Certain cancer screening types, including mammograms and colonoscopies, are well-known among patients. But lung cancer screening isn’t one of them—and even high-risk patients aren’t getting the message.

More than half of current smokers—54%—know little or nothing about lung-cancer screening, according to recent data from Phreesia Life Sciences, which surveyed more than 14,000 current and former smokers as they checked in for doctors’ appointments. And only 28% of survey participants with any smoking history—many of whom also are considered high-risk—said they were aware of lung-cancer screening.

Early detection in lung cancer is key to better chances of survival, which makes the survey figures particularly alarming. Patients who are diagnosed when their cancer is still localized to the lungs have a five-year survival rate of 61.2%, according to data from the National Cancer Institute. But that rate nosedives to just 7% for patients whose cancer has spread to other parts of their body before it’s detected.

Patient Education Lung Cancer Screening — Image source: pexels

So what can pharma marketers do to help? For starters, getting the word out about who should be screened—to both patients and doctors—is critical. Just last year, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force expanded screening recommendations to include adults ages 50 to 80 who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and either currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.

Now, “doctors just don’t know about it. They don’t talk about it,” Heather Kun, CEO of nonprofit Fuck Cancer, says. And on top of that, “the criteria for being screened is beyond complicated,” she notes, pointing to the pack year count.

Patients need more education around the screening itself, too, explains Nancy Ibach, associate vice president of U.S. Oncology at Merck. Screenings consist of low-dose CT scans, and “people realizing that it is not an invasive procedure … could actually help us help others,” she says.

And he way pharma marketers communicate that information is important, Kun adds. “Make it funny, make it lighter,” she suggests. “This isn’t a big deal—you’re getting your picture taken!”

But boosting awareness alone won’t solve the problem, Phreesia survey data shows. Of the 28% of current or former smokers who said they were aware of screening, just 5% have been screened for lung cancer in the past 12 months, and only 11% plan to be screened in the next 12 months. Those stats suggest there are other hurdles to screening that marketers must address.

For one, smokers and former smokers may experience feelings of guilt or shame that stop them from getting screened. “There’s a lot of guilt, if you will, a lot of, ‘I did this to myself,’ and sometimes that can impact their ability to even undergo the screening,” Ibach says.

In some cases, those feelings may stop them from even sharing their smoking history with their doctors, Kun adds. Destigmatizing the conversation around smoking can help ensure that patients and providers can have open, honest conversations. “It’s super important to get people out of the dark to say, “‘I’m owning my risk factors,’” she says.

Patients in underserved communities may also face additional barriers, leading to later diagnoses and worse fatality rates. Currently, screening isn’t accessible enough for all patients, says Kun, who suggests expanding the technology to a certain number of community health centers per zip code.

Patients in these communities can also be less trusting of physicians, Ibach says. “We have to get into the community with the message, and we have to partner with people who can get into the community and deliver this message from a trusted source who can help them understand the details of it,” she notes.

While the challenge of upping screening rates is a big one, it’s one that comes with the opportunity to save patients’ lives, Ibach says.

“We’ve got a lot of education to do, but I do think if we as an industry within the pharma space can create more awareness, we can really change health outcomes within this particular diagnosis.”

Carly Helfand

Cancer is the word that no patient or family member ever wants to hear, and it is news that no clinician wants to deliver. Yet, it is the second leading cause of death in the United States and each year more than 1.6 million people are diagnosed with cancer and nearly 600,000 die from it.[i] In addition to the toll on life, the financial burden to the U.S. healthcare system is about $200 billion dollars, and the cost of cancer care continues to rise.[ii]

The good news is that more people are surviving cancer than ever before. There are an estimated 17 million cancer survivors alive in the United States today, and that is expected to grow to more than 22.1 million by 2030.[iii] Effective communication plays an essential role in survivorship and promoting healthy outcomes for oncology patients, and is needed to support early detection, treatment, and care planning before and after treatment.[iv]

oncology patient communication — Image source: Pexels

Several challenges to communication in oncology care exist. According to recent studies, patients may be reluctant to ask important questions about their disease and care, unless directly invited to do so.[v] In addition, some limited studies on the differences in culture and race reflect a positive or disparate impact on the interaction among patients and their healthcare practitioners, demonstrating the need for greater cultural competency.[vi] In their quest for more information, patients may seek online sources where there is a crowded array of both reputable and non-authenticated information. In addition, the number of therapeutic-focused communications have increased dramatically from the early 2000s when direct-to-consumer marketing in oncology was largely nonexistent, adding further to the information patients will be exposed to as they seek to make sense of their diagnosis and review treatment options.

To help overcome these challenges, effective oncology marketing should focus on increasing awareness about prevention, as well as the clinical trials and treatment options currently available. These communications should also drive awareness on emerging therapies and engaging with influential intermediaries who will help patients make difficult decisions about their care, including healthcare professionals and caregivers. Some suggestions for oncology marketers:

Leverage the work of stakeholder organizations to amplify the support needed for patients and doctors to provide effective communication tools. This can help healthcare professionals, caregivers, and patients engage with more preventative measures for early detection and to aid in the development of a care cancer plan that can greatly improve a patient’s experience, survival, and overall health outcomes. A new diagnosis can be traumatic, and patients have to navigate learning a new cancer care language, while also managing some of the most important sets of decisions in their lives. No patient should feel like they have to start from ground zero when trying to navigate the cancer care system. The American Cancer Society has a survivorship app and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship has a Cancer Care Toolbox, both resources can aid patients and their caregivers to navigate what can often be a very difficult time in their lives. Resources that help patients ask concrete questions, take home information to help them process their next steps, and choose a treatment plan, will help reduce anxiety and outline a clear path forward.
Consider cultural competency training and develop materials that demonstrate diversity and inclusion in cancer marketing, clinical trials, and educational materials. Mortality rates are higher among African Americans with prostate and breast cancer. The National Cancer Institute Communication in Cancer Care PDQ® notes distinct healthcare disparities in Latina patients with breast cancer who are older in age. These patients were less likely to receive interactive informational support from their doctors than younger patients who present with the same disease.[vii] In addition, therapeutic clinical trials are less likely to have included racial and ethnic minorities, which can have an impact on the understanding of how a therapeutic treatment would work in some populations. Moving toward more inclusive communications and authentic engagement that helps facilitate trust can help spur better detection, clinical trial participation, and uptake on important treatment plans.
Design integrated oncology communication approaches to engage patients across the spectrum of patient populations. Cancer communication must go to where the people are, where they live, work, and play and to networks and influencers they trust. Traditional ways to engage, online streaming content integration, social influencer engagement, and education on a wide variety of digital platforms can help to reach new audiences through compelling story telling by patients, as well as healthcare professionals. As oncologists are becoming even more technologically savvy, they are taking to social media to share their knowledge and garnering large followings. Real people are sharing their personal journeys and helping other patients find their way, which can lead to greater communication opportunities to help patients. Oncology professionals and marketers can help guide the way to accurate information, while also connecting patients and caregivers to resources so they don’t feel alone in the process, while leveraging the experience and expertise of others who have survived the system and their diagnosis.

Oncology communications show promise in helping to address challenges and disparities in cancer care and can help improve health outcomes for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals when effectively leveraged. Our nation’s healthcare system and the families affected by cancer deserve innovation in oncology communications to help get the right treatment or intervention to the right patient at the right time. Life depends on it.

[i] Murphy, S. L. (2021). Mortality in the United States, 2020. NCHS Data Brief (No. 427). National Center for Health Statistics. https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc:112079

[ii] National Cancer Institute. (2021). Financial burden of cancer care. Cancer Trends Progress Report – Financial Burden of Cancer Care. Retrieved March 21, 2022. https://progressreport.cancer.gov/after/economic_burden

[iii] Miller, K., Rowland, J. H., Mariotto, A., & Nogueira, L. (2019, June 11). Cancer Treatment and Survivorship Statistics. Cancer treatment and survivorship statistics. Retrieved March 21, 2022. Accessed March 21, 2022. https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3322/caac.21565

[iv] PDQ® Supportive and Palliative Care Editorial Board. PDQ Communication in Cancer Care. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Accessed March 14, 2022. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/coping/adjusting-to-cancer/communication-hp-pdq

[v] Ibid

[vi] Saltus, R. (2019, November 1). Study finds racial disparities in culturally competent cancer care. Racial disparities found in culturally competent cancer care. Retrieved March 21, 2022. Accessed March 21, 2022. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/11/studyfinds-racial-disparities-in-culturally-competent-cancer-care/

[vii] PDQ® Supportive and Palliative Care Editorial Board. PDQ Communication in Cancer Care. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Accessed March 21, 2022. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/coping/adjusting-to-cancer/communication-hp-pdq

Monique LaRocque

As out of pocket healthcare costs grow, consumers and patients are sometimes faced with the challenge of being able to afford and take their medication as prescribed. Within the past two years, dermatologist Dhaval Bhanusali, MD, FAAD had a situation where he had prescribed an anti-fungal cream to a patient. In a follow-up, he discovered that a treatment that should have cost her less than $8 ended up costing $1,200.

“I have drugs that I used to prescribe to patients that were $4. And now they’re $800 to $2,000. The same drug. It’s getting unsustainable,” he told Business Insider. (In 2019, several lawsuits were filed against multiple generic pharmaceutical manufacturers for alleged price-fixing.) As the Business Insider article noted, “Though [doctors] write prescriptions, most don’t know what drugs will cost their patient. That is, unless they hear back about issues.” Connecting with other dermatologists who were experiencing similar situations with their patients, Dr. Bhanusali ultimately founded Skin Medicinals to help combat this issue.

The medical entrepreneur had previously launched a platform to compare prices between different local pharmacies as well as an EMR platform for Dermatologists and even helped launch Amazon’s first private skincare brand. Skin Medicinals, an online platform that utilizes compounding pharmacies to specially mix medications for patients, emerged as a result of that work. Dr. Bhanusali is also an instructor in the Mount Sinai Health System and works in private practice in NYC.

While not entirely welcomed by some in the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Bhanusali told DTC Perspectives that “overall, people understand the mission and respect what we are trying to do.” He added, “We are coming directly from the end users who WANT to reduce prices, and this platform is showing it is possible.” Since having launched Skin Medicinals in August 2018, the network has nearly 3,000 healthcare providers and dermatologists registered, as well as 73,000 patients. (A doctor must be registered with the platform before their patient can create an online account and begin ordering their medication for home delivery.) “This has demonstrated a true unifying of the field and become a mission for patient care nationally,” he noted.

Awareness and growth about this enterprise has been “organic” thus far. Dr. Bhanusali informed DTC Perspectives, that while there may be the possibility to do more direct marketing in the future, so far “this has been a grassroots effort from physicians to educate patients (and ourselves) about the rising drug costs.”

“We handle everything from Rosacea to pigment conditions, warts to chemotherapeutics. We also regularly provide options for inflammatory conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and more. [We] want to start with dermatology and hopefully inspire physicians in other fields to create similar [help for patients],” concluded Dr. Bhanusali in our interview. “While physician-led innovation tends to be rare, this is one of the first times that such a large number has come together so fast, showing the absolute need for innovation in the space. As prices continue to rise, it will be interesting to see if Skin Medicinals becomes a viable alternative to traditional pharma, one in which the physicians take control to better the access for patients.”

admin

Earlier this month, Ogilvy Health kicked off their #EverydayMatters campaign, setting in motion a long-term commitment to “make an impact on cancer”. The endeavor began with a public relations and communications teammate suggesting the agency do something to support World Cancer Day as so many people across the globe are affected by cancer – whether it be patients themselves or maybe you know someone suffering from the disease.

Speaking with DTC Perspectives, Amy Graham and Sherry Novembre shared that this is currently a year-long project about which they are highly passionate, with each month highlighting a different type or types of cancer. Novembre, SVP, Management Supervisor at Ogilvy Health, shared that “the spirit of what we are doing is … small, regular gains that add up.” March’s effort sees the agency’s Young Professionals Network leading a colored band-aid drive for children to benefit the Rutgers Cancer Institute of NJ’s Pediatric Wing. An additional focus in March will highlight colorectal cancer: an educational poster created to generate awareness among Ogilvy Health employees is now being shared publicly to help bring awareness to the masses, allowing other companies to access and distribute the poster share with and educate their staff.

Graham, client engagement officer at Ogilvy Health, detailed that another way they are trying to educate is through psychosocial aspects: why a patient may choose to be treated or not, or the challenges of navigating information during what many find to be overwhelming or could be a crisis-time, for example. By better understanding how decisions are made for treatments and during a treatment cycle, they are able to reshape education and support to better help those affected through a difficult time.

The #EverydayMatters campaign will be constantly evolving to ensure they are providing much needed education or support appropriately. Future elements will include walks/runs and other distribution materials. Novembre also shared that the team is in talks to partner with advocacy groups, partially via Ogilvy Health’s oncology business, “on activities to help amplify their voices through our channels.” Thinking in the long-term, this has the potential to take things beyond one year or beyond just the US, said Graham. The team is also exploring ways they may partner with their global offices to further efforts. The ultimate goal is to push the conversation further and create a strong call to action in a “lifelong endeavor,” Graham remarked.

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It was announced last week that the American Oncology Network, LLC (AON) has chosen PatientPoint to “educate, inform, and improve communication among oncology patients, care partners and providers” for its growing network of community oncology practices. AON, founded in 2018, is an “alliance of physicians and seasoned healthcare leaders partnering to ensure the long-term success of community oncology.” It is led by the leadership team responsible for the success of Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, the nation’s largest independent community oncology practice. The group is quickly growing as it currently represents 58 physicians and 20 nurse practitioners and physician assistants across ten states.

“PatientPoint allows us to customize information at so many different touchpoints to ensure patients, caregivers and providers alike are receiving the specific and appropriate information they need to know to feel truly informed,” said American Oncology Network Chief Marketing & Sales Officer Shelly Glenn. “We are confident that PatientPoint solutions will help AON practices foster that same personalized, engaged and informed experience that is the hallmark of community oncology.”

Patient programs include digital waiting room screens with custom, engaging content; interactive exam room touchscreens with videos and 3D learning tools for more than 20 cancer types; the ability to easily share the information via text and email. These tools will also allow AON to “highlight key practice initiatives, quality scores, and keep providers and staff up to date.”

“PatientPoint is proud to offer cutting-edge digital engagement solutions to AON to help their practices educate and inform patients in the waiting room, exam room and beyond the four walls of the office to help ensure better outcomes,” said PatientPoint Chief Provider Officer and President, Hospital Chris Martini. “We look forward to partnering with AON to make a positive impact on patients, care partners and providers at these key touchpoints and beyond for many years to come.”

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Point-of-care-POC-DALL·E-2025-01-14-10.40.36-An-illustration-of-a-modern-doctors-office-waiting-room-with-divers.webp

Your parents are the ones who always take care of you. Mom kissed your knee when you fell on the playground, and Dad drove you to the hospital when you needed to get your tonsils out. Your parents kept you healthy and safe. They were your rock and knew all the answers and just what to do.

Time passes. You’re in your thirties and somehow in an instant the role of caregiver has flipped. This was the case for me. Nothing could prepare me for the moment I learned my mom, my rock, was diagnosed with a form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I recall googling “NHL” only to be served hockey statistics; I was frustrated and scared. Every time we went to see her oncologist or when I accompanied her to chemo, I would get hit with a wall of anxiety. Each time we stepped into the hospital, what my mom and I truly needed most was support.

As a caregiver and patient, I understand the emotional moments that can happen at the point of care. As a healthcare marketer, I also understand the value of this space as a channel, and I’ve been fortunate to see it evolve over the tenure of my career. Today, pharmaceutical brands and healthcare and lifestyle advocacy groups push messages at these point of care (POC) settings, hoping to educate patients about therapy options.

But POC as a marketing channel needs to be treated both similarly and differently from other marketing strategies if a marketer wants to appear relevant and connect in a meaningful and useful way. The reality of distracted, concerned patients and worried caregivers means brands that want to engage with patients at the POC need to approach them with greater empathy and understanding, with content that resonates emotionally and rationally with this audience.

But what makes POC unique anyway?

The POC channel supports the patient at critical moments of their health journey.

From acute illness to more chronic or prolonged conditions, important milestones of the health journey happen at the point of care. Through a recent survey collaboration between Outcome Health and Nielsen, we learned that the wait times within the rooms of point of care are substantial, with patients waiting on average up to 38 minutes in the waiting room and then another 36 minutes in the exam room. These wait times represent a huge opportunity to communicate with and impact patients, caregivers and physicians all at the same time — essentially turning a “captive” audience into a “captivated” and educated one.

Inventory is finite if POC content is done right.

POC differs from other digital ad channels because inventory is specific, targeted, and limited. Think about it. There are only so many rheumatologists in the United States, and there are only so many brands that treat or support patients who see a rheumatologist. Factor in the attention span of the average person today, include the other places they can get content in the doctor’s office (like magazines, posters, pamphlets), as well as the fact that we are all walking around with smart devices that can deliver content that we ask it anytime, anywhere, and you realize how critical it is to provide content that is aligned with why a patient may be in that rheumatologist’s office in the first place. This content (continuing with the Rheumatology example) could include anything from signs and symptoms of Lupus, to managing rheumatoid arthritis through diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices, to understanding how to best support a loved one who has osteoporosis — this is just the short list of potential content that may be pertinent to patients or caregivers seeing rheumatologists. The funnel of dependencies leading to the opportunity to message a patient who is seeing their provider for an ailment and being able to support that patient on their journey means that there are finite opportunities like this, which makes messaging at the POC more sophisticated and challenging in the same breath.

The point of care is the final touchpoint of the marketing message.

On many occasions, I’ve heard pharma marketers muse, “What if we could hold hands with patients when they have those important conversations with their provider?” In the POC channel, you can. Unlike TV, print, and digital that serve to create awareness for new therapies or reach patients before they reach the office, POC holds their hand in the office, moments before and during time with their physician.

POC drives patients to take action.

Messaging at the POC has been proven to impact and shift patient behaviors. In a study by ZS Associates, patient behavior was measured after being exposed to digital signage at their provider’s office. Of those exposed, 84% were more likely to ask their doctor about an ad they saw, 68% asked their doctor for a specific medication, 31% were more likely to fill their prescription, and 34% were more likely to take their medication as prescribed.

Where does POC marketing fit in alongside DTC and traditional channels? The point of care should serve as a complement to your brand’s other marketing and sales efforts, with specificity and context for patients waiting to see their doctors, moving them forward towards treatment. POC marketing can be leveraged as a digital tool, as a TV alternative, and even as a patient engagement solution to share benefits like co-pay assistance programs. Because your ad is now in the room with patients and their physician, messaging must be tailored for this space; simply dropping your TV spot onto an exam room screen isn’t likely to cut it with patients who are waiting to see their doctor. Advertisers should welcome the opportunity to become more deeply integrated into the patient-doctor experience and develop content that can be integrated into the clinical setting.

Because there’s such a range of experiences (and emotions) that happen at POC, it’s important that any content (sponsored or not) intended for this space is sensitive to that. You can’t create effective content without considering the patient’s mindset. Content must be curated and contextualized for each touchpoint of the point of care experience. Videos should be relevant for that clinic’s specialty and help to facilitate physician-patient conversations. When you’re at the doctor’s office, sitting in a gown (or in the passenger seat supporting an ill parent), wouldn’t you prefer fact-based, custom information that’s helpful and supportive of the conversation you’re about to have with your physician?

On the other hand, there are also moments of the health journey when patients don’t want to dig further into their treatment plan or condition and prefer access to content that simply entertains or distracts them. We as marketers need to take into account the range of experiences that happen within the point of care and provide content that aligns with and supports these unique moments.

The most important thing to remember is that patient needs vary within the POC environment, and you can’t take a “one size fits all” approach with your messages within each channel. The diversity of needs and experiences is prompting the space to evolve beyond just awareness. New trends within the space include patient education, adherence, support group registration, and more. The channel is poised for continued growth and we, as healthcare marketers, need to continue to innovate so that everyone entering the POC space can feel informed, inspired, entertained, and renewed during the most critical moments of care.

Matt McNally

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