Would the FDA Care if Kanye West said Lipitor was His Drug?

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At the DIA in June the FDA said there would be guidance on social media practice by the end of the year. As we close in on December one has to ask, will we get any concrete guidance before the end of the year? In a brief but proactive post “Who’s Responsible for Tweets About a Drug?", Katherine Hobson discussed just this on the Wall Street Journal Health Blog this weekend. Ms. Hobson poses an interesting question regarding the industry’s responsibility with respect to what people post through Facebook, Twitter, etc. She wonders if the FDA would care if Kanye West or any celebrity’s comments on twitter would be the responsibility of the industry, in particular if they were paid to tweet it. It does beg the question, if a pharma company paid Kanye to suggest any drug was “better, faster, or stronger” wouldn’t this be considered promotional content and warning letter worthy no matter what medium it came through?

In addition, Ms. Hobson highlights an article that suggests “physicians and consumers should hold the FDA and pharmaceutical manufacturers responsible for maintaining credible information in social media regarding the benefits and risks” of therapies. However, as is sometime the case, most compelling were the comments which offered additional insights into the topic. In particular, I was struck by Jonathan Richman’s (ePharma Summit speaker and author of the Dose of Digital Blog) comment. In it he asks and answers three key questions “First, is it legal (according to the FDA) for pharma to use social media? Second, is the use of social media an effective marketing platform for pharma? And finally, what should pharma be responsible for when it comes to social media?” While his answers are well thought out and offer a great perspective for how the industry should use social media, one question remains, where does the FDA stand on pharma’s role with social media online?

For now, the industry waits for guidance, which may or may not come before the end of the year. In the meantime you can register for the ePharma Summit where not only Jonathan Richman, but Thomas Abrams the director of DDMAC will be on hand to provide what clarity there is to be had by February. Download the brochure for more information. Be sure to mention the code XP1606BLOG to save 10% on your registration.

(Image Courtesy of David Shankbone)

Bill Gates on the digital healthcare revolution

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Recently, Bill Gates looked at how mobile health was going to take off and revolutionize the healthcare industry. He looks at the successes in cloud computing as a precursor to the coming revolution in how Mobile Health will revolutionize the industry. This is only further aided by the increasing rates at which technology is being substituted for labor.

The Economist concluded the article concluded on this note:
“Middle-income countries are where most innovation in health care is going to come from.”

What do you think about that closing statement? Why will middle income countries be the future of the healthcare revolution?

The technology revolution is an important part of the future of the pharmaceutical industry and the ePharma Summit wants to keep you in the loop. Join us for a special presentation from Thomas Goetz, as he presents "The Future of Health is in the Hands of the Consumer," on Tuesday, February 8.

Download the brochure and remember to register by 12/10 to save $300. Register using the code XP1606BLOG and save an extra 10%.

Where's the one place to get the best eMarketing training, expert insight and analysis on market changes and meet over 500 of your colleagues?

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The 2011 ePharma Summit is your one stop shop for the digital marketing industry. With 40% of attendees from the Pharma industry and 70% senior representation, ePharma is the place to help you drive your business forward in 2011. What are we doing to help you network with your industry peers?

-Exclusive Networking Opportunities:
End each day with networking receptions designed to help you make lasting connections. With 10+ hours of networking, you'll be sure to walk away with valuable contacts.

-Begin Networking Before the Event:
New This Year! All attendees will be given access to our exclusive pre-event networking tool. This online resource will allow you to view the delegate list, message potential clients and set up meetings on-site from the comfort of your own office. Sign up early to take full advantage of this unique opportunity.

-More Than Just Networking:
The ePharma Summit strives to deliver the highest quality speakers every year and this one is no exception. Along with dozens of Pharma representatives, this year's faculty includes Thomas Abrams, Director of DDMAC, Thomas Goetz, Executive Editor of Wired Magazine, and David Pogue, Personal Technology Columnist for The New York Times.

Download the brochure and remember to register by 12/10 to save $300. Register using the code XP1606BLOG and save an extra 10%.

500 Million Users to be on mHealth by 2015

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Users of SmartPhones around the world are growing at exponential rates, and could be up to 500 million out of the 1.4 billion SmartPhone Users by the year 2015 will access mobile health. Currently, the most used platform to access mobile health is via apps, and is a pay-model. Those at Research-2-Guidance feel that mobile health has not taken flight yet, but within years of doing so.

Have you seen a successful app that embraces mobile health? Which app is that?

mHealth is an important part of the future of the pharmaceutical industry and the ePharma Summit wants to keep you in the loop. Join us for our special case study presentation from Jennifer Shine Dyer MD, as she presents her results regarding her study on text messaging and improved adherence in teen patients. Or attend our session on the use of mobile devices by physicians at the point of care. Finally, join us on Wednesday February 9th to get an update on Innovations in Mobile, with presenters from MobiHealthNews, Bayer and WebMd.

Download the brochure and remember to register by 12/10 to save $300. Register using the code XP1606BLOG and save an extra 10%.

1 Day Left to Save $500

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There is only one day left to save over $500 on the 10th Annual ePharma Summit. This year's event features over 500 industry professionals, 5 pre-conference workshops, 18 pharmaceutical companies on the program and 3 inspirational keynotes.

This year's workshops include the previously sold out eMarketing University and Social Media Boot Camp, Perfecting the Creative Brief, E-Sales Force, and Examining FDA/DDMAC Enforcement Trends. Keynotes inlcude David Pogue, Personal Technology Columnist at The New York Times, Tom Goetz, Executive Editor, Wired Magazine, and Ethan Zohn, Winner of  "Survivor Africa" who will be discussing his battle with cancer and the impact the pharmaceutical industry has had on his life.

Click here to download the brochure.

Register today and save an extra 10% off your registration when you mention the code XP1606BLOG for a total savings of almost $800.

Twitter tests ads on Hootsuite

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Twitter has released ads into the Twitter streams of users using HootSuite in an effort to find a sustainable business model. According to AdAge, in the next step after Promoted Tweet, targeted promotional tweets will appear in the streams of users who follow certain Twitter handles. They will start with HootSuite, which is a base of approximately 175 million users, then, should it be successful, expand to other third party Twitter applications and Twitter.com.

Will Pharma be able to take advantage of this new advertising platform? How can this new platform benefit Pharma advertisers?

Join us at the 10th Annual ePharma Summit to discuss the latest updates in the social media world as they relate to you and your business. Attend our full day Social Media Bootcamp workshops and get a 360 degree view of available social media tools and best practices. Then attend sessions like the Innovations in Consumer eMarketing panel discussion to see the latest and greatest in social media and eMarketing. Register today and save 10% off current rates when you use the code XP1606BLOG

Integration is key for effective marketing

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Recently at One-to-One Media, they looked at the effectiveness of integrated marketing efforts. While print is still an important part any marketing campaign, the effective integration of digital marketing into this plan will result in more views. It will also allow your potential customers to customize their experience and ultimately make them more likely to say yes to your product. By allowing individuals to choose which platform they engage with you on, you can better customize their data to fit their needs. Across all platforms, mobile is the one that is growing the fastest.

The ePharma Summit has a number of sessions dedicated to integrating social media into the traditional media mix. Event Co-Chair Joe Shields, Product Director at Pfizer will be presenting on “Hyperintegration in Healthcare Marketing” on Wednesday February 9th followed by his colleague Barbara Dowling, Director, Team Lead, Multi Channel Planning at Pfizer, who will be talking about “Seamless Integration of E-Initiatives into Your Multi-Channel Media Plans.” Our eMarketing University and Social Marketing Bootcamp workshops will also help you fully incorporate your new media program, with more traditional marketing outlets. Click here to visit the webpage and download the full brochure and save up to 25% on your registration.

Medical Devices allowing new mediums for disabled patients

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Many times on this blog, we write about what the iPad and similar technologies can do for doctors to help their patients. But recently in the New York Times, they featured the story of Owen Cain, who suffers from motor-neuron disease. The iPad is the only device that allows Owen to interact with the world, providing a platform for him to read and express himself on his own.



Can the right use of iPads create better patient experiences for patients? Have you seen any more examples like the one above?