How to handle safety issues in an era of information and transparency
Today's patients have unlimited access to medical information via the Internet but the problem now is that there is so much information out there it can take hours to sort through all the informati
By on Dec 15, 2009Today's patients have unlimited access to medical information via the Internet but the problem now is that there is so much information out there it can take hours to sort through all the information and then determine which information is credible. The media one day may report issues with drugs while the next day say the same drugs offer additional benefits. What are consumers supposed to think and do?
The drug industry has not done a good job in communicating new information to consumers about drugs they maybe taking. All too often we hear things like "we're currently studying the data to determine what we should do or say". To most consumers and the media this means "we're trying to determine how to twist the data so that we can maintain sales of our drug". This is unacceptable in an era of transparency and information overload. Here are some recommendations as to what drug companies could do to start to gain back the trust of their patients and customers:
1. Respond to reports quickly before they become bigger issues- Because of the Internet and especially social media small problems can quickly become really big issues and lead to an erosion in new Rx's. Marketers need to put all issues on the radar and quantify the issues that could most damage their brands and respond quickly and with transparency.
2. Talk to me like a real person- Don't put up some complicated data put the data in context in real human terms. If people are reporting a new side effect report exactly how many people have experienced the side effect out of the total number people taking the drug. Patients want to be able to judge risk along with their physician to determine if they want to keep taking the drug (benefits vs. risks)
3. Give consumers a way to dung out more- Why provide an opt in on your website to inform patients about new clinical trials or safety information. Again the key is to talk to patients as if you were having a 1:1 conversation. Don't talk down to patients talk with them.
4. Don't take out a full page ad in the newspaper- There was a full page ad in yesterdays newspaper from Bayer about Yaz regarding the safety issues that being reported in the media. Consumers don't trust pharma and don't trust the FDA so this effort was probably a waste of money and will do little to quell patients fears regarding safety issues.
Trust between patients and pharma has been damaged over the last couple of years and it's going to take a long time to reestablish trust again. Pharma needs to convey that all decisions are based on patient safety not sales. It's not going to be easy but it can be done starting with small steps,