Healthy Skepticism Library item: 13403

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Publication type: news

Verispan Reports: Physicians Prefer Merck’s ePromotion Activities
Business Wire 2008 Mar 31
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080331005103&newsLang=en

Full text:

YARDLEY, Pa.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—According to Verispan’s 2007 ePromotion Annual Study, physicians were most likely to report that Merck had the best ePromotion activities. Of the approximately 1,000 physicians who participated, Merck was mentioned as a top company by 361, while the closest competitor, GlaxoSmithKline, was mentioned by 219 physicians.

Merck performed particularly well among primary care physicians and pediatricians, with 48% of primary care doctors and 52% of pediatricians ranking it among the three companies with the best ePromotion programs.

Merck’s spending on ePromotion activities has more than quadrupled over the last 3 years, reaching almost $83 million in 2007, according to Verispan’s ePromotion Audit, which monitors and tracks online pharmaceutical promotion to physicians. Merck currently leads the industry in ePromotion investment, accounting for over 20% of industry spending for this promotional method.

Merck’s ePromotion efforts in 2007 were concentrated on primary care physicians (68% of spending), pediatricians (13%) and obstetricians/gynecologists (8%). Merck most often promoted Januvia, Singulair and Vytorin to primary care physicians, and Singulair, RotaTeq and Gardasil to pediatricians. OB/GYNs were most likely to participate in Fosamax, Singulair and Januvia ePromotion activities.

For the seventh year, Verispan’s ePromotion Annual Study analyzes how ePromotion fits into the total promotional picture. Physicians reported on their behaviors and preferences regarding the Internet, ePromotion, face-to-face promotion, electronic prescribing and ordering samples online. For the purpose of the study, ePromotion is defined as video details, online events and virtual details. The study also asks physicians to rank the top pharmaceutical companies for ePromotion activities/programs and the top facilitating companies.

The survey was deployed through Verispan’s online market research platform. Approximately 1,000 physicians across 14 specialties participated by providing insight into their current and future ePromotion participation.

For more information on Verispan’s 2007 ePromotion Annual Study, please contact Melissa Leonhauser or Heather Alba at (800) 982-5613; e-mail: melissa.leonhauser@verispan.com or heather.alba@verispan.com.

About Verispan

Verispan, a healthcare informatics joint venture of Quintiles Transnational Corp. and McKesson Corp., provides a broad array of information products and services to the healthcare industry, including sales targeting and compensation products; market research audits; healthcare profiles; comprehensive managed care offerings; data integration, warehousing and mining; data analysis and consulting; direct mail; list services; disease management studies; clinical trial investigator targeting and protocol recruitment evaluation; healthcare outcomes; and cost/benefit analyses, among many others. Verispan is also the nation’s leading provider of patient-centric longitudinal data, with dozens of products used by clients spanning the industry.

Headquartered in Yardley, Pa., Verispan employs over 500 dedicated healthcare information professionals. The company’s Web site is www.verispan.com.