Healthy Skepticism Library item: 1952

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

Roner L.
Meeting in the middle on DTC
Eye for Pharma 2005 Aug 3
http://www.eyeforpharma.com/index.asp?nli=o&g-p&nld=8/3/2005&news=47100

Keywords:
DTCA DTC

Notes:

Ralph Faggotter’s Comments: This glimpse into the thinking of the pharmaceutical industry shows that it wants to expand Direct to Consumer Advertising (DTCA) in Europe at the same time as it is making noises about being more responsible with DTCA in the USA. This suggests that the new DTCA guidelines are a reluctant response to political and public pressure in the USA rather than a genuine change of heart.

Full text:

Meeting in the middle on DTC
(8/3/2005)

While members of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America worked this week to issue guidelines paring down the broad reach of DTC advertising in the US somewhat, Frost and Sullivan says the scope of DTC advertising in Europe is broadening.

DTC in Europe, F&S says, is evolving from its current, “narrow publicity orientation to a more comprehensive approach focused on improved patient outcomes and value addition.” DTC expenditures, the group predicts, will experience rapid growth, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 42% from2004-2008 to reach $345.5 million.

For European patients, the group says, DTC promises increased empowerment, enhanced compliance and greater involvement in personal health management. But it also acknowledges DTC spurs many of the same concerns – increasing the cost of branded medication and the reliability of information and its impact on patient/physician relationships – that are leading to tighter guidelines on the advertising in the States.

“DTC is extremely rewarding to the manufacturer in terms of greater revenues, better prices, increasing end-user numbers and brand awareness,” says Himanshu Parmar, healthcare analyst for F&S. “Companies using DTC advertising need to rapidly learn how to target customers, complete effective product advertisement, and ingrain DTC advertising in product marketing campaigns.”

Greater experience with DTC will drive a better understanding of the drug and consumer lifecycle and more sophisticated brand-oriented approach that will augment reach and maximize returns on R&D investments, F&S predict. And they say DTC expenditures will continue to rise and will be particularly high in the customer retention and compliance areas.

If F&S is right, pharmas in Europe and the US are finally about to meet somewhere in the middle on DTC advertising – and that’s a good thing for everyone – patients, doctors and the industry.

Author: Lisa Roner, Editor, eyeforpharma Briefing