| Until recently, many big name pharmaceutical | | | | social media because of legal and regulatory issues, |
| companies have been gun-shy about entering into | | | | but this trend is beginning to change. Many |
| the realm of social media (SM). But recent trends are | | | | pharmaceutical companies, in recent years, are simply |
| telling a different story. Only two weeks after | | | | bypassing many of these regulatory concerns, or |
| pharmaceutical giant Nova Nordisc announced | | | | simply finding ways around them. Many drug |
| development of its brand new twitter page, Pfizer | | | | companies are hiring outside firms to run blogs and |
| quickly followed suit introducing plans for its own | | | | message boards for them, but at the same time not |
| page in the next few months. Both companies plan | | | | being directly associated with the company. This is an |
| to use Twitter as a social platform to announce new | | | | important step for pharmaceutical companies, as |
| products, new drug treatments, as well as developing | | | | customers can discuss their reaction to different |
| better relationships with their consumers. But is SM | | | | drugs and therapies, without and legal concerns. |
| really an effective marketing tool for large | | | | With over 80% of Internet consumers, searching |
| pharmaceutical companies? And why now are they | | | | online for health and drug information, breaking into |
| starting to jump on the social media bandwagon, | | | | social media is absolutely vital for the continued |
| after years of resistance? | | | | success of pharmaceutical industry in the |
| As the economic downturn continues to adversely | | | | technologically evolving business climate of the 21st |
| affect pharmaceutical companies all over the world, | | | | century. Many pharmaceutical consulting experts are |
| many pharmaceutical consultants are starting to | | | | finding it more and more important for the |
| recommend giving SM a try. Until recently, much of | | | | pharmaceutical industry to enter into this realm of |
| the pharmaceutical industry has shied away from | | | | social media, and find it will be more common place in |
| entering into the interactive realm of social media, for | | | | the next 5 years. Because social media is an excellent |
| various reasons. The common belief was that | | | | place for drug companies to utilize online support |
| implementing effective marketing strategies using | | | | groups, as well as discuss treatments and |
| social media was too difficult, given the legal and | | | | medications with patients online, this trend will only |
| regulatory hurdles. Also, the lack of a means to | | | | continue to grow. Marketing through social media will |
| measure the financial success of using social media, | | | | help create not only better informed patients, but will |
| has kept many pharmaceutical companies away from | | | | help patients to make better health decisions about |
| using these possible lucrative marketing tools. | | | | what kind of medicines or treatments they should be |
| However, signs are showing that these trends are | | | | choosing. |
| starting to change. | | | | If you liked this article about a pharmaceutical |
| Many pharmaceutical consulting experts are coming | | | | consultants, tell all your friends about it. They'll thank |
| out in droves stating that many of these negative | | | | you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link |
| claims about social marketing are highly over | | | | to it or even post it to your own site (don't forget |
| exaggerated. It is true that many pharmaceutical | | | | to mention as the original source). |
| companies have stayed away from blogs and other | | | | |