Social media - the medium with potential

Social media continues to divide pharmaceutical marketing. There are two camps: those who see the new, digital world as an opportunity and as a tool that can be used for communication, and those who would prefer to have nothing to do with social media.

STRONG SOCIAL INTERACTION ON THE NET

However, the latter are being pushed more and more into a corner, because social interaction takes place on the net, whether the pharmaceutical industry wants it to or not. Participants are not only digital natives who can no longer imagine life without the Net, but also many older people. In the health sector in particular, it is predominantly "silver surfers" who are on the Net: they are looking for information about medications, for treatment recommendations, for doctors and for emotional support! They often maintain intensive exchanges with other patients.

A look at the portal "Sanego," for example, one of many and not even the largest in the medical field, shows how strongly. At the time of the query (Wednesday, 20.5.2015, 14:48), a whopping 1,692 users were online! Here are the latest "Sanego" posts:
- 1 hour ago "Clarithromycin" (pneumonia, bronchitis): "I had to take clarithromycin due to bronchitis that was not improving and beginning..."
- 2 hours ago "Pantoprazole" (stomach pain): "Due to stomach pain (probably gastritis, mirror examination is still pending) I was given the 40mg..."
Without wanting to go into more detail about the indications, active ingredients and medications mentioned, because they are only taken from a random life scan of the portal "Sanego": these are not isolated cases. Sanego users alone have asked 795,871 questions and given others 229,789 answers. The most frequently named medications are "Citalopram", "Mirena", "Trevilor", "Mirtazapin", "Cipralex", "NuvaRing", "Lyrica" and "Seroquel"; the most frequently treated diseases on the portal are depression, contraception, anxiety disorders, high blood pressure, pain (acute), psychosis and headaches.

DIALOGUE WITH DOCTORS GOOD - WITH OTHERS WEAK

Unfortunately, the pharmaceutical industry is not yet making sufficient use of the treasures hidden in this data and even less of the dialog opportunities offered by social media.
Certainly - most pharmaceutical companies are already active in social networks, even more than in some other industries. But this primarily involves dialog with healthcare professionals, in experience-sharing portals such as doc.check and other closed communities such as coliquo.de. There they also have many interesting offers for the medical staff: Continuing education, therapy options, research results/clinical studies and disease patterns. This is welcomed by physicians. According to Harris IT, only a minority of physicians (7%) fear manipulation or influence of the Internet by the pharmaceutical industry.

LISTENING YES, BUT MANY HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT DATA

The pharmaceutical industry is also doing a good job of "listening" to some extent. But only in part. Again to the Sanego portal: 360,992 evaluations over physicians - after all one of the most important communication partners of the Pharmaunternehmen - were delivered. The fact that naturally also the medical profession is interested is no large miracle. Thus on the "Sanego" portal - as said, only one of many - 2,476 physicians announced themselves, who either read or even actively answer the respective Posts and evaluations. Detailed evaluations reveal that of the Berlin GPs at the time of the analysis (again on 20.5.2015) 40% were rated with an average of 8.1. The pharmaceutical industry can create a marketing scenario for the sales force from this if it understands the tools of social media, which are available free of charge, not just as a problem but as an opportunity.
Concerns, even fears in some cases, exist with "listening" to the validity of data provided by patients. Posts can not only be negative, they can be totally wrong! However, these posts can also contain an important indication of undesirable side effect profiles, which can be understood as a kind of early warning system, because it takes time until ADRs are reported by patients to physicians and pharmacists to the respective established systems. Time that a company could use if it knew about it. Knowledge is the key to action here - as so often in life.

MONITORING AND DETAILED DATA ANALYSIS OFFER GOOD INSIGHTS

Online analytics tools provide initial overviews of hot topics on platforms. But to really evaluate the information, to rule out fake news, biased comments from activists or special interest groups, and to filter out inaccurate, incomplete, unverified information from confused or dissatisfied patients still needs qualitative, manual analysis. However, there are a number of qualified consultants and pharmaceutical companies that can separate the wheat from the chaff and gain a time and competitive advantage. In addition, knowledge about patients' wishes or physicians' treatment habits helps complement data-driven business models. Knowledge about one's own image provides ideas for improvements in customer orientation.

RESTRAINT IN TALKING

When it comes to "talking" in social media, to dialog, the pharmaceutical industry is still reticent. This can be explained by the fact that the pharmaceutical industry is one of the most heavily regulated industries. The HWG, non-precise FDA regulations and strict compliance requirements keep companies from jumping on the bandwagon. The lack of ability to moderate incorrect or inappropriate comments is one of the biggest barriers to engagement on social media like Facebook.

PATIENT FORUMS SUCCEED

This is easier to do in patient forums (usually accessible after registration), which are often set up or supported by pharmaceutical companies. There are a number of very good examples where help is offered without making an ethically dubious remote diagnosis, where sufferers and interested parties, as well as doctors, can ask questions, exchange information or contact the company directly. In the successful forums, critical questions and concerns of patients and physicians are dealt with openly. If direct reactions are not permitted due to the restrictions of the HWG, reference is made there with corresponding openness to other communication channels (doctor, e-mail).
In these forums and patient support programs, patients can be encouraged to be more compliant with therapy and to lead healthier lifestyles. There are already initial studies that prove the effectiveness. For example, sciencedirect reports that participants in an epilepsy community experienced the desired emotional support because they met others with the same condition and made friends. They learned more about symptoms, disease, and treatment, were better able to cope with side effects, and 27% improved their adherence. In a study by Prof. Friedrichsen, as many as 52.1% of forum-using patients confirmed better adherence to their medications.

WELL MANAGED PROJECTS POSSIBLE IN ALL SOCIAL MEDIA

There are also successful activities by pharmaceutical companies on traditional social media such as Facebook or Twitter. However, a lot of tact and legal knowledge is needed, good planning and investment in staff or consultants. Shitstorms can be avoided or successfully countered with contingency plans for crises, which in the case of social media must rather be a bundle of accesses and well-reputed and active accounts on the most important portals.
We recommend that our clients firmly integrate social media into their cross channel program when appropriate, support patient forums and maintain a patient program, and additionally implement a "secure social" workflow similar to the earlier "crisis communications" in PR:
All portals, forums and blogs are scanned by automated "spiders" and manually for certain keywords (active ingredients, brands, indications, areas of application, side effects, effect profiles, complaints, fears, experience values, but also praise), weighted, negative reports as well as their authors are identified, weighted again and - if a predefined danger threshold is exceeded - replied with adequate countermeasures. And - this is what is new about the "social" workflow - it is immediately backed up with suitable pro or con messages, which a team of scientists, lawyers and experienced physicians develops and promptly makes available to the manager responsible in the respective company. Unfortunately, social media does not adhere to the release procedures that are usually very long in international companies; it often works on a minute-by-minute basis! Therefore, after the target definition and strategy definition, a risk concept, resource planning and training are further important steps in the "Secure-Social Process", and the measurement of success should not be forgotten.