Manhattan Research Releases Digital DTC Relevance Rankings

Manhattan Research Releases Digital DTC Relevance Rankings, Revealing Which Condition Groups Are Most Likely to Adopt eHealth

Acne, Restless Leg Syndrome, and Cancer Patients are Among the Top Condition Groups Shaping the Future of Digital DTC Marketing

New York, April 8, 2009 - More than 60% of U.S. adults turn to the Internet as a decision support tool in healthcare and disease management, and certain condition groups are more likely to use online health resources than others, according to pharmaceutical and healthcare market research company Manhattan Research.

Acne, restless leg syndrome, and cancer patients are among the top ten therapeutic categories adopting eHealth activities, which can range from reading a health-related blog to joining an online patient community. The increasing use of consumer reliance on the Internet for health and pharmaceutical information is transforming digital direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing from a "nice to have" tactic to an essential communication channel for pharma companies reaching consumer audiences.

Manhattan Research releases its Digital DTC Relevance Rankings, revealing which condition groups are most likely to use the Internet for health information out of a pool of over 100 therapeutic categories. The findings come from Cybercitizen Health(tm) v8.0, the company's consumer market research and advisory service. The Digital DTC Relevance chart shows that for some brands, such as those targeting acne, adult ADHD, and fibromyalgia patients, it's especially critical to take note of digital opportunities in shaping future DTC marketing strategies.

Digital DTC Relevance Rankings Top Condition Groups Online for Health Ranked by number of U.S. adults Position Condition

1. Acne
2. Adult ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
3. Fibromyalgia
4. Migraine
5. Allergies
6. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
7. Anxiety Disorder/Social Phobia
8. Asthma
9. Restless Leg Syndrome
10. Cancer

Among U.S. adults (18+) Source: Cybercitizen Health(tm) v8.0 (2008)

"This is the year in which pharmaceutical companies must stop merely 'talking at' consumers and begin communicating with them. The old way of DTC marketing isn't going to cut it as the consumer media landscape evolves," said Meredith Abreu Ressi, Vice President of Research at Manhattan Research. "Though we've shared just a few of the top condition groups online for health, the reality is that all pharmaceutical marketers are finding that their target audiences are shifting from traditional offline sources to the Internet for their everyday needs, including health management."

Manhattan Research at the DTC National Conference

Manhattan Research Vice President of Research Meredith Abreu Ressi will be presenting "How New Media Changes Pharmaceutical DTC Advertising" with Jeff Hitchcock, President and Founder of Children with Diabetes, a Johnson and Johnson Company, at the DTC National Conference on Thursday, April 16, 2009 in Washington D.C.