From Twitter 09-25-2009

• 06:20:59: Think it's viable? RT: @pharmaguy If only this were NOT a mock site created by u. re paharmaco solciting AEs via widget: http://bit.ly/U9P9v
  
• 07:28:50: PhRMA 08 revd guidelines stated all print ads shld incl FDA Medwatch 800# & Web URL for AE reporting? No rec. 4 websites. WTF. @pharmaguy
  
• 07:38:21: Health Leaders Media: "Health System Uses Social Media to Recruit Physicians': http://tr.im/zIiu (@seaboardhcs)
  
• 07:40:41: RT @pharmaguy: Put this FDA widget on ur brand.com site & ur SM AE reporting worries r over: http://pic.gd/774fa9 (JST MOCK UP by @skypen!)
  
• 07:47:54: Other option: "click 2 talk/chat"- staff call center; pharmacos pay yearly fee, run by 3rd party, feeds real-time database, MDs can access.
  
• 09:08:20: Perhaps a combo: phone tree, trained operators, & RNs - with a triage algorhithm. RT @RandstadPharma: who staffs the call center?
  
• 09:54:30: Voice of San Diego: "My Grandmother Out-Tweets Your Biotech": http://tr.im/zJ6t (@davidwash @Peterpitts) #fdasm
  
• 09:58:02: Thanks 4 the summary Ellen! RT @ellenhoenig: Pharma Marketers: A Few Takeaways RE: PharmaMed Conference. http://bit.ly/GajK1 #pharmamed
  
• 11:05:47: RT @shwen: @pharmaguy: "Pharma Hot or Not": http://twitpic.com/j36qu
  
• 11:10:35: Thanks 4 FF & ditto! FOLLOW THESE GUYS: @cheyennejack @pharmaguy @chickalishus @RandstadPharma @shwen #followfriday #followpharma
  
• 11:30:09: @fardj I just report the news. AMERICA VOTED and U R 1 of "PHARMA'S HOTTEST BLOGGERS" @shwen @pharmaguy: http://twitpic.com/j36qu
  
• 11:36:31: THANK YOU @JNJComm for the #followfriday . I would do the same back but I think *everyone* already follows you! :)
  
• 11:42:38: Re-tweet a gr8 post. 5 new followers. Tweet something semi-intelligent. 10 new followers. Have @pharmaguy say ur good looking. PRICELESS.
  
• 11:47:56: And stack the deck? U have an unfair advantage as is! RT: @pharmaguy I could have given you a MUCH better photo had I known abt it. ;-)
  
• 11:50:35: And next time u go 2 hooters...RT: @pharmaguy @skypen I live vicariously through u! Nxt time u go to Italy I wnt daily posts & flickr updts!
  
• 12:00:41: Interesting use of twitter, hashtag & SMS by pharma: http://tr.im/zJL5 (@AstellasUS)
  
• 12:02:34: I sense #jealousy :) RT @a0k: the growing #bromance btw @skypen & @pharmaguy is so awkward & so amusing. #pharma
  
• 12:23:35: @a0k had no idea #bromance was a hashtag :)
  
• 13:07:44: This will come back 2 haunt me. I just know it! :) RT: @pharmaguy @a0k I live right outside the city of "brotherly love" ya know.
  
• 13:55:03: Thnx 4 this. RT @JNJComm: RT @SusannahFox: In case you're a fan: @Pew_Internet on Slideshare http://bit.ly/20ztHe
  
• 13:58:09: RT @JaeSelle: "6 Steps 2 Getting Your Healthcare Social Media Idea Approved" http://su.pr/1jUzvS RT @jonmrich
  
• 14:00:44: Does any1 know whether twt invitations 2 join some1's "Mafia Family" r auto-spam or real, authorized invites? (My uncle Vincenzo is pissed!)
  
• 14:07:19: Both. RT @rlewis: Fabio what tools do u use 2 deploy client SM? Updates 2 each platform independently or managed thru aggregator tool?
  
• 14:39:27: Diff. aggregators 4 diff. purposes. 4 core aggregation, Yahoo! Pipes rocks. @rlewis
  
• 14:40:22: @rlewis know OF shoutlet, never used. Just took a quick look. Seems interesting. DM me 4 further discussion :)
  
• 17:04:31: Pharma Marketing Blog: "Some Pharma Marketers Can't See the Unbranded SM Forest 4 the Branded SM Tree": http://tr.im/zL9r (via @durbaniak)
  
• 19:10:33: Worth the grin. "The Stupidest Article About Social Media Ever": http://tr.im/zLDy (@comprendia @Zee @maverickny)
  

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Health System Uses Social Media to Recruit Physicians

Source: Health Leaders Media

Written by Marianne Aiello, for HealthLeaders Media, September 23, 2009

When Geisinger Health System in Danville, PA, was having trouble recruiting gastroenterologists earlier this year, Cathy Connolley knew it was time for an innovative strategy.

"When recruiting gastroenterologists we traditionally would do print ads in different medical journals and direct mail," says Connolley, Geisinger's associate vice president of marketing. "But this time, we weren't getting the types of responses that we were looking for."

So the Geisinger marketing team worked with Zero-In Recruitment Marketing, a Bloomsburg, PA, firm, to create a social media physician recruitment campaign.

Zero-In began integrating social media into many of their clients' recruitment efforts because it realized that the majority of physicians use the Internet to conduct their job search. According to a 2008 New England Journal of Medicines study, 71% of respondents said they hunted for jobs online. And the popularity of Sermo, a social networking site just for physicians, gives marketers some insight into how doctors spend their time online.

Geisinger wanted to develop a convenient, cost-effective way to communicate with physicians, Connolley says. "So we sat down with Zero-In and they walked us through what it would take to put a Facebook page up and direct gastroenterologists who met the criteria we were looking for to our page—and that tactic outpaced our direct mail approach and our email blasts."

Geisinger and Zero-In launched a Facebook page in January, which includes photos, recruitment event information, and links to the health system's site.

Attracting followers on Twitter
Seaboard Health Care Search, a physician recruitment firm based in Nashville, also worked with Zero-In to promote their brand via social media. But Seaboard focused their efforts on a different channel: Twitter.

"We're in a marketplace that is now shifting to people who are very young," says CEO William Herrington. "I'm always looking at how to position my organization to take advantage and get to physicians-in-training earlier."

Herrington's experience with physicians taught him that they have very little time to keep on top of medical news and other hot topics, so Twitter was the best medium for Seaboard to disseminate that information to busy physicians while building its brand.

The key to building a successful Twitter campaign is to provide people with useful information and not only promote your business, says Todd Cole, recruitment marketing specialist at Zero-In.

"You run a big risk of alienating your population by using social media as sales tools," he says. "We've been using Twitter to share information that's valuable to physicians and physician organizations and making Seaboard's name synonymous with those."

Seaboard's Twitter account posts links to articles that physicians may find interesting from a variety of sources.

"We're trying to develop an educational aspect to let physicians know what's going on," Herrington says. "We want to get to the point where they don't have to use us and we can still educate them and they will have a positive viewpoint on Seaboard healthcare because we're actually giving them something."

Turning fans and followers into employees
In addition to promoting positive brand awareness, social media sites are effective marketing tools because there are many ways to track their results. Though Geisinger and Seaboard's campaigns are in the early stages, both organizations have already seen an impact on their recruitment efforts.

Geisinger, for example, sent out a direct mail piece to a list of gastroenterologists with a link to a job listing page. Just four people who received the mailing visited to the Web page. When Geisinger posted the same job-page link on their Facebook page, 17 people clicked on it.

The health system has since hired three gastroenterologists, one of which can be directly attributed to the success of the Facebook page.

Seaboard has heard a lot of positive feedback from physicians and clients about their Twitter account, Herrington says.

"People are actually clicking on the information we're putting out and sharing it with the people who follow them," Cole says. "We can track the trend and the effectiveness of what we're putting up and the traffic that we're getting through URL-shorteners. We're sprinkling the business information in right now, and eventually we can make it a 60/40 split [between news and recruitment information]."

Before embarking on a social media recruitment campaign, healthcare organizations must commit resources to update the sites at least daily and decide how to bring useful information to their target audience, Cole says.

"The first thing people need to realize is it's not meant to be a job board," he says. "If you're going to take it on by yourself, you have to make sure you have someone who's going to dedicate time to it daily. You have to make sure your light is always on so people know to stop by."

From Twitter 09-24-2009

• 12:07:34: BREAKING NEWS: John Mack (@pharmaguy) gives up bIogging to pursue new entrepreneurial venture in the t-shirt business: http://tr.im/zDmi
  
• 13:49:49: THANK U EILEEN! RT @EileenOBrien: @slarcker @skypen Nice quotes in the PharmaExec social media article: http://bit.ly/v5qof
  
• 16:25:30: Nice :)RT: @slarcker pharmexec: "An Open Conversation," quoting me & my @Digitas_Health colleagues RE: social in pharma! http://bit.ly/PE7cW
  
• 17:59:06: @pharmaguy -- AE reporting, Universal FDA Widget ... John, remember this idea? http://tr.im/zEZ3
  
• 18:07:46: Marc Monseau explains Y TWTR has not changed how J&J communicates: http://tr.im/zF1g @stevewoodruff @eileenobrien @EngagementStrat @JNJComm
  
• 18:13:03: No idea why it requires FIREFOX instead of working in Google's own Chrome??? RT @ellenhoenig: RT @PhilBaumann: Google's SideSwipe/SideWiki
  
• 18:16:33: What you must do 2 prep 4 FDA Public Hearing on Social Media: http://tr.im/zF5q - As always, thank U Mark (@eyeonfda) - GR8 post 4 industry
  
• 18:25:02: 2Day's Headline from @Pharmaguy: "Pharma Spends More DTC $$ on Web vs. Newspapers"; 2012 Headline: "Pharma Spends More $$ on Web. Period."
  
• 18:28:40: RT @Roche_com: Interesting poll results on @mhuckman ‘s blog about twitter and the biopharma industry: http://www.cnbc.com/id/32987936
  
• 18:51:46: @mhuckman RE: ur post- actually Lilly IS on Twitter, just not in a corp way. They sponsored medscape tweets from lung conf & @LlyOncOnCanvas
  

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From Twitter 09-22-2009

• 05:00:42: @swoodruff writes: "Coming Up: A Big Week in Pharma Social Media" http://tr.im/znDj
  
• 06:01:16: NPR HEALTH BLOG: FDA Wades into Social Media, ready to talk Web 2.0 ... on the eve of Web 3.0: http://tr.im/znBk #FDASM
  
• 16:08:00: THANKS! RT @ellenhoenig: @skypen : like your 5 tips in - PharmExec article, "An Open Conversation," http://bit.ly/PE7cW
  
• 16:21:32: Nice Insights & Analysis by @rohitbhargava "How Doctors Are Using Social Media": http://tr.im/zrOg
  
• 16:24:40: Thanks @shwen, took you long enough! : ) "Pharma Twitterama - Lessons Learned from a Pharma Company that Uses Twitter": http://tr.im/zrRd
  
• 16:26:54: Nice primer by Jay Krall: "Regulation & healthcare in social media": http://tr.im/zrRO (via @socialmedia2day)
  
• 16:27:54: RT @pharmaguy: #fdaSM Are J&J Agents Trolling for Adverse Events on the Internet? FDA should read this. http://bit.ly/uZfWB
  
• 16:40:50: GR8 PODCAST (http://tr.im/zrSy) hosted by @pharmaguy w/exl Dig. Phrm chair @Shwen RE: DigPhrm (http://tr.im/zrTA) & SM @DigitalPharma #fdasm
  
• 16:49:49: NEW: @PHARMAGUY PODCAST on FDA & Soc Med: http://tr.im/zrSy. THE thought leaders talk: @shwen @bradatpharma @fardj @swoodruff, etc. #fdasm
  
• 16:53:59: @swoodruff: "If FDA continues 2 believe the current guidance is fine, we're not going 2 get very far": PODCAST: http://tr.im/zrSy #fdasm
  
• 16:57:48: @pharmaguy: "All pharma companies such tweet during exl's Digital Pharma & engage in 2 way dialog" PODCAST: http://tr.im/zrSy
  
• 16:58:49: THANK U! RT @JaeSelle: @skypen Congrats on the great piece in PharmaExec. LOVE the "Key Pathways 2 Social Media Success" http://bit.ly/NfemH
  

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From Twitter 09-21-2009

• 05:00:38: Biggest news since Fri (also biggest news of the year), FDA calls hearing to discuss Drug Promo via Web and Social Media: http://tr.im/z65H
  
• 06:00:56: The tweet heard round the web: FDA calls public hearing to discuss Drug Promotion via Web & Social Media: http://tr.im/z65H
  
• 11:08:14: RT @blueeyepath: Why Non-Pharma Marketers should Care about FDA Hearing on Drug Promo & Social Media http://tinyurl.com/l9e3gx #FDASM @shwen
  
• 11:27:21: RT @RosettaHC: MM&M story on FDA public hearing on internet/social media in pharma: http://bit.ly/2VYULk #hcsm #hcmktg #FDASM
  
• 12:33:53: FDA's Janet Woodcock at FDLI Conf: The Way people communicate, esp. SOCIAL MEDIA, key driver of change 2day: http://tr.im/zkp8 (@eyeonFDA)
  
• 13:23:15: FDA Hearing on Drug Promo via Web & SM: 1.Take SURVEY: http://bit.ly/eYazv 2.Discuss on SOCIALPHARMER: http://tr.im/zkFQ 3.TWT abt it #FDASM
  

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From Twitter 09-20-2009

• 14:18:25: @Pharmaguy posts survey (http://bit.ly/eYazv) 2 help prep response 2 FDA pub hearing on Drug Promo via Web & Social Media: http://tr.im/z65H
  
• 15:43:35: Not sure I follow. What do u mean? RT @avivagabriel: Wish @Pharmaguy gave REAL reasons for soliciting survey respondents...
  

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From Twitter 09-19-2009

• 07:46:02: I'm digging Google Fastflip ... anyone else checked it out? http://fastflip.googlelabs.com/
  
• 10:31:59: FDA agrees w/@pharmaguy's survey findings, decides 2 convene public hearing to inform guidance on use of Int & SM: http://twitpic.com/iavi4
  
• 18:33:48: GR8 POST! RT @WendyBlackburn: wht do Alaska & pharma marketing have in common? Find out in this post: http://bit.ly/Kn8VU #followpharma
  

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From Twitter 09-18-2009

• 17:25:43: MUST-READ BREAKING NEWS: The FDA calls 1st ever PUBLIC HEARING 2 discuss DRUG PROMOTION using INTERNET & SOCIAL MEDIA: http://tr.im/z65H
  
• 19:20:57: THANX 4 RT! @xpetit @brianreid @cramermarketing @ edwardaten @maverickNY @heldincontempt @digitalbulldog @MiriamETucker: http://tr.im/z65H
  
• 19:29:21: FDA concedes: "Special characteristics of Web 2.0 & other technologies may require agency 2 provide additional guidance.": http://tr.im/z65H
  
• 19:44:24: FDA calls public hearing 2 discuss Drug Promotion via Internet & Social Media 2 gather data & possbly inform new guidance: http://tr.im/z65H
  
• 21:11:20: Brilliant!!! RT: @PhilBaumann @shwen Let's see how close I'll be on # 61, 62 & 64 re: FDA & Twitter - http://bit.ly/3TvNvb
  

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BREAKING NEWS: The FDA calls for a public hearing to discuss promotion of FDA-regulated medical products using the Internet and social media tools

This could perhaps be one of the most significant developments in healthcare marketing that I have witnessed in the past 10 years. The FDA is calling an official hearing to discuss medical product communications -- specifically in the context of the Internet, Web 2.0, and Social Media. This is a must read for anyone interested in helping shape the future of our industry.

The following statement, an extract from the notice, perfectly captures the significance of this event.

The FDA writes:

"The continually evolving nature of the Internet, including Web 2.0 and social media tools, as well as their expansion to applications such as mobile technology, have raised questions and concerns over how to apply existing regulations to promotion in these newer media. FDA is evaluating how the statutory provisions, regulations, and policies concerning advertising and promotional labeling should be applied to product-related information on the Internet and newer technologies.

Although the agency believes that many issues can be addressed through existing FDA regulations, special characteristics of Web 2.0 and other emerging technologies may require the agency to provide additional guidance to the industry on how the regulations should be applied."

# # #

LINK TO THE FULL "NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING" ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE FDA

# # #

Promotion of Food and Drug Administration-Regulated Medical Products Using the Internet and Social Media Tools; Notice of Public Hearing

AGENCY:
Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION:
Notice of public hearing; request for comments.

SUMMARY:
The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), in collaboration with FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), and Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), is announcing a public hearing to discuss issues related to the promotion of FDA-regulated medical products (including prescription drugs for humans and animals, prescription biologics, and medical devices) using the Internet and social media tools.

FDA is seeking participation in the public hearing and written comments from all interested parties, including, but not limited to, consumers, patients, caregivers, health care professionals, patient groups, Internet vendors, advertising agencies, and the regulated industry. This meeting and the written comments are intended to help guide FDA in making policy decisions on the promotion of human and animal prescription drugs and biologics and medical devices using the Internet and social media tools. FDA is seeking input on a number of specific questions but is interested in any other pertinent information participants in the hearing would like to share.

Dates and Times: The public hearing will be held on November 12 and 13, 2009, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Submit written or electronic registration by close of business on October 9, 2009. Written and electronic comments will be accepted until February 28, 2010.

Location: The public hearing will be held at the National Transportation Safety Board Conference Center, 429 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., Washington, DC 20594, 2023146305; Metro: L'Enfant Plaza station on the yellow, green, orange, and blue lines; see:

http://ntsb.gov/events/newlocation.htm

(FDA has verified the Web site address, but FDA is not responsible for any changes to the Web site after this document publishes in the Federal Register.)

LINK TO THE FULL PDF FROM THE FDA

From Twitter 09-17-2009

• 19:42:59: FUNNY-Thanx Mack! RT @pharmaguy: http://bit.ly/gFsaa - y a live twttr feed at conferences while speaker is presenting is NOT a gd idea.
  
• 19:46:16: :) RT @JaeSelle: Awesome BS alert. All of u w/"social media expert" in ur profile @armano is tlking 2 u. http://su.pr/2pXgwb (via @jonmrich)
  

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From Twitter 09-16-2009

• 12:33:47: New Manhattan Research report: Oncologists visit pharma sites & post content more than ave. HCP: http://tr.im/yTba (via @manhattanresear)
  

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Manhattan Research: Oncologists eHealth Trends

Oncologists Visit Pharma Sites and Post Professional Content Online More Frequently than the Average Physician

Source: Manhattan Research Press Release

Manhattan Research Specialist Segmentation Module Explores How Oncologists Use the Internet and Other Technologies for Professional Purposes and Treatment Decisions

September 16, 2009, New York, NY – Oncologists are more likely than the overall population of U.S. physicians to visit pharmaceutical, biotech, and device corporate and product websites on a regular basis, according to pharmaceutical and healthcare market research company Manhattan Research. In fact, almost seventy percent of oncologists visit product websites monthly or more often. Additionally, oncologists are three times more likely than physicians overall to be high-frequency contributors of online health-related content. The findings are derived from Manhattan Research’s study of physician adoption and use of the Internet and other technologies. The company’s physician market research can be segmented to derive insights into over twenty target physician specialties.

The field of oncology is rapidly changing, and physicians in this specialty rely on digital resources to receive the most up-to-date clinical and product news at the moment they need the information. While the sales rep is still undoubtedly important to many oncologists, manufacturers are now realizing the importance of supplementing in-person details with relevant online brand content that these specialists can access on-demand. For example, PfizerOncology.com from Pfizer offers useful videos, extensive product information, and patient education materials via an easy-to-navigate portal.

“The insight that oncologists are ‘above average’ in the digital realm is no surprise to the enlightened brand manager with an eye towards the future – a future in which reps are simply part of the promotional mix and not the center of it,” said Mark Bard, President of Manhattan Research. “The findings also highlight the need to further refine a professional strategy based on the needs of individual physician specialist segments. Clearly, companies can’t use a one-size-fits-all approach when addressing a physician audience online.”

Physician Specialist Segmentation Modules

Manhattan Research provides comprehensive analyses of over twenty physician specialist groups. Each Specialist Segmentation Module is an in-depth view of a particular market’s adoption and use of the Internet and other technologies for clinical, treatment, and product decisions and focuses heavily on tactical execution. The segmentation modules provide clients with the necessary market data and insights to make better informed decisions during brand planning and to connect with a particular specialist group through digital strategies.

Physician specialist module topics include interactive detailing, Web 2.0, pharmaceutical customer service portals, tech-enabled sales reps, search engines, online and offline professional information sources, email use and opportunity, patient interaction and education, digital health infrastructure, and mobile technology profile.

Complimentary Specialist Digital Report Card

Are you curious as to how your target specialist group stacks up to the digital adoption trends of physicians overall? To request a complimentary digital report card of your specialist segment, and to view a list of available physician specialist segmentation modules and topics, please visit http://www.manhattanresearch.com/products/Specialist_Segmentations

For additional segmentation module product and purchasing information, please contact sales@manhattanresearch.com or call 1.888.680.0800, ext 2.

About Manhattan Research

Manhattan Research, a Decision Resources, Inc. company, is a global pharmaceutical and healthcare market research and strategic advisory firm. We conduct annual research studies covering eHealth trends among physicians and consumers, including Taking the Pulse®, Taking the Pulse® Nurses, Taking the Pulse® Europe, Taking the Pulse® Asia, Cybercitizen Health™, Cybercitizen Health™ Europe, ePharma Consumer®, and ePharma Physician®. Broad consumer and physician research is complemented by targeted analysis among more than 100 consumer therapeutic segments and 25 physician specialist segments. For information, please contact sales@manhattanresearch.com, call 1.888.680.0800, or visit http://www.manhattanresearch.com.

Stay up to date on the latest eHealth trends through our e-newsletter and social networks –

• Sign up for our e-newsletter: http://www.manhattanresearch.com/newsroom/Newsletter
• Join our LinkedIn Group: http://tinyurl.com/mRLinkedIn
• Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/manhattanresear
• Fan our Facebook Page: http://tinyurl.com/mRFacebook

About Decision Resources, Inc.

Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources, Inc. at http://www.DecisionResourcesInc.com.

###

All company, brand, or product names contained in this document may be trademarks or

registered trademarks of their respective holders.

From Twitter 09-11-2009

• 04:21:55: Finally some new data! New About.com survey (n=1850) shows almost 50% web users search 4 more info online after diagnosis: http://tr.im/yq4C
  
• 04:24:17: RT @ilovelasik: TGIF- video contest http://www.gottaseethisnow.com/seethis/ will help you win $5000 for lasik
  
• 04:34:07: @whydotpharma i actually have some awesome global social media data, recent, with large "n". Anything particular ur looking for? #hcsmeu
  
• 05:36:44: @nicoleljohnson : Great point. Also. I believe their new "Taking the Pulse Europe" reports r starting 2 ask more questions RE: Social Media.
  

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From Twitter 09-10-2009

• 07:18:06: Thanks for the RTs @hoffman @Moacyr @CLIOAwards - How Digital is Shaping Future of Pharma Mkt http://tr.im/xEQG (via @swoodruff)
  
• 15:10:41: Nice find! Medical Marketing & Media: AMA hops on the social media bandwagon - http://tinyurl.com/on4e4z
  

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From Twitter 09-03-2009

• 04:17:50: YAHOO! launches "Meme" to take on TWITTER. Seriously? http://tr.im/xMGn
  
• 11:57:08: THANKS! RT @pharmaguy: @skypen is at it again! See The Nest, Home for Diabetes Tweeps. It's like a virtual Twitter meetup! http://tr.im/xcVi
  
• 12:36:16: THANKS! RT @JeanneMale: PLS RT "The Nest" for DIABETES TWEEPS - a virtual Twitter meetup! http://tr.im/xcVi RT@pharmaguy via @skypen
  
• 12:36:33: THANK U! RT @PhilBaumann: Diabetes patients: Look what the remarkable @skypen has done for you: http://bit.ly/11mkEk cc: @sixuntilme
  
• 12:37:20: 2 kind! RT @whydotpharma: RT @PhilBaumann: Diabetes patients: Look wht the remarkable @skypen has done 4 U: http://bit.ly/11mkEk - Wow!
  
• 12:38:04: Thank U! RT @VM_DesigNut: RT @PhilBaumann: Diabetes patients: Look what the remarkable @skypen has done for you: http://bit.ly/11mkEk
  
• 14:27:59: LOL What's ur email? RT: @sixuntilme @skypen Cool site - I saw this the other day and wasn't surprised to find out you were behind this. :)
  
• 19:32:26: Thank u guys -- 2 kind! RT: @ellenhoenig @skypen-you've done it again! @whydotpharma @PhilBaumann... The Diabetes Nest: http://bit.ly/11mkEk
  

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Yahoo Tests Microblogging Service

Source: Mediapost (Online Media Daily)
by Mark Walsh

In its latest effort to catch up in social networking, Yahoo has quietly introduced a microblogging service that looks like its answer to Twitter. An English-language version of the offering dubbed Yahoo Meme was launched in alpha this week following the rollout of versions in Spanish and Portuguese in recent months, according to TechCrunch.

The service lets users post videos, photos and other content accompanied by short descriptions and create a comment thread beneath each entry. People can also follow others on Yahoo Meme, as with Twitter and Tumbler, and track their posts through a personal dashboard. Users can also "repost" anyone's entries to their own meme.

Yahoo explains in the "About" section of the site that Meme is intended to let people quickly and easily share content without having to be part of any specific social network. (Although you do have to be registered on Yahoo.) The company also believes it has ideas on how to do these things "in better ways than what we see on other sites."

TechCrunch, however, was not impressed after testing the service, saying it "seems lacking in its features and its potential to surpass its competitors." Both TechCrunch and paidContent point out that Yahoo has a spotty track record with social networking, having shuttered projects like Yahoo Mash and SpotM in India less than a year after its launch.

That's not to mention the closing of Yahoo 360 in May, and Yahoo in April announcing plans to pull the plug on GeoCities, the forerunner of sites like Facebook and MySpace that Yahoo acquired a decade ago for $3.6 billion. (At least the company isn't still throwing around that kind of money on attempts to gain ground in social media.)

With Twitter established as the Internet's social wire service, and Facebook in hot pursuit, Yahoo trying to create its own microblogging alternative looks like another quixotic effort in the social space. Has anyone been clamoring for Yahoo to build a Twitter-killer?

The biggest advantage that a service like Yahoo Meme could have over Twitter is reliability. Twitter has become notorious for frequent service outages, with its "Fail Whale" graphic, appearing whenever the site is overloaded, emerging as the company's unofficial logo.

If nothing else, Yahoo has shown it can handle major traffic spikes, as when news of Michael Jackson broke and the Web portal stayed up and running as other sites such as Google and Twitter buckled under the surge in volume. TechCrunch reported Wednesday that Twitter had hired ex-Google exec and Feedburner founder Dick Costolo as COO, presumably to help tackle its downtime issues.

If only Yahoo could hire a Mr. Fix-It for its social networking woes.

From Twitter 09-02-2009

• 16:35:42: New health-focused semantic search engine debuts "HealthBase": http://tr.im/xKR8 (@techcrunch finds small bug: "Causes of AIDS: Jew". WTF?)
  
• 16:36:47: Very cool (and rare) indeed! RT @jlefevere: just had a quick call with @skypen...I love it when like minds meet.
  
• 17:43:20: DC launches multimedia HIV campaign"Ask for The Test": http://tr.im/xL3R (via @PozMagazine)
  

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DC Launches Multimedia HIV Testing Campaign

Source: POZ

On August 29, DC officials launched a $225,000 multimedia campaign encouraging residents to get an HIV test, The Associated Press reports. Advertisements—which can already be seen on television—feature people holding up signs that read, “Ask for the Test.”

According to the article, the campaign will include additional television spots as well as print, outdoor and radio ads. It also allows DC residents to use text messaging to find the nearest HIV testing site. The Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria will team with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to encourage doctors to offer HIV tests to their patients.

“Hopefully within a short period of time, people are going to understand that they’re not going to go to the doctor without asking for an HIV test,” said Mayor Adrian Fenty, who views HIV/AIDS as the city’s “greatest public health challenge.”

The testing initiative is the first phase of DC’s five-year HIV effort. This winter, the campaign will focus on encouraging residents to talk to their partners about their HIV status. The campaign will then focus on promoting condom use.

According to a report released earlier this year, at least 3 percent of DC residents are already living with the virus.

Check out the campaign's Website: www.DCTakesonHIV.com.

From Twitter 09-01-2009

• 09:40:29: AZ & other pharma featured in Sept. PharmaVoice story: "The Business of Tweeting": http://tr.im/xEdP (via @AstraZenecaUS)
  
• 09:50:14: GR8 tweeps featured in PharmaVoice story on Tweeting @jonmrich @maverickny @kevinkruse @AstraZenecaUS: http://tr.im/xEdP
  
• 09:50:30: GR8 tweeps featured in PharmaVoice story on Tweeting @zelliott @roche_com @healthyjack @cadelarge: http://tr.im/xEdP
  
• 09:54:44: RT @shwen: #SocPharm #hcsm: "Pfizer's Twitter Dilemma" http://tr.im/xEiB (AdAge vid of #bdi w/ @RayKerins)
  
• 10:29:35: Impressive! RT @pharmaguy: Full BOEHR(inger) Social Media Reporting of RELY Trial Results. Pharma Marketing Blog post: http://bit.ly/9xVHf
  
• 11:50:33: From Manhattan Research: How Digital is Shaping Future of Pharma Mrktng: http://tr.im/xEQG (via @swoodruff)
  
• 12:31:15: Medical Marketing & Media: "Merck launches online video with Project Runway HIV spokesman": http://tr.im/xF1A
  

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From Twitter 08-31-2009

• 21:03:50: RT @angiekringen: Check out the latest addition to JDRF's social networking site, Juvenation: http://tinyurl.com/m2y2ez
  

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From Twitter 08-28-2009

• 08:47:57: @NatBourre fabio@ignitehealth.com. Exciting!
  
• 08:59:05: Agree completely RT @swoodruff: RT @johnmack Twitter for Brands: Beyond Marketing. Pharma Marketing Blog post. http://bit.ly/ULIr6
  

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From Twitter 08-26-2009

• 10:05:42: CRZY! RT @EileenOBrien: Fascinating! 35% of those surveyed by about.com wld fill Rx w/out 1st doing research online http://twurl.nl/07hpa2
  
• 16:43:40: U r vry welcome! RT: @NatBourre @skypen Thanks for including me in yr `24` list. I am delightfully surprised 2 see my name there.
  

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From Twitter 08-25-2009

• 07:17:41: @Boehringer Ingelheim launches 1st 2 YouTube Channels, including "Parkinson's Matters": http://tr.im/x3VE (via Skoko)
  
• 11:23:29: U R WELCOME! Love ur tweets! RT @bradatpharma: @skypen : Thanks for putting me in your list... that's an amazing crowd to be included in :)
  
• 11:23:43: U R WELCOME, Wendy. RT @WendyBlackburn: Thanks @skypen ... Honored to be among your 24 "PharmaTweeps" http://bit.ly/fxmlv Cool dashboard.
  
• 11:28:00: The 24: Pharma Twitterati worth following! http://tr.im/x3UA
  
• 11:29:23: The 24: @shwen @pharmaguy @swoodruff @jonmrich @@whydotpharma @bradatpharma @eileenobrien @wendyblackburn @kevinfrench: http://tr.im/x3UA
  
• 11:30:43: The 24: @kevinkruse @leonardkish @heldincontemp @maverickny @natbourre @philbaumann @richmeyer @ellenhoenig: http://tr.im/x3UA
  
• 11:31:46: The 24: @pitch360 @jaeselle @mkmackey @durbaniak @angel189 @eyeonfda: http://tr.im/x3UA
  
• 11:37:16: 24-hours of non-stop pharma tweets! RT @heldincontempt: Thanks, @skypen, for including me on your "24" -- I am honored! http://is.gd/2ygB0
  
• 11:39:59: One small catch, Twitter API hates feeding 24 streams to the masses all at once... so sometimes the dashboard goes blank. Moronic ;)
  
• 16:21:28: Great post Mark! "New Offerings by Pharma on YouTube": http://tr.im/x6U6 (@eyeonFDA)
  
• 18:11:26: Had 2 make room 4 others. RT @kevinkruse: @skypen Wow, very cool & honored 2 be in such gr8 company. But Fabio, why aren't U in the #1 spot?
  

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From Twitter 08-24-2009

• 11:30:08: UR WELCOME. RT @Roche_com: @skypen thx 4 creating phrma TWTR dashbrd http://bit.ly/ez1dA -now curious 4 the disease-specific 1. Great work!
  

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From Twitter 08-23-2009

• 14:15:11: Thank you ! RT: @ellenhoenig This is great! RT @odomlewis: @edwardberrang @skypen's easy-to-use page of pharma tweets http://bit.ly/12Hv7L
  

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From Twitter 08-21-2009

• 19:09:57: COOL INDEED! RT @shwen: This is just plain C-O-O-L - Try it! "The Personas Project From MIT": http://bit.ly/QRplW (via @TechCrunch)
  

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From Twitter 08-20-2009

• 07:28:57: RT @GSW_Worldwide: inVentiv Health launches REMS Offering http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/globenewswire/171731.htm
  
• 09:45:54: @swoodruff reviews Novartis' new YOUTUBE channel: http://tr.im/wM23 (via@shwen @wmartino @bradatpharma)
  
• 11:09:46: CEI comments on FDA's Draft Guidance, takes issue w/FDA's failure 2 adopt discrete NEW MEDIA policy: http://tr.im/wMnB
  
• 11:17:26: Comments include really interesting & well-articulated POV on the FDA's "14 letters" to pharma for search ads. RT @shwen: http://tr.im/wMnB
  
• 13:32:28: Added a few more. RT @pharmaguy: @skypen has put together an easy-to-use page of pharma co tweets! http://www.ignitelabs.com/pharmatwitter/
  
• 14:22:49: THANKS! RT @kevinkruse: @skypen Holy crap, that's a hot dashboard for following pharma! http://bit.ly/ez1dA Great stuff.
  
• 14:23:41: Glad you like it! Next up, disease-specific streams ;) RT @ginacaps: @skypen cool pharma dashboard !!
  
• 14:24:09: THANKS! RT @shwen: Cool shtuff! - RT @kevinkruse: Holy crap, that's a hot dashboard for following pharma! http://bit.ly/ez1dA Great stuff.
  
• 14:47:46: @leonardkish : does it work on explorer? can't duplicate the issue on either browser. Hmm.
  
• 14:49:04: You are very welcome. RT @twit_pro_quo: @skypen Great job with the dashboard. Really usefull.
  
• 16:21:44: THANX! Unfortunately, seems like some folks having technical difficulties - random! RT @eLuminater: @skypen love your pharma dashboard.
  

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Comments on FDA's Draft Guidance from CEI

The following is a letter sent from Arnie Fried to industry stakeholders. Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) has made comments on the FDA's draft "Risk Disclosure Guidance" and is requesting that these comments be disseminated to others in an effort to gain both awareness and additional support. Specifically, CEI "takes strong issue with FDA's failure to adopt a discrete policy in connection with risk disclosures in new media, such as the Internet.".

Click here to download the comments.

SUBJECT: FDA Draft Risk Disclosure Guidance--Request from Competitive Enterprise Institute for Support

DATE: August 20, 2009

Friends:

On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), I attach a copy of the public comments just filed by CEI in response to FDA's Draft "Guidance for Industry, Presenting Risk Information in Prescription Drug and Medical Device Promotion". In its comments, that I was privileged to help draft, CEI takes strong issue with FDA's failure to adopt a discrete policy in connection with risk disclosures in new media, such as the Internet.

CEI seeks additional support for the arguments advanced in its comments. CEI encourages you to endorse its comments in any comments you file, to attach a copy of the CEI comments to yours, and/or to support the positions advanced by CEI in your own comments in whatever other way you deem appropriate. THE COMMENT PERIOD ON THE DRAFT RISK DISCLOSURE GUIDANCE REMAINS OPEN UNTIL AUGUST 25, 2009.

Also, CEI requests that you disseminate its comments to others who may be supportive and to post these on your web sites or blogs in an effort to disseminate them broadly and thereby gain both awareness and additional support.

We are happy to answer any questions you may have. By all means, feel free to reach out to Gregory Conko, Senior Fellow at CEI ((202)331-2253), or to contact me with any questions, ideas, or concerns. Thank you for your consideration.

Arnie Friede

ARNIE FRIEDE
ARNOLD I. FRIEDE & ASSOCIATES
Office: 212.585-0411 Cell: 917.514.9166
Arnie@FriedeFDALaw.com
Admitted In: CA, CT, DC, MD

From Twitter 08-19-2009

• 07:31:57: THANK YOU! RT @JaeSelle: Congrats to @skypen for being one of PharmaVoice's 100 most inspiring people. #followpharma
  
• 09:06:49: Thank you! RT @moralminority: @skypen Congratulations on being one of PharmaVoice's 100 most inspiring people. May I have your autograph?
  
• 22:47:45: WARNING: if you receive an SMS/text-message from "sms.alert.cardmemberservices" re: your credit card, it's a SCAM. Ignore. Please RT.
  

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Yesterday's Tweets

A complete list of yesterday's tweets. Thanks for following. If you would like to follow, go to http://www.twitter.com/skypen.

• THANK YOU! RT @JaeSelle: Congrats to @skypen for being one of PharmaVoice's 100 most inspiring people. #followpharma
• Thank you! RT @moralminority: @skypen Congratulations on being one of PharmaVoice's 100 most inspiring people. May I have your autograph?

From Twitter 08-18-2009

• 12:38:07: THANK YOU! RT @fardj: Congrats to @skypen for being one of PharmaVoice's 100 most inspiring people.
  
• 12:53:34: NICE! RT @blueeyepath: Check out CDC's re-design of Social Media page http://bit.ly/kpqVv
  
• 12:54:51: Very interesting look into CDC's web metrics: http://tinyurl.com/qymjhr
  
• 16:43:04: RT @richmeyer: JDRF Juvenation.works social media http://is.gd/2nruQ
  
• 16:43:52: NICE POST! RT @swoodruff: An Impactivit ePharma (social media) Review: Novartis' CML Earth. http://ow.ly/kvrF I like it, with caveats.
  

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Yesterday's Tweets

A complete list of yesterday's tweets. Thanks for following. If you would like to follow, go to http://www.twitter.com/skypen.

• THANK YOU! RT @fardj: Congrats to @skypen for being one of PharmaVoice's 100 most inspiring people.
• NICE! RT @blueeyepath: Check out CDC's re-design of Social Media page bit.ly/kpqVv
• Very interesting look into CDC's web metrics: tinyurl.com/qymjhr
• RT @richmeyer: JDRF Juvenation.works social media is.gd/2nruQ
• NICE POST! RT @swoodruff: An Impactivit ePharma (social media) Review: Novartis' CML Earth. ow.ly/kvrF I like it, with caveats.

From Twitter 08-17-2009

• 14:31:11: AWESOME! RT @kevinkruse: . @skypen and @ginacaps you both got good shout outs in Juvenation.org interview. http://bit.ly/6CKYh
  
• 14:43:20: RT @kevinkruse: NEW: Interview with Rachael Lewinson on launch & success of Juvenation.org diabetes community #hcsm http://bit.ly/6CKYh
  

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Yesterday's Tweets

A complete list of yesterday's tweets. Thanks for following. If you would like to follow, go to http://www.twitter.com/skypen.

• AWESOME! RT @kevinkruse: . @skypen and @ginacaps you both got good shout outs in Juvenation.org interview. bit.ly/6CKYh
• RT @kevinkruse: NEW: Interview with Rachael Lewinson on launch & success of Juvenation.org diabetes community #hcsm bit.ly/6CKYh

From Twitter 08-13-2009

• 08:16:55: Fascinating SOCIAL MEDIA RESEARCH on multi-platform use. Exmpl- Only10% of FACEBOOK users TWEET, but 72% of tweeps use FB: http://tr.im/wkNw
  
• 18:18:21: News flash: The recession is over. IGNITE HEALTH is looking for PROJECT MANAGERS & PRODUCERS 4 IRVINE, CA Office: http://tinyurl.com/pre26p
  
• 18:50:54: QUESTION: Anyone know an effective way to review folks who follow u and determine if to follow back or not? A shortcut/tool?
  

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BIGresearch Profiles Social Media Users; Not all Created Equal

Source: BIGresearch

New Analysis Provides Roadmap for Digital Marketing

COLUMBUS, OH -- (MARKET WIRE) – 8/13/2009 – Marketers continue to grapple with effectively allocating media in a changing consumer-controlled marketplace in which social media is a growing force. According to a new analysis of BIGresearch’s Simultaneous Media Usage Survey (SIMM 14-Jun 09) of over 22,000 consumers, social media impacts consumers, which in turn directly impacts marketers, but not all options are the same. Social media users are likely to use more than one platform, some at a higher rate than others. For example, 60.2% of MySpace Users (those who regularly use the application) regularly use Facebook. On the other hand only 24% of Facebook Users utilize MySpace.


Demographically, social media users tend to be younger than the overall population, more are female and they have a slightly higher income. Additionally, marketers planning on moving products should focus on this consumer set as they are more likely to be making a big dollar purchase over the next six months than adults 18+.

When looking specifically at the user of each platform, Facebook users average 37 years old and MySpace users are the youngest at an average age of 33 of those profiled. LinkedIn users have the highest incomes. Social media usage for ethnic groups indexes high across most social medias.



For additional complimentary data: http://info.bigresearch.com/

About BIGresearch
BIGresearch is a consumer intelligence firm providing analysis of behavior in areas of products and services, retail, financial services, automotive and media. BIGresearch conducts the monthly Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey (CIA) of 8,000+ respondents and the semi-annual Simultaneous Media Survey (SIMM) of 15,000+ respondents. More information is available at http://www.bigresearch.com

From Twitter 08-12-2009

• 07:32:38: Google Revs 'Caffeine' Search Engine; SEO Experts Speak Out: http://bit.ly/3GEPoT
  
• 14:00:45: Virgin is $12+ RT @190east: RT @justinscarb: 30,000 ft tweet fail. American charges $8 per flight 4 wifi.
  
• 15:23:52: New @PEWResearch Report: "Forty Years After Woodstock, A Gentler Generation Gap". Biggest perceived diff.? Technology! http://bit.ly/PtysM
  

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New PEW Report: Forty Years After Woodstock, A Gentler Generation Gap

Source: PEW Research Center

Download a copy of the full report by clicking here or on the image below.

The biggest perceived differences emerged in two predictable areas: use of new technology and preferences in music. Nearly nine-in-ten respondents say the generations differ in the way they use the Internet, computers and other kinds of new technology (87%). Moreover, nearly three-quarters of those interviewed (73%) say young and older people are “very different” in the way they handle these new tools of the information age—the single largest difference recorded in the poll.

Word-of-mouth spending continues to grow

Source: ePharm5

Whereas most advertising channel budgets are being slashed, word-of-mouth advertising is growing, according to PQ Media. The research firm found that word-of-mouth spending in online communities in the United States increased 26.6% in 2008 to $119 million. The company projects it will continue to rise 14.5% compounded annually between 2008 and 2013. Consumer goods firms spent the most on word-of-mouth (17.4%), followed by food and drink companies (12.2%), and finance and B2B services (9.5%). Healthcare and pharmaceuticals fell in the middle with 4.1%.

To learn more about PQ Media's Word-of-Mouth Marketing Forecast, click here.

Google Revs 'Caffeine' Search Engine; SEO Experts Speak Out

Original Post: Online Media Daily
by Laurie Sullivan

Google has revealed a new version of its search engine, allowing people to take it for a spin and review results it returns. The engine, available at a test URL address, looks the same as the one being used at google.com, but ranks query results differently.

Sitaram Iyer, Google staff software engineer, and Matt Cutts, Google principal engineer, in a blog post late Monday called the engine "a secret project," the next-generation architecture for Google's Web search intended to process and return faster, more accurate results. "It's the first step in a process that will let us push the envelope on size, indexing speed, accuracy, comprehensiveness and other dimensions," they wrote.

Google says the project, code-named "Caffeine," has been in the works for months, although the announcement comes just weeks after Microsoft and Yahoo reported a deal that Bing would power Yahoo sites.

"The Caffeine update isn't about making some UI changes here or there," Cutts writes in a separate blog post, suggesting that even power users won't notice much difference. "This update is primarily under the hood: we're rewriting the foundation of some of our infrastructure."

Although Caffeine is just a test at this time, a Google spokesperson says the Web content indexing system will not have an impact on paid search listings, as David Szetela, Clix Marketing founder, suspected.

The team unveiled the new search engine hoping to gain feedback from the development community. And feedback they're getting. SEO Guru David Harry points to Google's array of algorithms, which it makes 300 or so changes to yearly. He says Google already supports 'real time,' fresher results."

"I can't see a big announcement similar to this as limited to, or targeted at, more real-time results," Harry says. "We're going to have to let the dust settle on this one and wait until it is released into the wild before truly deciding what it will -- or won't -- mean to the SEO world. Anything beyond that is mere supposition, an attempt to play into the buzz surrounding it."

But some believe the fact that Google has solicited input from developers and SEO experts may send an important signal that the algorithm could change in more significant ways than usual, according to Marty Weintraub, president of aimClear, a SEM agency with offices in Duluth and Minneapolis, Minn. Pretty much everything Google changes matters somehow, he says.

"Google's standard method is to impose changes, from subtle to major, and leave SEOs to figure out the ramifications, as we all pick shrapnel out of our backside," Weintraub says. "Though, I also wonder if the transparency here is in response to Google's mishandling of the noFollow issue and previous 'brand' update. Either way, the transparency is refreshing."

Bryson Meunier, associate director of Content Solutions at Resolution Media, says the update is mostly about speed and index size. Rankings have changed little. And on first review, blended search results do not seem prominent, but that could just be while in beta, he says.

Meunier believes marketers and SEO professionals should run core keywords through the developer URL to see if their rankings have changed. "Once it's rolled out to Google.com, best practices call for continually tweaking on and off-page factors to reverse-engineer the update and keep and improve your visibility," he says.

Vitrue Rolls Out One-Stop-Shopping Social Media Planning And Metrics Tool

Original Post: Online Media Daily
by Gavin O'Malley

Marketers and technology vendors continue to salivate over social networks and their latent potential for deep consumer engagement. In that vein, social media services provider Vitrue, Inc. has rolled out a Web-based application suite for brands to better manage, schedule and automatically publish across Facebook and Twitter.

By providing measurement and real-time analytics, the new Social Relationship Manager, or SRM, is designed to make managing a brand's social presence a simpler endeavor.

"The Vitrue SRM enables marketers to treat social media as a true marketing medium with the traditional approach of segmentation, dayparting and scheduling," said Reggie Bradford, CEO of Vitrue.

In January, Vitrue also released a suite of Facebook-specific applications for brands to apply marketing components to their Facebook presence.

"Facebook provides unparalleled distribution," said Adam Benjamin, chief strategy officer at Vitrue.

The Facebook applications, including contest, media gallery and surveying solutions, will attempt to achieve deeper engagement between brands and consumers.

The Atlanta-based Vitrue is one of many companies seeking to provide brands and agencies with a technology platform to integrate social media programs into their marketing mix, including user-generated content campaigns, promotional contests, branded communities and social network applications.

The Vitrue SRM is comprised of three powerful components: A Social Publisher for marketers to customize and format "wall posts" on Facebook; a Social Planner task calendar; and a Social Insights analytics suite.

Vitrue also recently launched a suite of services to help clients better understand the social media space. The consultative arm builds on a Social Media Index, which the company had recently launched to help brands and agencies measure their "share of voice" across the Web.

Vitrue's technology includes content-sharing tools, community functionality, program management dashboards and brand safety controls for moderation. The Strategic Services suite provides analysis on a brand's current social media presence, competitor comparisons, and overall industry trend analysis.

On the brand side, Vitrue clients include Unilever, Asics, Dell, and Anheuser-Busch, while direct marketing clients include Skechers and 1-800-Flowers.

The Social Media Index system can determine a daily share-of-voice index for a brand by tracking the extent of online conversations about that brand, including mentions on social networks, blogs and Twitter and video and photo sharing.

From Twitter 08-11-2009

• 07:55:23: TransforMED Launches 1st Social Network 4 PCPs, Physician Extenders & Office Staff: http://bit.ly/179yzR
  
• 21:07:14: Good post! "Sticky or stuck?" Emma D'Arcy writes about pharma and social media with fresh energy: http://bit.ly/TJAeY
  
• 21:10:11: Great post, as usual :) "Thinkers and Doers in Pharma": http://bit.ly/buxPI (via @MaverickNY)
  
• 21:23:17: My thoughts and prayers go out to a dear friend whose 4-year old baby girl passed away today. God must have needed another angel. :(
  

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Sticky or stuck?

Source: Pharma Focus
Written by: Emma D'Arcy

How the industry can overcome its reservations of social networking and forge new more open online relations with doctors.

The 60's philosopher and communications guru Marshall McLuhan said, "the medium is the message" and certainly the current buzz around social media could lead you to conclude this new medium will soon overshadow all other media.

The pharma industry is currently conspicuously absent from online conversations about health and medicines. Web 2.0 and social networking have seen new sites and interactive discussions spring up everywhere on the web, but few pharma companies have a voice.

Except for a few companies (Pfizer 'eavesdropping' into www.sermo.com, GSK 'corporate-talking' through its 'More than Medicine' blog and several companies using Twitter for corporate and employee communications) the industry is lagging in the endeavour to truly innovate its interactions with the medical community, particularly via social media.

Can social media improve relations with physicians?

The term 'social media' under the umbrella of web 2.0 technologies originated as customer support, using surveys, polls, focus groups, online forums and discussion groups to garner feedback on products. Today's social media tools (blogs, networks, wikis, podcasts, RSS and now tweets) all contribute to the user-generated opinion and peer-to-peer online conversations.

Social networks are communities in which individuals are connected through values, working relationships, ideas and friendships. To enter into such online conversations, companies must engage in genuine information exchange rather than data-dump, so that both parties benefit from the relationship. Accordingly, as trust builds through active listening and sharing, loyalty develops which leads to a more lasting and meaningful relationship. This is known as 'stickyness' in web 2.0 vernacular.

For the pharmaceutical industry this offers a remarkable chance to interact with physicians and patients.

Against a tirade of allegations about undue influence, unnecessary spending and inappropriate relationships with its customers, industry can start to use more on the power of social networking and social media to align more transparently with these groups. However, this paradigm-shift in communication is an alarming conceptual challenge to pharmaceutical companies who, as the most heavily-governed industry, have always had to be careful about accuracy of the dissemination of information about their products, pipelines and objectives.

The value that social media offers to companies, and the opportunity to revolutionise and elevate physician-industry interactions to an equal, collaborative footing could be lost if industry cannot see past its own fears and stigmas surrounding web/health/physician 2.0. Whichever term you prefer - the majority of industry is stuck in the read-only internet.

Overcoming inhibitions

To capitalise on social networking industry must overcome its inhibitions about social media, which are rooted in a fear of litigation, and an environment that lacks formal guidance and protocol. So far, the self-governing trade associations have been evasive about the governance of social media, hence companies opt to not engage in the new media.

From a communications and PR perspective, the desire to dismiss social media is understandable because it is forcing a fundamental shift in mindset. The industry still has to be persuaded that moving from formal, periodic, outbound 'broadcasts' to real-time and direct 'participation' is not science-fiction but medical-science fact. Less secrecy about your product, people and company is compelling and humanising - it offers the chance to end the 'pharma is the big bad wolf' story.

Given that there are approximately 260,000 doctors on Sermo and more than 120,000 physicians using docnetworking.co.uk, it is evident that stakeholders are willing to engage in this way using this medium. If industry's voice remains notably absent, however, it is likely that scepticism will surface. Industry will be chastised for deliberately choosing not to participate. If incorrect information is posted about a product for example and a choice is made to ignore it or not correct it, the interpretation (fair or unfair) may be perceived to be the moral equivalent of not coming to the aid of a person in trouble. It is in industry's best interest to register that social media is more than a passing-trend; it is the principle way in which physicians and patients want to communicate already. Like it or loathe it, the Facebook/Twitter/Bebo generation are super multi-taskers who consume 20 hours worth of multi-media streams in only a seven hour real-time every day. And this choice of interaction is not limited to teenagers, nor is it the lonely pursuit of the stereotyped computer-geek; the most recent Manhattan Research survey of US trends revealed that 'those with a voice online tend to be older, with much professional experience and something to say.'

Social media calls for experimental participation

There are already a plethora of blogs and physician-physician and patient networks that have appeared to radically alter the patient-physician-pharma communication triangle. The absence of the industry in these online conversations is remarkable. There are at least five times more patient-originated social media sites than there are ones prepared by or directly for industry. Also unusual is the lack of a 'place' for the industry to engage directly with the medical community with equality; although there are several sites for healthcare professionals.

Online marketing has clear potential in simple business terms, too. The ROI from traditional marketing channels is declining and the colossal spend on doctor-detailing via the sales force is no longer acceptable to patients or to the public. Relationships with doctors, however, will remain pharma's main conduit for dissemination of product data and companies would be wise to participate directly and pioneer the value in social networking opportunities.

Such enlightenment is hard to find, however. Traditional medical education communication companies (MECC) are keen to help their pharmaceutical clients map their journey to this promise of 'open relationship nirvana' through social media applications (and specialist digital groups are trying to work with MECCs to become visible to pharma), but more often than not their creativity gets quashed by the fear of industry to wade into unchartered territory. Richard Evans, managing director of DarwinGrey says: "The pharmaceutical industry is slower to use social media compared with other sectors because of part-perceived and part-real regulatory hurdles and the operational complexities of where exactly a social media strategy should be managed and with which external agency experts. A mix of corporate affairs, legal, regulatory and eStrategy expertise will drive the adoption of social media internally because ultimately it will be the company's reputation that is open to dissection.

"As such, when social media credentials and capabilities are discussed, we are never surprised that while clients are familiar with the concepts the freedom to pursue far reaching plans is often not yet in place - but it is changing."

David Moore, vice-president eMedFusion, KnowledgePoint360, provides another insight into why his agency's pharma clients can seem shy to engage. He suggests there is scepticism surrounding the translation from a personal origin to a professional application of the approach: "The stigma of this being associated with an adolescent Facebook/pop music superficiality is difficult to shake off [and] that social media are in-vogue but lack depth which is completely alien to the clinical-trial/data-demand culture that pharma are required to operate in".

This echoes one of the common criticisms levelled at social media - inaccuracy - which accompanies general concern about a sense of 'loss of control' of content in online conversations. The simple counterpoint to this is one of participation and proven statesman-like behaviour - with social media there are potentially millions of voluntary contributors, editors and fact-checkers who are compelled to substantiate, ratify and corroborate.

And online communities do not tolerate miscreant attempts to destroy, hijack or pollute the e-environment in which they invest such personal capital. Hence the manifest 'stickyness' of loyalty through a trusted experience. Wikipedia for example, is the benchmark of this segue from random opinion to respectable information around citizen journalism - it has been validated to be as accurate as Encyclopedia Britannica with four times the volume of information. Content is continuously submitted and scrutinised by a global cadre of experts who are committed to conserving its value. While this may seem spontaneous, it is actually a highly-ordered mechanism with the ability to self-regulate and correct rapidly.

For those who lament that social media may signal extinction of the peer-review process, the opposite is the reality: social media represents the chance to see the process evolve by assigning 'the wisdom of the crowds' approach. Clearly the opportunities must be explored, investigated and fine-tuned, but as Len Starnes, head of European e-Business at Bayer Schering stated in 2007, "Connecting in more interactive ways can be incredibly powerful. Enabling individuals is what's its all about and that's something we haven't had before. It's really about getting individuals to participate."

Pharma needs third parties to inspire confident engagement

Ironically, the pharma industry, which accommodates such prestigious pioneers of medical science, needs to experiment more with social media and harness the potential benefits for users and the industry. Malcolm Allison at Actelion Pharmaceuticals summarises the approach by most companies, explaining that, "We are still working out how to get involved and most efforts we have seen so far have been clumsy. We are observing the utility of social media to increase transparency of interactions with stakeholders - trying to guage if it is possible or viable to get more use out of these media without our involvement or the contribution becoming distorted."

Despite this caution, industry recognises much can be achieved with social media. Malcolm echoes many of his peers in industry when he notes: "Although we are exploring slowly - and there is no policy in place yet, we are able to use information gleaned from social postings, to lead discussions and develop closer working relationships with physicians. [It] does give us insights into the disease community, especially when we venture into new areas. It can jumpstart our understanding, and provide hooks to elaborate on in discussion. It can also help us to frame questions, and more rapidly gain the confidence of KOLs."

The voice of such pioneers is finally gathering momentum and companies are starting to believe that the hurdles of using social media can be overcome by working with third parties who are leading social media projects such as www.myphid.com - a professional networking hub established to promote and encourage interactions of merit between industry and healthcare professionals.

I co-founded myPHID to activate collective and personal clinical and commercial aspirations - to act as both provoker and mediator so that community members are able to talk transparently about medicine not marketing, align with peers, share goals and passions about medical science and make a difference to how relationships in healthcare are established, perceived and valued.

As an experiment in the value of social media, myPHID (scheduled to launch its interactive phase in September 2009) is already proving that industry can harness these tools to claw back the credibility it deserves for the way it wants to improve relations with physicians on an equal footing.

Evidently, we are witnessing a shift from traditional forms of information-sharing within the profession and business of medical science. Social media hold the potential to change interactions from being one-on-one relationship to a multi-faceted network with multiple layers of interactivity. These new avenues provide the opportunity for industry to break down the distrust that shrouds their current modes of activities.

If pharma can be persuaded to be sticky with social media rather than stuck in their outdated practices with physicians, there is scope to behave better and with corporate confidence about such important collaborations.

Emma D'Arcy is founder and leader of scientific insights at MyPHID: emmad@myphid.com A one-day conference on pharma-clinician relationships, ACTIVATE 09, will be held on 8 September. Visit: www.activate09.co.uk for more information.

From Twitter 08-10-2009

• 12:26:39: ALERT: URL shortening service TR.IM is now in the process of DISCONTINUING SERVICE, effective immediately.
  
• 12:32:43: Special ePharmaceuticals Report (7/09): "Where We Stand: Social Media, Pharma, and the Online Discussion": http://bit.ly/16p169
  
• 15:39:16: SF Chronicle: "Social networking has hidden dangers for teens": http://bit.ly/AGZTY (via @Almitra)
  
• 15:42:15: @jonmrich 4 iMedia Connections "6 Steps to Getting Your Healthcare Social Media Idea Approved": http://bit.ly/58gzQ
  
• 15:43:56: Baxa Corporation Launches 'Culture of Safety' Facebook Page - U.S. Politics Today - News Media Monitoring http://bit.ly/Pgq16
  

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Special Report: "Where We Stand: Social Media, Pharma, and the Online Discussion"

Source: HC Marketplace

Click here to read more and order a copy of the report.

ePharmaceuticals' special report, Where We Stand: Social Media, Pharma, and the Online Discussion takes an in-depth look at the different ways pharmaceutical companies can engage in social media, the most common pitfalls and roadblocks, and innovative partnerships. There's also a discussion with PatientsLikeMe and biopharma UCB, which are partnering to create an online patient community, complete with a pharmacovigilance platform.

Where We Stand: Social Media, Pharma, and the Online Discussion will help you:

• Learn where to start when exploring social media and what you should be doing now
• Assess the pros and cons of branded versus unbranded efforts
• Understand the real implications of adverse events on social media
• Discover tailored ways to listen to consumers
• Define social media, not just in a basic way, but within your own company’s priorities
• Uncover missed opportunities

The report features commentary and advice from experts at:

• PatientsLikeMe
• UCB
• Google
• WebMD
• Nielsen Online
• Pew Internet & American Life Project
• Bridge Worldwide
• Ignite Health

For pharma, the social media question is no longer "whether" they should invest, but "how." Where We Stand: Social Media, Pharma, and the Online Discussion will help answer that question.

Click here to read more and order a copy of the report.

TransforMED Launches First-Ever Professional Social Networking Site For Primary Care Physicians, Physician Extenders and Office Staff

Delta-Exchange aims to help medical practices and residency programs transform to the patient-centered medical home model of care

LEAWOOD, Kan. – TransforMED LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the American Academy of Family Physicians, today announced the launch of Delta-Exchange, a first-of-its-kind collaborative networking site dedicated to helping primary care practices implement the patient-centered medical home model of care.

Delta-Exchange was created when key findings from TransforMED’s two-year medical home national demonstration project revealed that primary care practices want and need opportunities to communicate, collaborate, and learn from other practices as they seek to overcome the challenges of implementing new technologies and workflows that are key to PCMH transformation. Delta-Exchange addresses these needs in an online, social networking platform.

“The NDP taught us that many primary care practices feel isolated, and many practice leaders are reluctant or unable to hire a consultant to help them transform to a patient-centered medical home,” said Terry McGeeney, M.D., MBA, president and CEO of TransforMED. “TransforMED now offers Delta-Exchange as an alternative means for practice leaders, doctors and other office staff to access useful information and collaborate with peers to learn best practices as they seek to adopt this new model of care.”

Delta-Exchange is quickly becoming a robust repository of tools, resources, case studies and practical how-to articles on practice transformation topics such as implementing team-based care, reducing patient cycle times, change management and maximizing office space. The site also hosts regularly scheduled, live webinars on a variety of PCMH and practice improvement topics ranging from optimized billing and collection to implementing open-access scheduling. Participants can interact in live sessions or view archived webinars on-demand. Members can also download workflow and procedure forms that can be customized to individual practices.

Delta-Exchange offers a host of individual member benefits. For $30 a month per user, members can create their own profile, post documents, share images and videos, create wiki pages and engage in discussions with other members. Members also gain access to optional, private work zones for physicians, clinical staff, office staff and others.

“To encourage candid discussions among members, some zones require an invitation to participate,” McGeeney explained. “For example, office managers are not allowed access to the physician’s zone, and vice versa. However, all Delta-Exchange members have access to TransforMED’s highly experienced practice facilitators via the ‘Ask the Experts’ zone.”

Delta-Exchange also provides member subscribers with “watchlists” that enable them to monitor discussions among colleagues, experts and innovators. Members will also receive TransforMED’s informative online newsletter and e-mail updates. The site comes complete with help files and video demonstrations on how to make the most of their Delta-Exchange membership.

Delta-Exchange is exclusively for primary care practices. Members will not encounter vendors or sales pitches on the site.

“As the patient-centered medical home model of care continues to emerge as a viable solution in health care reform legislation, we encourage primary care physicians to begin taking steps toward patient-centered medical home transformation,” McGeeney said. “Delta-Exchange serves as an excellent starting point.”