Physician Assistants Establish Online Presence

Physician Assistants Establish Online Presence

Oct 8, 2008
By: George Koroneos, Online Content & News Editor
<http://pharmexec.findpharma.com/pharmexec/author/authorInfo.jsp?id=3982
9>
PharmExec Direct Marketing Edition

As face-time with doctors is increasingly limited, the role of physician
and nurse practitioners has become integral in the healthcare system.
However, it hasn't exactly become easier for PAs and NPs to obtain
information about drugs and treatments. That's about to change.

Launched last week, Clinician 1 <http://www.clinician1.com> is a
Facebook-style social networking site targeted to the 200,000 physician
and nurse practitioners that prescribe drugs in all 50 states. It
features personal information pages, medical education, and areas to
facilitate two-way conversations between like-minded clinicians.

"We found that as we looked at ways to serve the informational and
social needs of both these professions, a social network/community was
needed," said Dave Mittman, physician assistant and co-founder of
Clinician 1.

Most importantly, Mittman and his partner Spencer Falk believed that the
site should not have physicians on it. To enroll in the site, potential
members must include their state license number and sign a digital
affidavit swearing to their identity as a PA or NA.

"Nurse practitioners and PAs have their own special needs regarding
things like running a clinic in rural areas, barriers to practice,
hospital privileges-many of the things that physicians take for granted
and wouldn't see any merit in reading," Mittman said. "PAs and NAs tend
to feel invisible within the healthcare system."

The site highlights different categories based on medical specialties
and interests. Everything from retail clinicians, parenting issues, and
military PAs are represented on the site. Also, much like you can pick
friends in Facebook or Myspace, you can choose colleagues on Clinician
1. The site also includes about 50 hours of free continuing medical
education, a repository of articles, and streaming news feeds.

Clinician 1 began development in January 2008 as a part time project
between Mittman and Falk, who have both, incidentally, continued their
careers as PAs. The site experienced some minor housekeeping hiccups
after launch, but no major problems.

"We didn't think we'd have 10,000 enrollees the first week, and we
thought that just opening it up and getting the glitches fixed even
after it was up and running would be fine. It hasn't been too
difficult," Mittman said.

Opportunity Knocks
Knowing that PAs and NAs are some of the top drug prescribers in the
industry, pharma would do well to pay close attention for future
opportunities. Clinician 1 does not currently have any pharma sponsors,
but Mittman and Falk are looking at the possibility of sponsorship.
Obviously, social networks have been a sticking point with pharma
companies.

"At this point, we are unsure as to what pharma wants to do and what the
FDA wants to do with social community sites that have people possible
speaking about unapproved indications and adverse reactions," Mittman
said. As of now, FDA has issued no regulations as to how pharma should
proceed in regards to either establishing or taking part in a social
network.

Experts have said that it would be in pharma's best interest to partner
with a social networking site, rather than start their own. As of now
interest has been high, but implementation has been non-existent.

"We want to be able to educate our members about new products and new
indications, and things that happen in both the clinical device and
pharmaceutical fields," Mittman said. "Access to information about
pharmaceutical products is really decreasing. Hospitals are banning
detail people, large group practices are banning sales reps-even the
exhibit halls are going to be a different place without branded pens and
pads.

"Pharma and non-pharma are going to be faced with the task of getting
information-especially about products that can change the life of a
person with a chronic illness-across to the physicians, Mittman
continued. "We see a place for Clinician 1 and all the other social
networking sites, and we are waiting for guidance to see where that
goes."

Shire Receives Warning For YouTube Video

Shire Receives Warning For YouTube Video

Oct 8, 2008
By: George Koroneos, Online Content & News Editor
<http://pharmexec.findpharma.com/pharmexec/author/authorInfo.jsp?id=3982
9>
PharmExec Direct Marketing Edition

Looks like FDA might be paying closer attention to YouTube.

Last week, Shire was part of a blitz of warning letters sent to ADHD
drug manufacturers, citing omission or lack of risk information. Johnson
& Johnson, Novartis, Mallinckrodt, and Lilly were also included-but
Shire's situation is different.

The letter to Shire <http://www.fda.gov/foi/warning_letters/s6936c.htm>
noted an overstatement of efficacy in a video testimonial provided by
celebrity spokesperson Ty Pennington for Adderall XR. The letter
literally highlights every instance of claims that cannot be
substantiated by clinical evidence.

"The video cites no references in support of these claims, and we are
not aware of substantial evidence to support them," the letter to Angus
Russell, CEO of Shire, states. "In fact, the effect of Adderall XR on
patients' total scores on the ADHD-RS-IV in clinical trials versus
placebo, while statistically significant, does not demonstrate an effect
that in any way supports the 'amazing transformation' claim, nor do the
symptoms measured in this rating scale include the outcomes claimed in
this testimonial."

FDA claims that Shire posted the video on YouTube, and must cease
distribution of the video immediately. Pharm Exec called Matt Cabrey,
Shire's director of communications, who confirmed that it was indeed
Shire (or an agency working with the company) that uploaded the short
flick to the popular video-sharing site on May 2007.

"What's important to note is that Shire received a letter of inquiry
from FDA on this same topic on May 10, 2007," Cabrey said. "At that
time, Shire removed the video and wrote a complete response to FDA on
June 1, 2007. We were not expecting a warning letter because we thought
the issue was resolved."

Cabrey said that the posting was made in error. The video was intended
to be included on a Shire Web site with risk information listed below
the testimonial.

In this particular case, Pennington was a paid spokesperson for the
brand, but the situation brings up the question of whether pharma
companies are responsible for consumers who repost pharma ads, spoof
ads, or their own testimonials about experiences with a drug.

"There is a reason why FDA has not issued explicit regulations regarding
the use of new media, and that's because the same rules should apply
regardless of the media," Ignite Health President Fabio Gratton said.
"The fact that FDA is looking at this channel as seriously as they're
looking at television is a validation for a lot of companies that don't
look at e-media as a fringe media."

The worry is that if FDA issues a warning letter about a social media
ad, some pharma companies could react negatively toward the channel as a
whole. "I can see myself walking into a regulatory meeting with a
YouTube strategy, and somebody says that they think the FDA frowns upon
it," Gratton told Pharm Exec on Tuesday. "We don't want to encourage a
fear factor around YouTube."

Shire said that the warning will not hinder its new media strategies,
and will continue looking at alternative areas to market its products.

"We now have an e-marketing initiative that four years ago didn't
exist," Cabrey said. "E-marketing is a big part of our approach to
reaching out to specific stakeholders or audiences, whether they are
consumers, physicians, parents of patients. There is going to be some
robust activity around how can we best reach patients through this
medium with appropriate messaging."

HealthiNation expands its online video network

HealthiNation expands its online video network

Digital health video network HealthiNation has expanded its online video network, it reports. It includes partnerships with LifeScript, UCompare Healthcare, Parade Magazine, Lee Enterprises, and Guideposts Magazine. The company says its online video network has more than tripled in monthly viewership so far this year and will expand with the additional partners. In related news, HealthiNation, announced $7.5 million in Series B funding led by Intel Capital. Previous investor MK Capital also invested in the round, says HealthiNation.

Campaign uses viral video for breast cancer awareness

Campaign uses viral video for breast cancer awareness

Ogilvy Group UK is launching a viral campaign for Cancer Research UK in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The "Breast Awareness Guy" campaign consists of a short viral film, which will be sent out via e-mail and seeded around the Internet. The film is also supported by e-mail and banner display advertising and directs women to the microsite www.breastawarenessguy.org, where they can learn about breast awareness, Cancer Research UK, and how to make a donation. The campaign uses a male model to attract women's attention.