Pharma connects with patients, doctors via social networking sites

Pharma connects with patients, doctors via social networking sites

Pharma companies have started using social networking sites to recruit clinical trial patients, according to a Newsweek article. Sites that are specifically geared toward people with serious or chronic diseases give pharma access to engaged patients with defined medical conditions. Recruiting patients via social networking sites may help clinical trials attract the amount of people they need-about 80% of the 50,000 clinical trials under way in the United States are delayed at least one month due to low enrollment. Pharma is reaching out to doctors through social networking sites as well. Some companies are buying access to physician-specific sites such as Sermo and WebMD's Medscape Physician Connect and are given access to physicians' online discussions.