Pharmal Social Media: The Right Prescription for Growth

No one can deny the power and reach of social media. From consumer marketers to business-to-business companies, it has become an effective marketing tool. A chief growth area has been pharma social media as drug companies have come to embrace it. As we all know the pharma industry and its marketing are highly regulated by the FDA and, while there are no clear guidelines governing pharmaceutical social media, many companies are finding ways to make use of it. For example, some healthcare companies are finding ways to connect physicians via secure social networks to improve information sharing for example. Pharma social media should be about more than just product marketing… Some companies are making use of pharma social media to focus on stories about employees, wellness information, and corporate content. They are extending their pharma social media efforts to include YouTube and Facebook pages and beyond. In absence of definitive social media policy from the FDA, pharmaceutical companies need to work closely with their legal team along with marketing professionals who possess a strong understanding of pharmaceutical social media engagement to ensure that the laws governing marketing and advertising are being followed. Some things to consider when undertaking a pharma social media program: - Tell human stories. The importance of health is a universally shared value. Pharma social media should strive to connect people with common experiences. Focus on compelling stories that highlight benefits of your company’s product. Success stories should be reviewed and submitted in compliance with all applicable regulations and, once approved, shared through social channels to demonstrate real impact in the lives of consumers and enhance public goodwill toward the company. - Educate everyone involved on the importance of pharma social media. Begin the process by highlighting the need to have a presence. Remember, you don’t need to have every bell and whistle available when launching a pharma social media program. Choose a few vehicles and gradually add others to your pharma social media arsenal. - Check with legal. Working with your company’s legal counsel is essential in any pharma social media marketing effort. Think creatively on how to advance your brand goals and provide your legal team with multiple campaigns. Find ways to problem solve with your counsel. - Stay on label. While the ways in which information is shared have changed, this doesn’t mean that the overriding regulations are different. Disseminate all pertinent product information through your pharma social media efforts to avoid regulatory issues. - Have a pharma social media policy in place. Create strong internal guidelines for your company’s pharma social media campaign. Prior to beginning any pharma social media program, establish controls and expectations of staff that would be involved in public engagement. Create a list of regulatory boundaries and potential scenarios where legal counsel would be notified of consumer concerns. Once approved, schedule frequent reviews of the social media program to identify potential pitfalls around key regulations like patient privacy or adverse events.