Perception of pharma online ‘negative’
pharmafile | October 25, 2012 | News story | Medical Communications, Sales and Marketing | Digital Health Coalition, Endo, WEGO Health
Pharma manufacturers must take to social media in a bid to correct misinformation about the industry and their products, according to a new survey from two digital experts.
It suggests pharma still has a lot of ground to make up: 47% of survey participants ranked the online patient community’s perception of pharma companies as ‘negative’ or ‘very negative’.
Just 30% said this perception was ‘positive’ or ‘very positive’. But, the organisers point out, 23% said it was ‘neutral’, thus representing “an opportunity for [pharma] companies to engage community leaders”.
“Pharmaceutical and healthcare companies have an obligation to consumers to bring accurate, credible information into the millions of health social media conversations going on every day,” said Bob Brooks, executive vice president of WEGO Health.
The organisation conducted an online survey of 356 ‘health activists’ – the most active 10% of people on social media in health communities – with the Digital Health Coalition.
“Opinion leaders feel healthcare companies have an obligation to the community to debunk misinformation by contributing accurate content about their products,” Brooks went on.
Respondents to the survey singled out Novartis (particularly in cancer) and Sanofi (diabetes) as examples of pharma company best practice online.
Endo Pharmaceuticals’ www.painaction.com was described by one as a ‘fantastic online community’, with impressive articles, lessons, self-checks, self-management skills and safety information.
In the survey, 81% agreed that use of social media provides important updates on products or services – up 9% on the 2011 survey. One respondent called social media a ‘vital connection’ between patients and companies.
“Patients recognise this and feel left out when companies remain silent,” they went on. “It is important for healthcare companies to utilise compassion to fix this missing link, and doing so will eliminate the chasm that exists.”
However, Brooks warned, although consumers welcome the presence of pharma companies online because it can add value to patients, they still want the FDA and companies themselves to define ‘real-world rules of engagement’.
More than four-fifths of those who took part in the survey want greater regulation of pharma’s social media participation:
- 82% agreed misinformation about products that is left uncorrected online can be harmful to public health
- 82% said pharma has a responsibility to correct misinformation in social media if they become aware of it
- 66% want regulation when companies pay for social media content to be placed in social media
- 80% agreed companies should be held responsible for comments they make in social media – but not for comments made by other consumers.
“Health activists do want regulation of companies, but they are increasingly realistic about company responsibility for consumer-generated content,” said Mark Bard of the Digital Health Coalition.
“The 2012 survey shows a growing demand from consumers for realistic, useful social media guidance from the FDA,” he added.
Adam Hill
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