Vol. 7, Issue No. 10: DECEMBER 2008 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Welcome to Volume 7, Issue #10 (DECEMBER 2008) of Pharma Marketing News. See the featured article summaries below. John Mack, Publisher & Editor editor@news.pharma-mkting.com

Prepare or Die!

Upfront Commentary Usually, at this time of the year, editors look back on the major stories of the past year. Let's be different and look forward to the New Year! Not that it's going to be any more pleasant than the old year; it's just better to prepare for what's coming than to reminisce about what's come and gone. Of course, the elephant in the room is the economy. But what about the new political realities, which will be driven by the failing economy, that the industry must prepare for? Read this entire OpEd piece by John Mack here: www.news.pharma-mkting.com/Article-Upfront-PMN710-Dec2008.pdf

The Changing Policy Landscape

Prepare Now for the Coming FDA and Pharmaceutical Marketing Reforms "The two traditional means by which pharmaceutical marketers have relied on for many, many years to encourage the uptake of new pharmaceutical products -- direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising and physician marketing -- are about to change," warned Mark S. Senak, J.D., SVP, Fleishman-Hillard and author of Eye On FDA Blog, in a presentation at the recent DTC in the Era of Consumer Choice conference. Senak summarized all the possibly policy changes coming down the pike that will specifically impart pharmaceutical marketing. He also suggests what the industry should be doing to meet these challenges. This article is summarizes Senak's presentation, which he later expanded upon in a YouTube video. Topic headings include: Changes Ahead for DTC Marketing Adverse Event Reporting Info in TV Ads Drug Safety Pricing Pressure Changing Communications Landscape Suggestions for Action Overcoming Regulatory Roadblocks Read this article now. It's FREE... Download PDF file

Patient Assistance Program Rankings

Going Beyond Sales Force Effectiveness to Customer Experience Satisfaction "While free samples clearly play a valuable role in helping millions of financially-struggling patients get access to the medicines they need to live healthier lives, patients should know there are other options," said Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Senior Vice President Ken Johnson. Among the "other options" patients have to get access to the medicines they need are the over 200 Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) sponsored by pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Patient assistance programs are offered by pharmaceutical companies to help low-income, under-insured, or uninsured individuals and families afford necessary medications, with reduced-cost or free prescription drugs. Market Strategies' 2008 MSImage Oncology Patient Assistance Program is a syndicated study that identified what oncologists and oncology practice managers perceive to be the top pharmaceutical PAPs in the industry. The survey identified how PAPs influence overall corporate image among physicians, what performance measures drive a pharmaceutical company's PAP image, and which companies are perceived as having the best PAP. This article reviews this research with comments from Peter Carlin, Senior Vice President of Market Strategies. Topic headings include: Help Needed Today An Important Customer Touch Point MSImage Oncology Patient Assistance Program The Oncology Practice Manager Viewpoint Read this article now. It's FREE... Download PDF file

Critical

What Daschle Plans to Do About the Healthcare Crisis "The time has come, finally, to fix our broken health-care system," says Tom Daschle in the close of best-selling book, "Critical: What We Can to Do About the Healthcare." Daschle, of course, is Obama's choice for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Daschle will also lead a new White House office of health reform. To paraphrase General Patton, "Daschle, you magnificent bastard, we read your book!" Which is what all pharmaceutical executives and marketers should do. After all, Daschle warns that the "health-care industry would have to reconsider its business model" and he include pharmaceutical companies as part of the "health-care industry." For those among you who do not have time to read Daschle's book, Pharma Marketing News has done it for you. This article summarizes the main points Daschle makes and reveals his plan for "fixing" the problem. Topic headings include: Daschle's Plan in a Nutshell Addressing the "Single-Payer" Fear Expanding Coverage Medicare Part D Tinkering Evidence-based Reforms The Massachusetts Model  Role of the Federal Health Board Recession or No Recession, Reform is Coming Read this article now. It's FREE... Download PDF file

Reforming the FDA

It All Starts with a New Commissioner! NOT! "[The Committee on Energy and Commerce in the US House and Representatives] has found that FDA not only failed in its basic mission, but refused to admit its failures and take steps to protect Americans from unsafe food and drugs," said Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI), former chairman of that committee. "In the 111th Congress, the committee will swiftly move FDA reform legislation that is needed to ensure FDA does its job." Now that Henry Waxman is the new chairman, "swift" may be inadequate to describe the changes ahead for the FDA. The biggest and possibly most important change, however, is who President-elect Obama and his Secretary of HHS, Tom Daschle, decide to nominate for the new FDA Commissioner. It seems like everyone in the Pharma Blogosphere and the press is recommending or wondering who Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach's replacement will be. To help take the pulse of various stakeholders, Pharma Marketing News hosted the "Who Should Obama Nominate for FDA Commissioner?" survey starting in November, 2008. 475 consumers, healthcare professionals, government agency staffers, and drug industry executives have voted in this survey. This article summarizes the results. Topic headings include: Obama In, Eschenbach Out! The Pundits Weigh In The Candidates Profile of Respondents And the Winner Is... Peter Rost - A Special Case  Who Voted for Whom? Comments from Voters and Candidates Read this article now. It's FREE... Download PDF file Update (December, 2011): Replacing the FDA Commissioner may have been a necessary, but NOT SUFFICIENT pre-requisite for reforming the FDA. Not even a reform-minded commissioner like Margaret Hamburg, M.D. -- who was nominated to the post after this article was first published -- can change things when the FDA is beholding to the Department of Health and Human Services. This was made evident when HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius over-rode FDA's decision to allow the over-the-couinter sale of Plan B One-Step to girls younger than 17 (see "Sebelius vs. Hamburg on OTC Plan B Decision"). Meanwhile, there is a new call for FDA reform that would take the F.D.A. out of the Department of Health and Human Services and make it an independent agency, like the Fed (op cit).