pharma & social media connectivity

PHARMA & SOCIAL MEDIA CONNECTIVITY

G HARISH

PGDM

INTRODUCTION

• The pharmaceutical industry deals in development, production, and marketing of drugs which are licensed for use as medications. 

• Pharmaceutical companies are allowed to deal in generic brand medications and medical devices.

• They are subjected to many government laws and regulations regarding the patenting, testing and ensuring safety and efficacy and marketing of drugs.

• The Indian pharma market was estimated at USD21.7 billion during 2011.

• It is forecasted to double in five years reaching USD36.7 billion by 2015.

Source:IBEF

social media

• The term “social media” is used broadly to describe the various platforms that facilitate social connections among different user gener ated content.

• Types of popular social media include:

Blogs and micro-blogs (e.g., Word Press, Twitter)

Social networks (e.g., LinkedIn, Face book)

Wikis (e.g., Wikipedia)

Social bookmarks (e.g., Delicious, Stumble Upon)

Social news (e.g., Digg, Reddit)

Photo sharing (e.g., Flickr)

Video sharing (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo)

Pharmacy and social media connectivity

• It’s a system where patients, in addition to relying on doctors and other health care pro viders, also connect with others who suffer from the same con dition anywhere in the world. They post and share their health data for others, and seek information posted and shared by other patients.

• The three main social platforms for sharing health related information are

You tube

Face book

Twitter

PROBLEM STATEMENT

• The primary statement of this survey is to know

“Do people connected to internet use internet as their first source for finding out health related information and weather entering social media platform is viable for pharmacy companies or not if yes up to what extent.”

BACKGROUND

• Each and every industry has embraced the new communication channel but pharmacy manufacturing companies have remained cautious about their engagement in social media.  

• The industry‘s limited involvement can be attributed to the following two factors:

Established government guidelines, regulations and standards for pharmaceutical marketing fail to address the realities, both in terms of opportunity and risk.

Improper enforcement of existing rules in the online environment has left many pharmaceutical manufacturers hesitant to fully engage in these important spaces.

Merits when a pharmacy companies goes to social stage

• Community members can connect with company, and learn about corporate initiatives and programs on health and wellness, philanthropy, and sustainability and all the activities the company is involved in which could promote brand.

• Connect community members with other social media properties, history, corporate blog, health channel on You Tube. And know what the users are talking about, know about their requirements.

• Social media is a platform for Social responsibility. The company can directly post all the activities it is doing related to social development and to the society.

• Apart from facebook, youtube and twitter some health care websites are also launched by well known pharmacy companies.

• Apart from facebook, youtube and twitter some health care websites are also launched by well known pharmacy companies.

• The popular once includes –

Children with diabetes by J & J(http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/ ).

CML earth by Novartis(http://www.cmlearth.com/index.jsp ).

• Apart from these different websites are-

tudiabetes.com

dailystrength.org

realmentalhealth.co

organizedwisdom.com

patientslikeme.com

• Children with diabetes is an online community for parents, children, adults, and families living with type 1 diabetes. The site offers advice from health professional , gives updates on research progress and provide care suggestions.

CML Earth is a global interactive social media network used to connect the Chronic Myeloid Leukemia community, including patients, patient groups, and healthcare professionals from around the world. 

This helps patients find and connect with other patients of same or similar interest, share inspirational stories and receive support from the broader public. 

It also offers patients a valuable resource by connecting them to patient groups for further support.’

Research Objectives

• The objectives covered the fact that-

Did the information respondent found online lead to ask a doctor new questions, or to get a second opinion from another doctor?

Has the respondent shared photos, videos or audio files online about health or medical issues?

Websites where respondent would like to get the health related information from.

The scope which people are willing to spend time online for finding out health related information.

Sampling Design

• The study was done through questioner by taking answers from a set of 159 people.

• Various age groups ranging below 15 years to 35 years and above covering both genders of different incomes levels.

• Convenient sampling was used to study the pattern.

Research Design

• User preference about time spend online was found out through filling up of questionnaire.

• The questioner was developed in such a way that it could be easy for the people to fill with out any difficulties and confusion in a simple and understandable way .

• It was tested with 159 people before coming to the solution .

• Most of the respondents were between the age of 16-25 years.

Data Collection

• The research was done using by using primary data and primary tools.

• The questioner was send to various people to their email ids ,directly taken and filled by the respondents ,it contained multiple choice, grids .

• The data received was interpreted using pie charts, bar graphs and other primary tools.

Limitations

• The survey was conducted for a small sample of 159 people thus it is difficult to generalize the findings.

• The difference between males and females was high (more than double).

• The research was specified only to certain demographic area.

• Most of the responses were given by respondents of age between 16-25 years.

• It is not sure that accurate answers were given by the respondents.

Conclusion

• The research showed respondents do like to share health related information on social media n through other forms with their friends.

• Respondents are greatly influenced by the information they found online and this influences them to ask new questions or to get a second opinion from an other doctor.

• Health information the respondent found in the last time online have a major impact on his/her own health care or the way they care for

someone else, a minor impact, or no impact at all * Has the respondent ever looked for information related to own health or someone else's health on the internet.

Recommendations

• From the data analysis. It can be said that people are interested in seeking health related information from internet.

• People seek out for a dedicated web site for all health related information more than a dedicated facebook page.

• 62% of the respondents had stated that there was as minor impact on them the company could leverage this and develop a web site which could cater all the health related information and satisfy peoples need which could make a major impact on them.

• 79% of the respondents have shared or sent health or medical related information it means people are willing to share health related information .

THANK YOU!!!!