Pharmaceuticals scared of online social media

Nov. 14th, 2008 by Len Bruzzese
Filed under: Pharmaceuticals 

Jim Edwards writes in Brandweek about why pharmaceutical companies have avoided online social media, such as bulletin boards, chat rooms and blogs, and the pressure to change. Drug companies worry that “user-generated content will include complaints about injuries caused by their drugs’ side effects. The law requires these “adverse events” to be reported to the FDA. The FDA’s adverse-event databases are regularly combed by lawyers looking for potential class-action suits.” Brand managers find themselves caught between the legal and regulatory departments and the marketing agencies. One marketer says companies must change attitudes that have said “there’s safety in ignorance” and instead must embrace ways to look for adverse events.

Bookmark and Share

Tags:

Comments

One Comment on Pharmaceuticals scared of online social media

  1. Pharma industry still finding its way in social media : Covering Health on Tue, 19th May 2009 1:05 PM

    2. [...] some trepidation remains, although perhaps not quite as much fear as existed several months ago (look here). Johnson & Johnson launched a corporate blog two years ago, although a blog run by its [...]

Please read our blog commenting policies.