Features digital promotion of prescription drugs in the pharmaceutical business

Digital is a relatively innovative channel for promotion of prescription drugs on the Russian market. If for OTC products, this tool has been active in the past decade, prescription pharmaceuticals, due to the peculiarities of the promoted products, this method is still in its infancy as an instrument of influence on sales.

the Complexity of the promotion of prescription drugs is that in the framework of the Russian Federation adopted a number of laws restricting the activities of pharmaceutical companies. The legislation of the Russian Federation strictly regulates advertising for prescription drugs, «the Federal law «On advertising» dated 13.03.2006 No. 38-F3 (hereinafter — the Law «On advertising») provides a closed list of exceptions that allow advertising of prescription medicines and drugs, Internet sites in this list are not included. Thus, the advertising of prescription medicines and drugs on the web sites violate the Law «On advertising». Conference broadcast on the Internet, which are referred to prescription medications or remedies, if this information is not intended to draw attention to a pharmaceutical company or a specific product and promotion of the company or product on the market, not an advertisement.

In the case of transmission over the Internet conference, during which the audience was placed the company logo and/or trademark, individualizing a prescription drug, such information may be considered advertising.»

However, the draft law of 21.11.2011 N2 323-FZ «About the fundamentals of health protection of citizens in the Russian Federation»characterizing the interaction of practitioners with pharmaceutical companies, regulated at the state level, forced to actively develop other sales tools, because it regulates the work of medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies. The law introduced new rules, the doctors have no right to take from pharmaceutical companies gifts, cash, and conclude with pharmaceutical companies, the agreement on the appointment or recommendation to patients drugs to get from pharmaceutical companies samples of medicinal products for delivery to patients.

consequently, it is not surprising that we are now seeing active and rapid growth in this area of sales. In companies there were whole departments and many items that will be engaged in marketing through the digital channel. For example, today many companies appear to have such professionals as Digital Marketing Manager / Digital Project Manager who can do the promotion or OTC or Rx drugs. Accordingly appear managers and assistants, but projects often are given on the implementation of specialized advertising agencies.

Examples of using digital tools for the promotion of prescription drugs:

• Internal web portals for physicians and pharmacists and other professionals, these sites will not allow third party users to work with them.
• online training for doctors on drugs. Their questioning and information gathering, as training and preparations.
• Promotional skype conference, which allow, without leaving their region to communicate with KOLами and with other professionals, drug companies, and General issues.
• Specialized sites on nosology and the subject, in which unobtrusive discuss these or other drugs.
• Forums to discuss products and companies, up to representatives of companies that are now doctors and pharmacists.
• Personal distribution.
• Social network for doctors and pharmacists.

All of these tools will affect the sales and the branding of companies, physicians and pharmacists on the end users.

in Addition to using Internet resources, now this is a new position in the pharmaceutical companies, called the Coordinator to conduct remote visits.» These are specialists who deal information online to work with hospitals, pharmacies, private and public medical institutions to inform and maintain knowledge of doctors and pharmacists and drug companies. Ideally, this distance the visits of medical representatives. All this happens by means of skype, telephony, telekrov.

Currently, drug manufacturers are actively reshaping tools for promoting and redirect to the rapidly growing market of online resources that allows pharmaceutical companies to develop a new level of communication.

Recruitment company AVICONN