The Internet has become a powerful tool to distribute drug information to physicians and consumers, enhance product branding and even launch full-fledged disease management programs. A recent PricewaterhouseCoopers study indicates that about two thirds of all physicians in the U.S. use the Internet in their practice, along with 22 million consumers that go online for health information.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers can use electronic commerce methodology to support and promote products by creating communities on the Internet and connect to patients, providers, payers and purchasers.

But often, it is more efficient to utilize the services of medical societies, journals or communications companies through strategic partnerships than creating an entirely new web presence.

In a radical departure of past marketing paradigms, the Internet offers an unprecedented opportunity to reach physicians fast, at their convenience and with a consistent quality message.

However, despite all these opportunities, there are confusing guidelines and a lack of specific regulations for the appropriate use of the Internet by pharmaceutical companies including new legal decisions which have muddled the regulatory waters. In addition to legal or regulatory limits, trust, quality and ethics will be the clear determinants of the perceived value of healthcare information on the Internet. Only a minority of online health seekers are willing to trade privacy for personalization.

For any company planning a global presence on the web, there are additional factors to consider, such as the differing degrees of Internet acceptance around the world, prohibition of DTC (direct-to-consumer) promotion in most countries other than the U.S., emerging European regulations and WHO guidance. Demographics indicate that over 100 million people access the Internet in languages other than English. In fact, non-English Internet access is growing faster than English access. And while national print is here to stay, in a globalizing pharmaceutical market, the need for transnational consistency of web-enabled information is of rapidly increasing importance.

In summary, within the known regulatory environment of traditional pharmaceutical research and marketing, the Internet offers broad opportunities to achieve results better, faster and more cost-effective. This report identifies those opportunities, the ways and means to explore them and the consequences of overstepping the boundaries of what is legally and ethically acceptable. The report also offers specific advice on strategies and steps to deploy the power of the Internet in product marketing to physicians and consumers, from the perspective of the Internet, marketing and pharmaceutical companies.

Report Format

• 200+ pages of fully edited transcripts
• with commentaries
• 100+ tables and figures
• 250+ weblinks
• Available as searchable CD-ROM and printed hardcopy

Published in April, 2000

Price: $1,790