Sermo docs launch an online health reform movement: will it matter?
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Over the July 4th weekend, expect to see fireworks in a town near you and on your television. Today, a bill that was supposed to institute a 10.6% cut in Medicare payments for doctors was supposed to go into effect. However, after significant opposition from physicians -- and health plans (which oppose cuts in reimbursements for privately managed Medicare advantage plans) -- Congress is set to find a way to restore the cuts. However, both American Medical Association and America’s Health Insurance Plans plan to launch a series of advertisements opposing the bill that will air over the holiday ...
Source: HealthCareVox - July 1, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Doctors Unite Sermo Inc social media Source Type: blogs
From the health wonk review: the continuing conversation about rising healthcare costs
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Over the past couple of weeks it seems that rising healthcare costs are getting lots of attention in mainstream media and in the blogosphere. This week’s edition of the Health Wonk Review had an interesting post from InsureBlog’s H.G. Stern on this topic. He talked about Ben Bernanke’s assessment of rising health costs. He said Americans will be spending an increasing amount of their incomes paying for medical expenses. To prevent this, he Bernanke believes that government will have to assume more of the cost burden.
Stern disagrees, saying that over time, Americans’ taxes will increase, which ensures that ...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - June 27, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Health Policy Health Wonk Review Source Type: blogs
The battle over online content
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Earlier this month, the blogosphere – and to a lesser extent the Twittersphere – was blazing with news that the Associated Press was pressing bloggers to take down content it felt was in violation of copyright law. Not only were bloggers annoyed that the Associated Press made this request, but they contended that AP routinely cribbed content from bloggers, but failed to credit them for their work. The Associated Press soon backed down, but the AP-blogosphere flap is only a taste of what some are saying will be a war between producers of user-generated content and the mainstream media. According to B...
Source: HealthCareVox - June 26, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Associated Press Blog News Copyright Source Type: blogs
On alli & social media marketing: it’s about efficacy & side effects stupid!
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Much has been made lately about the poor sales of GlaxoSmithKline’s over the counter (OTC) weight loss medication Alli. The company famously relaunched a low-dose OTC version of its prescription medication Xenical with a snazzy advertising campaign and a branded blog and message board. What surprised many people is that the company freely acknowledged the drug’s messy side effects on the Alli blog. GSK’s hope was that it could get people to make a commitment to changing their dietary habits in order to lose weight and avoid an “oops” moment. Recently, it has become clea...
Source: HealthCareVox - June 24, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Marketing Communications Pharmaceutical Industry social media OTC Source Type: blogs
Introducing the life sciences profiles of color project
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Last year, I wrote a blog post regarding Nobel Prize winner James Watson’s remarks about the intelligence of people of African descent. Overall, I didn’t expect the post to generate a great deal of attention, as I wrote it in order to get an issue that had been bothering me off my chest. I was pleased to see that a few other bloggers and pharmaceutical marketing publications picked up the post and commented on my thoughts. However, the blog post generated more than words. Last year, John Mack, author of the Pharma Marketing Blog, approached me with an idea: What if we took some ste...
Source: HealthCareVox - June 19, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Musings Source Type: blogs
Introducing the life sciences profiles of color project
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Last year, I wrote a blog post regarding Nobel Prize winner James Watson’s remarks about the intelligence of people of African descent. Overall, I didn’t expect the post to generate a great deal of attention, as I wrote it in order to get an issue that had been bothering me off my chest. I was pleased to see that a few other bloggers and pharmaceutical marketing publications picked up the post and commented on my thoughts.
However, the blog post generated more than words. Last year, John Mack, author of the Pharma Marketing Blog, approached me with an idea: What if we took some steps to highlight the accom...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - June 19, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Beyond Category Musings Source Type: blogs
Study suggests culture, not racism may be cause of persistent health disparities
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Much has been said about the ongoing health disparities between minority groups and whites. While some have attributed these differences to racism, new evidence indicates that disparities may be caused by equality rather than inequality.
A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine indicates that by treating all patients the same, physicians may be doing people from diverse backgrounds a disservice. Dr. Thomas Sequist, lead author of the study told the New York Times: “It isn’t that providers are doing different things for different patients, it’s that we’re doing the same thing for every patient ...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - June 12, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Race and Medicine Source Type: blogs
Pr agencies: please read this post about blogger relations it’s very on-point
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Recently, because my blog has been listed on a few lists compiled by public relations professionals, I’ve been getting lots and lots of pitches about various health-related products, services and issues. I’d say that 99% of them are not relevant and indicate that the person sending the pitch has no idea about I write about on a regular basis. I’ve been thinking about writing a post about this for a while now, but didn’t want to whine about getting irrelevant pitches. However, I came across a great article by my friend Toby Bloomberg that I just had to pass along. It’s t...
Source: HealthCareVox - June 11, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Blogger Relations Toby Bloomberg Source Type: blogs
Kaiser partnership gives microsoft a leg up in phr wars
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Response From Microsoft Added, Please See BelowFor the moment, Microsoft may have the edge in the personal health record (PHR) wars. Yesterday, the company announced that it has initiated a partnership with managed care company Kaiser Permanente. Kaiser will link its PHR system, My Health Record, with Microsoft’s HealthVault. One hundred fifty-six thousand Kaiser employees will participate in the pilot program. What intrigued me about this newest development was the connection Microsoft and Kaiser are making between patients’ health information and physician feedback. HealthVault w...
Source: HealthCareVox - June 10, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: HealthVault Kaiser Permanente personal health records Technology and Healthcare PHR Source Type: blogs
On the rise of the digital economy
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I came across an interesting editorial in today’s New York Times that I thought was very interesting. Paul Krugman notes that the “predictions of ’90s technology gurus are coming true more slowly than enthusiasts expected — but the future they envisioned is still on the march.”
He provides an example of how digital technology is transforming the music industry. Faced with declining revenues from traditional sources, musicians are giving away their main product (music) in exchange for increased touring and licensing fees.
Are these trends influencing the health industry in the same way? Perhaps not. Clearly ...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - June 6, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Healthcare and Technology Source Type: blogs
Metered pricing could worsen plight of internet have-nots
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Believers in the ability of the Internet to improve the health of people from all socioeconomic backgrounds have reason to worry. This week Time Warner announced that it would start offering metered plans designed to charge higher prices for individuals who are heavy users of broadband services. According to MediaPost: “Time Warner this week said it would start a test of metered pricing in Beaumont, Tex. For the Time Warner test, consumers will be able to choose from a range of plans, with prices starting at $29.95 a month for speeds of 768 Kpbs and a 5GB bandwidth cap. The most expensive is $54.90 for sp...
Source: HealthCareVox - June 5, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Technology and Healthcare Source Type: blogs
New studies from patientslikeme showcase power of health social networks
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I’m back from my time off and have been slowly catching up with non-urgent e-mail and news. One item caught my eye from the e-patients blog focusing on two new studies produced by the social network PatientsLikeMe. This site differs from many others health-social networks because it enables users to input detailed information about their care and share it with others. PatientsLikeMe was featured in a recent New York Times magazine article that you can find here. What’s most interesting about these two studies (focusing on ALS) is that they help to address the unmet need for more data on why he...
Source: HealthCareVox - June 3, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: PatientsLikeMe Social Networks Technology and Healthcare Source Type: blogs
Google health beta officially launches
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"We're not a healthcare company, nor do we aspire to be one. But, there are lots of companies out there that are vertical domain experts. All of these company's will be able to integrate their platforms, applications and services with Google Health."-Missy Krasner, product marketing manager for Google HealthAfter much fanfare, Google Health was officially launched this week. Michael McBride of Red Orbit is very excited about Google’s latest initiative, saying: “Why does Google Health have the industry all a-twitter? Because, it's the Internet, and if ever there was an invention that appeal...
Source: HealthCareVox - May 20, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Google Health Technology and Healthcare Source Type: blogs
The health wonk review is up
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. . . at the Healthcare Economist. (Source: Envisioning 2.0)
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - May 16, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Health Wonk Review Source Type: blogs
Games for health entering the mainstream – big time
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A New York Times article focusing on the upcoming Wii Fit got it right. Seth Schiesel, author of the story, noted: “Wii Fit could be the right choice for exercise amateurs trying to get in shape in the living room.”
And that’s exactly the right message. With millions of Americans struggling with obesity, Wii Fit (and gaming platforms like it) might be an answer to public health experts’ prayers. If games help more people get moving, we might start to see health great benefits down the road.
Given the excitement about the Wii Fit, it is fitting that the Games for Health conference took place earlier this month....
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - May 16, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Healthcare and Technology Source Type: blogs
The fragmenting social networking universe
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The social network universe is fragmenting – and has been for a long time. Clearly, MySpace and Facebook will continue to receive lots of attention from the mainstream media, bloggers and ordinary Americans. However, niche social networks (including lots in health) have been popping up all over the place. Why? There are two reasons:1. New tools are helping people who do not have lots of technical skills to develop social networks. Ning has been the poster child for do it yourself social networking. Lots of people are using Ning-based social networks. A few sites are doing quite wel...
Source: HealthCareVox - May 15, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Marketing Communications Social Networks Source Type: blogs
Tapping into the wisdom of crowds to improve diabetes devices
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I’m a big fan of Internet-powered healthcare because it has the power to improve lives. This is why I’m excited about a new contest being co-hosted at DiabetesMine.com and MedGadget. With support from IDEO, a California-based design firm the initiative aims to spur innovation in the diabetes device field by tapping into the collective wisdom of crowds. The contest sponsors are looking for people to submit ideas for novel diabetes devices – via video or text – and potentially win $1600. To learn more about the contest, which ends on June 16, 2008, please click here. ...
Source: HealthCareVox - May 14, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Diabetes social media Source Type: blogs
Congressman goes without insurance: gimmick or genius?
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Some have said that until people in Congress really understand what it is like to be uninsured, they will not be inspired to get help more people get care. Well, one Congressman, Steve Kagen has refused to enroll in Congress’ health insurance plan to draw attention to the uninsured.
Is this a stroke of genius or another political gimmick? On the genius side, he correctly understands that getting everyone covered will lower insurance rates, thus spreading risk and cost. Or, it could be a gimmick because although he has forgone insurance, he is very well-off, guaranteeing that he will not suffer financially if he has t...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - May 12, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Health Policy Source Type: blogs
As thieves target medical records consumer education should start now
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An article published in yesterday’s USA Today should give proponents of personal health records and ehealth. The story focused on how thieves are stealing medical records and using them to rack up fraudulent charges. According to the article: “Doctors' offices, clinics and hospitals are a fruitful hunting ground for identity thieves, who are using increasingly sophisticated methods to steal patient information, lawyers and privacy experts say. . . . Legal experts say lawbreakers use medical information to get credit card numbers, drain bank accounts or falsely bill Medicare and other insurers.&r...
Source: HealthCareVox - May 8, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: personal health records Privacy Source Type: blogs
Acor’s gilles frydman: e-mail remains the killer online health application
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Earlier today, I came across an interesting post on one of my must-read blogs, e-patients.net. John Grohol wrote an interesting review of a report I wrote about recently, The Wisdom of Patients: Health Care Meets Online Social Media. Grohol calls it a “nice overview of the current state of Health 2.0.” However, he does feel one of the report’s implications, that “old-style virtual support groups didn't result in ‘practical solutions to chronic health challenges’” is really “off the mark.” Jane Sarasohn Kahn, the author of the report said: “[i...
Source: HealthCareVox - May 6, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: ACOR e-patients social media Source Type: blogs
The health wonk review is up
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at the Medical Humanities Blog. (Source: Envisioning 2.0)
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - May 2, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Health Wonk Review Source Type: blogs
Measles outbreak illustrates hidden costs of trusting “people like us”
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In an interesting post, Forrester analyst Jeremiah Owyang recently focused on a study produced by his firm indicating that people trust their “peers or people” they know more than experts. Over the past few years, people have used data like this to explain why online media generated by non-experts seems to carry a lot of weight. What’s most intriguing about this new analysis is that generic “bloggers” don’t get a lot of credit, while friends, family and well-respected colleagues do.
While trusting “people like me” has certainly had a lot of benefits, it does have a dark side. Take the debate over whet...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - May 2, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Health Policy Social Media Source Type: blogs
Digital health revolution: now on itunes
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Over the past few months, the folks at Scribe Media and I have been working to expand the visibility and distribution of the Digital Health Revolution (DHR), a WebTV show we started last year. During this period, we have held off on posting and conducting new interviews as we looked for ways to achieve this goal. I’m pleased to announce that these efforts have borne fruit. We have recruited a new partner for the program, Podango. Podango is a “online video and audio network that enables publishers and companies to ‘get heard’ by today’s hard-to-reach, niche audiences."&n...
Source: HealthCareVox - April 29, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Digital Health Revolution Podango DHR Source Type: blogs
Facebook-based contest engages youth; showcases power of social networks to “seed & grow” online communities
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Since early this year, Abbott Laboratories and the PR firm Fleishman Hilliard have been producing a contest designed to encourage young people to enter the clinical laboratory profession. According to Abbott, the program, Labs Are Vital, was a smashing success. It reached more than 1.8 million students interested in the sciences.
Students participating in the contests were asked to develop videos, T-shirts and advertisements encouraging people to start a career in laboratory medicine. A key part of the programs’ success was the fact that Fleishman Hilliard was heavily engaged with the Facebook community surrounding...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - April 25, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Marketing Communications The Biotech Industry The Pharmaceutical Industry Source Type: blogs
New report: health-focused social media at work
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The California Healthcare Foundation (CHCF) has released a timely and interesting report focusing on healthcare social media. It's titled "The Wisdom of Patients: Health Care Meets Online Social Media." Jane Sarasohn-Kahn of THINK-Health developed the report. From CHCF's Website: "Social media on the Internet are empowering, engaging, and educating health care consumers and providers. While consumers use social media -- including social networks, personal blogging, wikis, video-sharing, and other formats -- for emotional support, they also heavily rely on them to manage health conditions....
Source: HealthCareVox - April 23, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: health 2.0 Research social media CHCF Source Type: blogs
Health wonk review
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Better late than never . . . The latest edition of the Health Wonk Review is up. Click here to view it. (Source: Envisioning 2.0)
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - April 22, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Health Wonk Review Source Type: blogs
New government website highlights e-health success stories; case study shows why mobile communication works
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Recently the federal government’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) launched a new Website, “Health Care Innovations Exchange” that features success stories on how health industry stakeholders are using a range of technologies to improve care. What’s also interesting is that AHRQ is looking at what failed so that people can learn from others’ mistakes. Currently the Website features 100 case studies and will be updated every two weeks. I believe this site is critically important. A common mantra of those working in the e-health field is “this sound...
Source: HealthCareVox - April 17, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: AHRQ Innovations Exchange mobile Source Type: blogs
Live from new york: it’s zyrtec guerilla marketing!
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A bit of a buzz has been going around the pharma blogosphere about a new marketing campaign for the over the counter allergy medicine (OTC) Zyrtec. Jack Friday at PharmaGossip has wondered whether it’s legal. Yes, as John Mack, author of Pharma Marketing Blog, noted. The marketing campaign is perfectly legal as Zyrtec is now an OTC pill.
However, Mack wondered whether it is true, as Adrants reported, that Zyrtec flyers were seen on telephone poles in Boston. He said: “I doubt this is a true story — more likely a Web 2.0 plant by crafty Zyrtec marketers.”
Well, shortly after I read these two blog posts, I ...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - April 16, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Marketing Communications The Pharmaceutical Industry Source Type: blogs
Make your mark: your thoughts needed on how social media can impact phr adoption
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In March 2008, I was invited by Janice Nall of the CDC’s National Center for Health Marketing to give a presentation to the American Health Information Community (AHIC) Consumer Empowerment Workgroup. (Disclosure: CDC is an Envision Solutions client.) The Workgroup is charged with (among other things) helping to encourage the “widespread adoption of personal health records [PHRs] over time.” The Workgroup has solicited commentary and advice from a range of players in the PHR arena, including Microsoft. To learn more about the Workgroup’s efforts, please click here. During the March...
Source: HealthCareVox - April 16, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: personal health records social media AHIC Source Type: blogs
Harried & information starved? mypharmanote has potential to become great infocomfort food
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Like many of you, I have been finding it more and more difficult to keep up with the steady stream of pharma-related news pouring from bloggers, news outlets and other sources. Recently, I’ve taken to reading the pharma-related blogs about three times a week – usually at the end of a long day. That is down significantly from about a year ago, when I read them each morning. I’ve been feeling a bit guilty about this because I’m an information junkie. I need my daily dose of infocomfort food to keep me happy and well fed. So, when I saw an interesting e-mail come across my...
Source: HealthCareVox - April 11, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: MyPharmaNote Pharmaceutical Industry Source Type: blogs
Good news: a dozen drug & device companies to shine light on grants to non-profits, physicians
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This morning news reports revealed that a dozen drug and device makers will be providing more information about their financial contributions to advocacy groups and physicians. The companies responded to a letter from Senator Chuck Grassley. He asked them to reveal whether they would be following in Eli Lilly and Company’s footsteps and disclosing monies they provide to outside individuals and groups.
According to the Associated Press: “A dozen of the nation’s leading drug and device makers have told Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, that they have plans or are working on plans to publicly disclose grants to...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - April 11, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: The Pharmaceutical Industry Source Type: blogs
Qualcomm exec talks about the “health phone” of the future
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Earlier today, my friend Amy Tenderich published a fascinating interview with Don Jones, Qualcomm’s vice president of Business Development. During their conversation, Jones focused on how wireless technologies will aid disease prevention and diagnosis. All this was interesting, but I was most fascinated by his discussion of Qualcomm’s research into how wireless phones can help diabetes patients. He said: “We've done a ton of research -- focus groups around the country on storyboards to prototypes -- to understand how wireless connectivity be used to change people’s lives in a w...
Source: HealthCareVox - April 8, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: health communications Mobile Source Type: blogs
New report: mobile marketing for big pharma
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Earlier this week, ePharmaceuticals published an interesting report focusing on pharmaceutical mobile marketing, "Opportunity texts: Mobile marketing and the pharmaceutical industry." I just ordered the report, so I haven’t gotten a chance to dig into it yet. However, it’s very interesting that pharmaceutical marketers are concerned about some very familiar issues when it comes to mobile. For example ePharmaceuticals observes: “Although many industries employ mobile banner ads, it's harder for pharma to do so because there is often no room to include the FDA-required fair balance...
Source: HealthCareVox - April 3, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Marketing Communications Mobile Research Source Type: blogs
Consumer-directed health plans: are they working as intended?
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Note: I was inspired to write this post because of an article I read in the current round of the Health Wonk Review. Check out the latest excellent edition here.
A couple of weeks ago, Jane Sarasohn-Kahn published a great analysis of some of the latest data from EBRI and the Commonwealth Fund focusing on the state of consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs). In sum, the data’s not good.
Before I get into a discussion of Sarasohn-Kahn’s analysis, it’s best to talk briefly about the war of words currently swirling around CDHPs. Last year, , Gred Scandlen published a report, “CDHPs – ‘Working As Intended,’...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - April 3, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Consumer-Driven Healthcare Health Policy Health Wonk Review Source Type: blogs
The new digital divide: upcoming tv move from analog could leave many in the dark
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In February, traditional analog television signals will cease to exist. While Americans with cable or satellite television will be unaffected, those who receive their television signals via old-fashioned rabbit-ears will be out of luck. To continue watching television, they will have to purchase a converter box at their local electronics retailer or subscribe to a more expensive cable or satellite service. This move threatens to ignite a new digital divide. Already, the elderly and low-income Americans are less connected to the Internet. These same individuals are least likely to be aware of the upc...
Source: HealthCareVox - March 31, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Digital Divide health communications Marketing Communications Source Type: blogs
Hard numbers quantify iphone’s impact on mobile web
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Last week, I wrote a post focusing on how the iPhone will help to jump-start the anemic mobile Web market and its implications for health. Yesterday, mobile media analytics company, M:Metrics released a report showing how iPhone users are much more likely to access the Internet and conduct other data-heavy activities on their mobile phones. A table showcasing the findings of their study is below (click image to enlarge). (Source: HealthCareVox)
Source: HealthCareVox - March 19, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: iPhone Marketing Communications Texting 4 Health Source Type: blogs
Can social media help clarify the debate over generic medications? help me find out
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This morning, the Los Angles Times published a story focusing on the ongoing debate over whether generic medications are really “just as good” as their branded counterparts. For many years, arguments that generics are not appropriate substitutes for expensive branded medications have been dismissed as drug industry propaganda. However, anecdotal (and some scientific) evidence indicates that generics are not truly “bioequivalent.”According to the LA Times: “A switch from a long-used brand-name drug to its generic equivalent can, on occasion, bring a shifting profile of side effects. ...
Source: HealthCareVox - March 17, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Pharmaceutical Industry Social Media Source Type: blogs
How the iphone will make mobile health communications richer & more effective
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This is not an advertisement for the iPhone. Although I am a fan of Apple’s products and own an iPhone, I’ve tried to be relatively objective about its potential impact on the mobile market. However, it must be said: by improving existing mobile technologies (i.e., touch screen interfaces and Web browsing), Apple has forced other companies to develop better, more intuitive high-end phones. That’s good for all of us. I’ve experienced this personally. I consider myself an early adopter of many mobile technologies. Before purchasing an iPhone, I owned various models ...
Source: HealthCareVox - March 13, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: CDC iPhone Mobile Texting 4 Health Source Type: blogs
New study reveals americans hate big pharma less than you think
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A survey released this month by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Harvard School of Public Health and USA Today, provides a great deal of information about public opinion of Big Pharma. As it turns out, the public does not universally hate the drug industry. Instead, people have a complex view of pharmaceutical companies. In general, they believe drug firms do good work, but charge too much for drugs. Some of the survey results I found most interesting include:
- People don’t like the pharmaceutical industry, but love the drugs they take – and some of the companies that make them
- Poorer, less educ...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - March 12, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: The Pharmaceutical Industry Source Type: blogs
Messages that work: “real age” lung test prompts people to quit smoking
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A few weeks ago I wrote a post focusing on whether scare tactics prompt people to stop smoking. Today, I’d like to highlight a study published recently in the British Medical Journal illustrating why fact-based messages can be very effective. I’m sure many of you have seen the ubiquitous Internet advertisements for RealAge. This test reveals whether you are “biologically younger, older or the same as your calendar age.” This widely successful site has generated significant media coverage and big bucks for Hearst Digital Media. RealAge is successful because it links our perpet...
Source: HealthCareVox - March 11, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: health communications Marketing Communications public health Source Type: blogs
Health wonk review
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The latest edition of the Health Wonk Review is up at Workers Comp Insider. Many thanks to Jon Coppelman for highlighting my post re: Merck’s Gardasil. To clarify, while I’m not sure Merck and the government have been mum about HPV’s status as a STD because of abstinence-only proponents, I’m quite sure this is not an issue Merck is comfortable tackling. (Source: Envisioning 2.0)
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - March 10, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Health Wonk Review Source Type: blogs
A great day for people with mental illness
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This morning, the New York Times reported that “after more than a decade of struggle” the US House of Representatives passed a bill requiring most “group health plans” to provide better coverage for the treatment of mental illness.
This is an issue close to my heart, as I worked for many years on public education programs designed to reduce the stigma associated with depression and other mental illnesses. A big part of the problem was that most insurance companies do not provide adequate benefits. For example, people often wind up paying for very expensive “talk therapy” sessions out-of-pocket. This wa...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - March 6, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Health Policy Source Type: blogs
Cymfony says agencies “don’t get” social media, urges them to “walk the walk”
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This morning I came across a blog post published on Social Media Insider that caused me to sit up and pay attention. It focused on a study published late last month by my friends at Cymfony (Disclosure: My firm, Envision Solutions, has partnered with Cymfony on a social media communications white paper and has a business relationship with the company).Cymfony’s study indicates agencies just “don’t get” social media. If the title of the AdWeek article on the study wasn’t eye-catching enough, the quotes from people who participated in Cymfony’s study were particularly damming.&...
Source: HealthCareVox - March 6, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Cymfony Marketing Communications social media Source Type: blogs
Legal experts say fda is making off-label promotion tougher, rather than easier
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Yesterday, Medical Marketing and Media published an analysis in its e-newsletter focusing on the FDA’s new draft guidance on off-label promotion. The article was interesting because it suggests that the proposed regulations make off-label promotion harder rather than easier. In addition, the FDA is already following the guidance, even though it is not in final form. According to the article: “Sales reps could be effectively barred from circulating journal article reprints discussing off-label uses under FDA's draft guidance on ‘good reprint practices,’ and the agency considers...
Source: HealthCareVox - February 29, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Marketing Communications Pharmaceutical Industry Source Type: blogs
Alison jost: gardasil is all about sex, but merck is mum – why?
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Two years ago, Merck launched a sexy ad campaign for its human papillomavirus (HPV), vaccine Gardasil. At the time, many focused on Merck’s marketing and public affairs efforts – especially the lobbying campaign it helped fund to make HPV vaccination mandatory.
Today, Gardasil is still a hot button issue for some, but for much of the media the train has left the station. Merck still heavily advertises its vaccine, but the furor over it has died down considerably. For Merck, this is likely a favorable state of affairs.
However, some would like Merck to turn Gardasil’s marketing volume up. The Hasting Center...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - February 29, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Health Policy Marketing Communications The Pharmaceutical Industry Source Type: blogs
Consumerism tests british national health system
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Yesterday, the New York Times published a story focusing on how the British National Health Service (NHS) quietly has evolved into a two-tier system. That is, all patients receive free care, but must endure long waiting times and sometimes do not have access to the latest treatments. Frustrated, some are bypassing the system and paying for parts of their care themselves. However, the NHS is not allowing this practice to spread unfettered. According to the Times: “Officials said that allowing [people] to pay for extra drugs to supplement government care would violate the philosophy of the health service by givi...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - February 22, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Consumer-Driven Healthcare Health Policy Source Type: blogs
Health wonk review
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The latest Health Wonk Review is up at GoozNews. (Source: Envisioning 2.0)
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - February 21, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Health Wonk Review Source Type: blogs
Would saving the banana give genetically modified foods a good name?
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The world is gaga over bananas. Unfortunately, this unassuming, ubiquitous fruit is in extreme danger of going the way of the dodo – at last the variety that is shipped all over the world. According to scientists, this fruit is about to become a scarce commodity due to a deadly, incurable fungus that is decimating banana crops all over the world. Popular Science writer Dan Koeppel, has written a book, "Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World," highlighting the fruit's storied and controversial past and future. In an interview aired earlier this week on NPR’s Fr...
Source: HealthCareVox - February 21, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Banana Crisis GMOs Source Type: blogs
As clinton pushes for more primary debates, critical science debate ignored
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With presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama gathering a head of steam after the so-called Potomac Primaries, his rival Senator Hillary Clinton has been pushing for more debates between the two candidates. Clinton has begun running an advertisement in Wisconsin hitting Obama hard for refusing to debate her. In the commercial the narrator intones: “Maybe he'd prefer to give speeches than have to answer questions.”Some are saying Clinton’s request is too little too late, as both Senators have participated in numerous debates already and plan to attend two during the coming weeks.&nbs...
Source: HealthCareVox - February 14, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Tags: Decision 2008 ScienceDebate 2008 Source Type: blogs
Can we get past the zero sum game thinking on healthcare?
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Today, the Wall Street Journal published an interesting editorial by the Cato Institute’s Arnold Kling. True to form, the essay is truly in the libertarian mode. The editorial, “Mandates for Change,” has one thesis: the Democrats will regulate you to death. Kling’s position is not surprising, given he is with a think tank that subscribes “ to the principles of the American Revolution – individual liberty, limited government, the free market and the rule of law.”
Frankly, some of Kling’s assertions regarding the current healthcare debate appeal to me. He is correct that Massachusetts’ ...
Source: Envisioning 2.0 - February 13, 2008 Category: Marketing Consultants Authors: fardj Tags: Health Policy Source Type: blogs
