How Pharmaceuticals are Marketed to Healthcare Providers

For pharmaceutical companies, marketing to healthcare providers has become an essential component of a drug's commercial success. The industry allocates over 30 billion to marketing pharmaceuticals a year. This article will discuss the many marketing tactics aimed at influencing the prescribing habits of physicians.

Direct Marketing Strategies

Detailing: This personal 1:1 approach to marketing involves pharmaceutical representatives engaging in face-to-face interactions with doctors and pharmacy directors. These reps often provide meals and medical textbook gifts in their efforts to promote their drugs.

Samples: Providing free medication samples to physicians and clinics is a common direct marketing tactic, linked to a surge in prescriptions for the promoted drug. Samples allow the prescriber and patient to determine if the medication is beneficial, particularly in the early stages a medications clinical life cycle when insurances do not cover them.

Educational and Promotional Meetings: Doctors are invited to events where key opinion leaders, often paid by the industry, discuss specific drugs. These events highlight the medications mechanism and FDA-approved usage. The seminal clinical trials are often presented to demonstrate the research that shows the safety and effectiveness of the pharmaceutical.

Promotional Mailings: Brochures and materials that highlight the benefits of drugs and report important clinical trial results are sent to doctor's offices.

Journal and Web Advertisements: Advertising in medical journals is a major revenue source for these publications and is subject to FDA oversight for accuracy.

Direct-to-Consumer Advertising (DTC)

The FDA's 1997 guidance permitted easier access to direct-to-consumer advertising for pharmaceutical companies. This type of advertising has been effective in motivating patients to request specific branded drugs.

Indirect Marketing Strategies

Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Grants: The pharmaceutical and medical device industries provided 28% of all CME funding in the U.S. in 2017. These educational opportunities are regulated to limit marketing influences; however, there are reports these activities bolster a products' market share. Drug companies also provide grants to patient advocacy groups, which can lead to endorsements that align with the companies' interests.

Pharmaceutical marketing to healthcare providers is multifaceted, involving direct interaction, educational influence, and indirect advocacy support. With billions invested in these marketing efforts, it is clear that pharmaceutical companies have seen success in these marketing efforts.

Clinician Box works with pharmaceutical companies and med device companies to develop effective marketing strategies that adhere to industry policy. Contact us today for a free strategy session.