Using Social Media Outlets for Drug Promotion

The promotion and marketing of pharmaceutical products has been affected not only by the advent of direct-to-consumer advertising, but also by the proliferation of social networking and other online media tools such as blog posts, message boards, chat rooms, Facebook, and Twitter. Now as never before, pharmaceutical companies have a direct link to users and potential users of their products, and equally important, these consumers have the means to communicate with each other about their experiences. Although the advertising and promotion regulations promulgated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) barely scratch the surface of the issues implicated by these new forms of communication, the Agency has nevertheless directed recent enforcement activities toward companies that utilized these avenues in the promotion of their products. This webinar will address the regulatory challenges posed by social networking and online media tools, explore FDA’s approach to enforcement in this area, and provide practical advice for companies to consider when developing their compliance strategies.