Adventures in eMarketing

Hello,

The ePatient has officially arrived. A growing number of people are using the internet to educate themselves on health and engage with each other via social media – both of which lead to empowerment.

Patients have inserted themselves into the traditional relationship between physicians and pharmaceutical companies. Caregivers and patients are increasingly asking for specific treatments, and getting them.

With the huge amount of medical information available, there is no way physicians can keep up. Dr. Donald Lindberg, director of the National Library of Medicine, said, “If I read and memorized two medical journal articles every night, by the end of a year I’d be 400 years behind.” However, many patients are motivated to learn everything they can about their condition. This is especially true of rare disease patients, who in many ways are the ultimate epatients.

Siren recently presented at the ePatient Connections Conference in Philadelphia; read some insights from ePatients for pharma.

Top SirenSong Blog Entries

•	A Rare Medium: The Conference on Clinical Research for Rare Diseases A look inside this year’s conference, which brought together more than 300 people involved in the rare disease community.
•	Are Medical Apps for You? Mobile apps continue to increase in popularity, particularly in the healthcare arena. But is there a place for these apps in the world of rare disorders?
•	It’s Not About You, It’s About Patients See how some patients, caregivers and family members are using new, creative outlets for their awareness and advocacy efforts. A report from the ePatient Connections conference.
•	Call for Transparency in Physician/Pharma Relationships Transparency is key to gaining patient trust. Find out how this trust has recently been compromised as well as what steps are being taken to promote transparency in healthcare.

Siren News

Siren Honored

Siren was honored with 2010 Standard of Excellence WebAwards in the industry categories of Pharmaceuticals and Education for its development of the GARDian and Education Advantage websites, respectively.

MY READING LIST

•	Pfizer Clinical Director Calls for Better Understanding of E-patients Medical Marketing & Media
•	GSK Outlines Approach To Delivering Advances In The Treatment Of Rare Diseases Pharmaceutical Online
•	Roche Sets a New Social Media Standard. Will the Rest of Industry Fall in Line? Pharmaceutical Executive
•	Online Video Big Draw on Health Sites for Marketers and Consumers eMarketer
•	Texting Improves Medication Adherence, Patient Health Fierce Mobile
•	Consumers Like Companies with Causes MarketingCharts
•	Walgreens Partners with Epocrates to Highlight Drug Rebates Medical Marketing & Media
•	Physicians Spend More Time Online eMarketer
•	Physician POV: Trickle-Down Marketing to Primary Care PM360
•	Moms Go Online en Masse eMarketer

Siren in the Media

Wendy White, founder and president of Siren Interactive, was interviewed in the article “Orphan Drugs: Opportunity on Rare Diseases" in the October issue of PharmaVOICE. Eileen O’Brien, director of search and innovation, commented on the growth of mobile in the same issue.

Research Insight: Mobile Health 2010

The Pew Internet Project recently released Mobile Health 2010 which shows that people are using phones to look up health information, particularly those 18 to 29 years old. The survey found 9% of cell owners have apps on their phones that help them track or manage their health. Some 15% of those ages 18-29 have such apps.

Overall, 17% of cell owners have used their phone to look up health or medical information, while 29% of cell owners ages 18-29 have done such searches.

Used Cell Phone to Look Up Health Information
Percentage of cell phone users in each group who have used their phone to look up health or medical information.

Gender
Male	17%
Female	16%

Race
White	15%
Black	19%
Hispanic	25%*

Age
18-29	29%*
30-49	18%*
50-64	7%
65+	8%

Education
Some high school	16%
High school graduate	12%
Some college	21%*
College graduate or more	20%*

Household Income
<$30,000	15%
$30,000 - $49,000	17%
$50,000 - $74,000	17%
$75,000+	22%*

Language
English	17%
Spanish	14%

* indicates a significant difference
Source: Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, August 9-September 13, 2010 Tracking Survey. N=3,001 adults and N for cell phone users=2,485. The margin of error is +/- 2.5 percentage points for all adults and 3 points for cell phone users.


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