Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Blood/Plasma Centers. The following are the predicted Top 5 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

• Younger consumers may not donate blood unless they are reimbursed and this trend raises costs for the blood banks.
• Blood banks are increasingly required to filter products to remove potentially harmful white blood cells and thus raise costs.
• Reimbursement rates by Medicaid and Medicare programs may not cover the cost of blood and plasma products.
• The FDA continues to revise guidelines regarding which demographics groups are eligible to give blood and these guidelines may limit the size of the donor pool.
• More hospitals are adopting bloodless surgery policy to reduce the costs and hazards associated with transfusions, thus cutting demand for blood.

The Industry Marketing Insights report for Blood/Plasma Centers is available on Ad-ology.com (Research Store) for $195 USD with local market data for any U.S. market.

[Source: Ad-ology Research. March 19, 2010]

Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Cardiologists. The following are the predicted Top 5 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

• Many practices are working to modernize record keeping.
• More cardiologists are adding ancillary services to increase revenue.
• Affiliations with local universities or hospitals are considered lucrative.
• Many Americans are still unsure of warning signs for cardiovascular disease.
• Insurance reimbursements have been declining.

The Industry Marketing Insights report for Cardiologists is available on Ad-ology.com (Research Store) for $195 USD with local market data for any U.S. market.

[Source: Ad-ology Research. March 17, 2010]

Last month I blogged about the intricate steps pharmaceutical firms are taking to follow the law when using social media tactics. In particular, most pharma companies disable the comments section on the social media sites to ensure that consumer privacy laws, especially important in this industry, are not breached. But these steps have not been sufficient to quiet the critics.

On Monday, March 1, the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) officially asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin “a comprehensive investigation into the use and impact of digital health marketing techniques and technologies.” The CDD is concerned that most consumers are unaware that their Web searches and other online activity enables marketers to track them and later use behavioral targeting. The FDA, which is charged with oversight of direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug advertising,  held hearings on digital marketing and regulated drugs in November 2009. While it has not proposed broad reaching legislation, the agency continues to send warning letters to drug companies, especially on “their inappropriate use of search marketing advertising.”

Another government agency, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), has proposed guidelines with respect to digital marketing and behavioral targeting. In particular, marketers are advised to “provide ‘reasonable security’ for consumer data.”  Some of the FTC regulators have hinted that legislation may eventually be forthcoming should marketers be unable to police themselves. The increased scrutiny in the industry points to the need for pharma marketers to walk a fine line between using the power of the Internet to connect with consumers and protecting privacy.

[Sources: Chester, Jeff. CDD Asks FDA to Investigate Marketing of Drugs and Health Products. Center for Digital Democracy. 1 March 2010. Web. 4 March 2010; Davis, Wendy. Privacy Advocates. Mediapost.com Online Media Daily. 2 Feb. 2009. Web. 4 March 2010]

Corporate executives have more reasons than ever to keep a close watch on the bottom line. Many have cut employees and departments but the new fiscal  austerity doesn’t seem to extend to wellness programs. These efforts can range from on-site fitness centers to smoking cessation sessions. A study carried out by Fidelity Investments and National Business Group on Health (NBGH) shows that over 90% of mid and large-sized employees plan to continue spending money on wellness programs in 2010.

Here are few statistics about corporate wellness programs:

• Number of programs offered by average company: 21
• Number of employers who plan to increase 2010 offerings: 51%
• Companies who use incentives that have cash values:  57%

The most frequently offered programs include:

• On-site flu shots (90%)
• Preventive-care reminders related to screenings or annual exams (68%)
• Employee assistance programs (92%)
• Stress management (68%)
• Smoking cessation (66%)

Sunit Patel, senior vice president of Fidelity’s Consulting Services business, notes the study results reveal that most employers do not have solid ROI data on their wellness program spending. “Measuring health improvement programs as a suite of offerings, as opposed to individual initiatives, is essential to understanding the true impact of an employer’s investment,” said Patel. As employers continue to spend in this area, look for marketers to increase their ad campaigns to boost market share and address concerns about ROI.

[Source: Fidelity Investments release, 1.25.10]