Workplace masked depression

This is not about disgruntlement. The write up below is a reflection of the hard realities facing business organizations in India, and there is a special focus on the issues currently gripping Pharma companies. It is a straight and plain talk below.

Do not brood over past mistakes and failures as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret and depression. Do not repeat them in the future.

- Swami Sivananda

Hidden or Masked Depression - a reality in Indian society

The new illness wave in Indian society so far underplayed and not conspicuous is depression – hence, this can be rightly called as Hidden or Masked Depression (just as we have hidden or masked anemia).

Depression is defined as an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts, that affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be wished away. People with a depressive disease cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people with depression.

Some commonplace signs and symptoms of depression include: loss of interest in self and the environment, persistent sadness, overpowering feelings of guilt, hopelessness, and worthlessness, difficulty in thinking, concentration and memory recall, loss of energy – persistent fatigue, sleep disturbances including oversleep, overeating or under-eating, irritability, thoughts of suicide and suicide attempts, and vague physical complaints like digestive complaints, headache and bodyaches.

Reasons for workplace depression include:

a) Inappropriate use of reward and coercive power by bosses
b) stress – feeling of inability to cope with a situation being experienced by individuals; lack of recognition of stress in workplaces and absence of communication channels and systems to reduce toxic stress levels in companies further strengthen stress
c) inappropriate financial rewards (basically it refers to low pay & facilities, and high work and top stress levels)
d) spill over of domestic tensions resulting in synergistic work plus domestic stress
e) non-caring environment and absence of an environment that taps an individual’s potential (self-actualization) (remember Google officially allows employees to invest 20% of their official time for their favorite and personal projects)
f) loss of self-esteem (a work environment that does not strengthen self-esteem)
g) over emphasis on use of authority and coercive power to manipulate and control in the work environment; rather than use of reward power, positive strokes, positive reinforcements, and expertise power.

Depression among Pharma field personnel

Pharma sales and marketing field is a high stress and negative stroke environment. All along their professional life, Pharma field personnel receive more brickbats than bouquets. Negative strokes are encountered from the stockists, chemists, doctors, general society, and even bosses. So all in all, Pharma field personnel develop a typical hypocritical (and cynical) attitude towards their profession and company. As such, the non availability of ‘respectable and paying jobs’ (ie. up to mid 90s) ensured a steady supply of quality people to this profession – today, with an up turn in the economy and growth of BPO-IT-ITES-Medical transcription sector, better availability of educational institutions, globalization, new business opportunities, and migration of skilled people, there is a paucity of quality people entering the Pharma field and particularly, Pharma marketing and sales profession. If Pharma companies refuse to take cognizance of these facts, companies will continue to face the problems of lack of good field personnel and high employee turnover (this high turnover is not just due to change of companies, but also migration of employees to other professions like BPO, ITES, insurance and other fields) for a long time to come. In a way, it is ‘depressing’ to note that toxic stress, negative stroke environment, and depression are more prevalent in the Pharma field while in fact, it has to be a model work environment to other non-Pharma organizations.

We ought to observe that new economy companies have highly advanced HR practices, an open, communicative, and business-like professional atmosphere. New economy pay packets, perks, HR processes, and facilities are a sea change compared to regular Indian Pharma companies. This has a high impact and Indian Pharma is losing a steady stream of potential employees and regular employees to these new economy companies.

Today, there is not much of unionism; it is ‘jettisonism’ (people jettisoning companies and even the profession) in the Pharma field. However, the current union trends are towards becoming more strident about norms of joint field working, meeting timings, and no. of hours put in field work.

A culture that encourages, trains, strengthens and rewards talent, and focuses on problem-solving, as opposed to a culture of mediocrity and mutual back – scratch, is what will help Pharma marketing and sales.

Depression and self-esteem

Self-love or self-esteem is an important bulwark against depression. However, with negative strokes at every corner of the Pharma profession, it is little wonder that masked depression (that is unacknowledged but manifests in various signs and symptoms and as self destructive habits – like alcohol consumption and smoking) is definitely prevalent in our Pharma field.

The writing is on the wall

It is well known that there are very few senior MRs or managerial field personnel who will allow their children to follow their footsteps into Pharma sales and marketing or the Pharma field itself. This truism reflects the reality of our Pharma field.

Depression 2.0: grass is not greener on the other side

The economic boom in India has given birth to a new type of depression 2.0. Please click here to know more. So depression 2.0 reflects the challenges in new economy companies too. However, it would be interesting to survey and find out if the workplace stress levels there, are anywhere comparable to Pharma work (field, office, and factory) environments.

The vacuum will be filled

Whatever the issues that crop up and challenge organizations, businesses will continue to be dedicated towards strengthening topline and bottomline. In this endeavor, companies will focus on various avenues and options to strengthen the topline and bottomline. In this regard, to bolster marketing and communication activity, it is inevitable that companies will lay more emphasis on outsourcing of business activities, courier marketing, internet marketing and communication, group meetings of customers (like doctors’ meets), and MRs of Pharma companies will particularly end up focusing on co-ordination and building up of clinical experiences with products and brands.

People are the real assets

People assets are vital. Unless the Pharma sector takes up proactive and positive steps to attract and retain quality people, the flight of intellectual capital to other industries and sectors will continue…Pharma India will be the loser.

This write up is by Sunil S Chiplunkar http://www.pharmaceuticalshealthcare.blogspot.com/. I thank you for reading this blogpost. Please do read all other blogposts, by clicking on older posts when appropriate.

November musings: Diwali, Diabetes and Exubera (will it make a come-back?)

Albert Einstein, American scientist: "We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made."

Diabetes in India

Madhumeha (diabetes mellitus) has been documented from 1500 BC in India. The first description of diabetes is in the Atharva veda. Charaka samhita the Ayurvedic text dating back to 1st century AD has also descriptively dealt with madhumeha. The ancient text had recognized that diabetes was indeed a metabolic disorder.

Diabetes a metabolic disorder affects carbohydrate metabolism. The metabolic derangement results in elevated blood sugar levels. Although the signs and symptoms of prolonged elevated blood sugar levels are giddiness, irritability, burning or tingling sensation in the extremities, excessive thirst and hunger, fatigue, cramps in the calf muscle area, itching, impaired wound healing, fungal and other persistent skin infections, skin allergies, blurring of vision, sudden loss of body weight, susceptibility to infections and fever,…the real danger of diabetes are the diabetic complications.

Diabetic complications include vasculopathy (disease of the blood vessels), cardiomyopathy (disease of the cardiac muscle), neuropathy (disease of the nerves), dermopathy (disease of the skin), nephropathy (disease of the kidneys), retinopathy (disease of the retina)… Diabetic individuals are more susceptible to osteoporosis, dental and gum related problems, infections, silent heart disease, diabetic liver, erectile dysfunction, sexual problems, urinary problems, and impaired wound healing. It is these frightening complications of diabetes that add to the morbidity (loss in quality of life) and mortality. Diabetic complications can cause absolute despair in sufferers.

The worst thing about diabetes is the fact that it can be asymptomatic too. Many diabetics do not find their signs and symptoms to be very serious and start to neglect or take it easy. This apathy and careless attitude can then cause exacerbation or worsening of the condition and leads to the diabetic complications.

In that sense, diabetes is like AIDS. The HIV infection causes weakened immunity and the person finally succumbs to the complications of HIV infection, such as gastrointestinal infections, TB etc. Diabetes too is dangerous, not because of the elevated blood sugar levels, but due to the complications of diabetes that causes morbidity and mortality.

Diabetes in India

Much has been written about India being the diabetic capital of the world – ahead of even China.

It has been projected that 300 million individuals would be affected with diabetes by the year 2025. (About 35 million individuals are estimated to be diabetic in India). The reasons for this escalation are due to changes in lifestyle, people living longer than before (ageing) and low birth weight could lead to diabetes during adulthood. Diabetes related complications are coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, etc. People with diabetes are 25 times more likely to develop blindness, 17 times more likely to develop kidney disease, 30-40 times more likely to undergo amputation, two to four times more likely to develop myocardial infarction and twice as likely to suffer a stroke than non-diabetics.

The booming antidiabetic and cardiometabolic market for India is characterized by a lack of public awareness campaigns on diabetic complications

Even though racial susceptibility, lifestyle changes (increasing sedentary lifestyle), stress, and faulty diets/obesity are increasing the incidence of diabetes in India, there is a peculiar lack of public awareness campaigns on diabetic complications in general. Unless, the public are made aware on diabetic complications, rather than dangers of diabetes alone, the true gravity of the situation will not be understood.

November is the sweet month for Indians – the festival Deepavali or Diwali in the month November is celebrated with crackers, new clothes, and sweets. Yes! The famous variety of Indian sweets is an important component of Diwali celebrations. Ironically, November 14th is the World Diabetes Day and America observes November as the diabetes awareness month. Maybe it is apt that diabetes awareness campaigns and Diwali should run parallel.

Public awareness campaigns on Diabetes and Diabetic complications are the need of the hour

It is high time that the GOI sets up a NATIONAL DIABETES INFORMATION RESEARCH AND EDUCATION MISSION; this mission is not about researching about a diabetic cure; it is about researching the information and propagating messages on diabetes and diabetic complications. One of the most important tools of diabetes management is education, and the emphasis should be on diabetic complications. This would help the public perceive the disease as a grave challenge and needs to be managed through lifestyle modification, exercise, Yoga, good habits, diet control, and medication.

The awareness campaigns for diabetes and diabetic complications ought to be on the same scale as that of the Pulse Polio campaigns.

Diabetes day random blood glucose check camps

The Central and State Govts., in India can have diabetes day random blood glucose check camps at Govt. PHCs, special camps, private clinics on the lines of Pulse Polio campaign and in collaboration with private sector companies and HRD depts. of large organizations.

Such camps will create vibrations and consciousness about diabetes and diabetic complications.
Please click here for a great site to check the diabetes risk aspect. Another link here gives comprehensive information on diabetes with hyperlinks. Indian researchers have discovered that fat cells have the property of producing insulin. It is interesting to read about this development please click here!

Will Exubera make a comeback?

The attractiveness of the diabetes management market has seen companies invest billions to develop and market products. Very few fail in this market. One interesting recent failure has been that of Exubera. It is very unusual of Pfizer to suffer such a setback. Perhaps it could have done better on the front of brand engagement and persuasive clinical documentation. It is too naïve to think that Pfizer will let go off a powerful concept such as inhaled insulin (with its abundant market potential and first mover advantage). Pfizer has a history of being an aggressive marketing tiger in the Pharma market. One cannot forget how piroxicam was a dud molecule when launched by Indian companies in the Indian market. Pfizer’s Dolonex (piroxicam) however, created history by being a blockbuster Pharma brand in the Indian market. Exubera will make a comeback – this is my gut feeling. The withdrawal was only strategic. A new avatar of Exubera may be back in action.

I SINCERELY WISH ALL BLOG READERS A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS DIWALI. I PRAY FOR YOUR AND YOUR FAMILY'S HAPPINESS. Happy Diwali!!
http://www.pharmaceuticalshealthcare.blogpost.com/ Sunil S Chiplunkar

TELEPRESENCE IN PHARMA MARKETING AND HEALTHCARE

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.
-George Bernard Shaw

CISCO has announced a revolutionary technology that reminds us of the catch phrase from the famous Star Wars: Beam me up Scotty. This truly awesome and stunning technology allows a person to feel as if the person he is talking to is present, on the location (through high definition video projection systems). Thus, this technology creates the ultimate where probably Mr. John Mack in USA and myself here in India can see each other and talk. It is another dimension of communication. So it will not be a surprise if we will be able to download telepresence podcasts from Mr. John Mack’s Pharma Marketing Forum on various Pharma issues, say two years hence. An example of such a telepresence podcast would probably be a conversation between Mr. Mack and say Mr. Kindler the CEO of Pfizer on how telepresence technology is redefining marketing communication in the Pharma industry! And if it is a real time telepresence podcast may be Mr. John will be kind enough to beam up other participants like me from India!

Telepresence

CISCO the inventors of this technology introduce the ‘meeting technology – telepresence’ as follows:

Focus on Your Meeting, Not on Your Technology
Cisco TelePresence is an innovative, new technology that creates unique, in-person experiences between people, places, and events in their work and personal lives—over the network. The first application is the Cisco TelePresence Meeting solution. Cisco TelePresence delivers - Greater productivity, Faster decision making and improved time to market, Improved responsiveness, Improved communication and collaboration with co-workers, partners, and customers
As we observe, this is a networking technological innovation. There is more on the same here:

What Is Cisco TelePresence?
Cisco TelePresence is a new technology that combines rich audio, high-definition video, and interactive elements to deliver a unique in-person experience—over the network.

The Cisco TelePresence Meeting creates a live, face-to-face meeting experience over the network, empowering users to interact and collaborate like never before.

We live in a world of paradox. Technology has allowed us to establish economically advantageous business operations worldwide. However, to excel in today's fast-moving business environment, you now have to interact and collaborate with co-workers, partners, and customers all over the world at a moment's notice. You need to continuously innovate and transform your business model to maintain competitive edge. And you need to plan ahead to respond rapidly to unexpected issues that impact business continuity.

At the same time, much of business is still done based on the quality of the relationships you have with those people with whom you interact most often.

To build and maintain these critical relationships, you often need to travel, which translates to lost time and reduced productivity, not to mention valuable time spent away from home and family.

Benefits of Telepresence
All of this points to the need for a technological solution that allows the same type of face-to-face business interactions, without the constant need for global travel. That's where the concept of Cisco TelePresence comes in. It allows for real-time, face-to-face communication and collaboration over the network with colleagues, prospects, and partners, even if they're in opposite hemispheres. The potential scenarios:

C-Level: executive meetings
Human Resources: job interviews
Customer Service: troubleshooting of technically complex products and access to remote experts
Sales: presentations and demonstrations of products and services with product specialists
Design: collaboration between teams and involvement of experts as needed
Consulting: interaction between outside vendors and clients
Staff Meetings: regularly scheduled updates of projects between personnel at remote sites
Employees derive both personal and professional benefits using Cisco TelePresence. This drives greater productivity in several ways. Employees:

Spend less time out of the office
Increase the number of interactions they can have with co-workers, partners, and customers
Derive the maximum value out of each interaction through richer and more valuable communication
Extend and maintain key business relationships in between in-person visits
Simplifying the Concept

Despite their relatively low cost, there are a variety of reasons why traditional video systems sit dormant and dusty in conference rooms around the world, but chief among them is that the systems are not reliable, offer low quality, and are too difficult to schedule and use. Scheduling meetings using traditional technologies frequently requires a combination of e-mail, hard-copy, and verbal communications. Once scheduled, they are frequently hobbled by technical issues, either in initial setup, or during the meeting with difficulty in seeing or hearing.

Cisco TelePresence is a new category of collaborative application that offers several significant advantages:
Integration with enterprise groupware (for example, Microsoft Outlook) allows users to schedule TelePresence meetings in the same way they would send a calendar invitation

Instead of confusing remote-control keypads used with most television-based systems, users can initiate TelePresence meetings using a telephone keypad. After scheduling, the meeting information is pushed to the meeting room's phone display. Users simply select the meeting from the display to launch the call. Similarly, cameras are prepositioned for optimal coverage of the room, so participants do not need to adjust them during their meetings.

The network provides the same reliability as dial tone, making TelePresence a solution that users can depend on, even for external meetings.

Services in the network ensure high quality, security, and reliability for every meeting.

The result: meetings that start promptly, proceed smoothly, and aren't hampered by audio-visual difficulties, which is especially important for meeting participants who might be attending outside of traditional work hours. Because of improved visual communication, it's more likely that important issues—especially those of disagreement—are more efficiently discussed, with less opportunity for misinterpretation and confusion. Now, you can focus on the meeting instead of the technology.

Future Applications
The vision for Cisco TelePresence is to expand to provide "virtual experiences" in many environments, from business into the home, with applications that would not have otherwise been possible with traditional video technologies.
Companies are increasingly focused on the parts of their business that create a competitive advantage. Activities that do not fall into this core category will be handed off to partners and suppliers. As this trend continues, collaboration increases in importance. Thus, ensuring that communication is clear and straightforward becomes more crucial. This is where Cisco TelePresence can help provide organizations an immediate productivity gain, change their business processes, and create sustainable competitive advantage

Potential of telepresence in Pharma marketing

The most obvious application is ‘calling on doctors’ through telepresence of MRs. This technology can help a MR promote products to a group of doctors in another location or if the portability of the telepresence system develops in time to come, nursing homes and clinics can have these devices and at mutual convenience, the MR can make a telepresence call to highlight the product (possible to many doctors at different locations at the same time).

In fact, another dimension is creating a digital avatar (so the telepresence form of MR will be uniform and unique contributing to branding); this avatar will be beamed to make Pharma product presentations to the doctor(s) at a seminar or in the clinic.

Telepresence based CMEs and new product launches with opinion builder doctors interacting is another dimension. This will allow real case history viewing too as part of the live CME.

Potential of telepresence in healthcare

Telepresence technology has the promise to revolutionize diagnosis and healthcare delivery through telemedicine. It would be possible to beam up the patient’s image for telepresence consulting to specialists located elsewhere. This will be Godsend for patients in the interiors of India who can avail second opinions and consultations from city based specialists.

Pharma companies can catalyze adoption of products by having telepresence kiosks in Pharmacies. The telepresence avatars or special patient educators can beam up to these kiosks and educate patients and customers (for eg., use of inhalers in asthma management).

Time for CISCO to collaborate on the telepresence technology platform

CISCO would reward itself and enhance adoption of the telepresence technology in various spheres of human activity by collaborating with specialists in each field, who can act as consultants and ambassadors for visualizing the application of this technology and catalyzing its diffusion. For eg., tourism experts would help in setting up such telepresence centres in business centres of hotels and thus help in creating telepresence meetings.

In the sphere of healthcare, CISCO experts and others from institutions like Narayana Hrudayalaya, Apollo, Fortis , Wockhardt, etc can start collaborating with primary health centres of the Indian Govt., to offer telepresence based healthcare diagnosis and treatment solutions.

The more that CISCO does to involve the public and other domain experts in providing inputs for this technology and collaboratively develop the product further for various applications, the faster will this product grow. In the end, CISCO will end up creating an ecosystem for communication and collaboration akin to Google on the internet. And later, this ecosystem can be tapped for advertisement revenues too. There is more to this product than being a meeting solution, it can revolutionize marketing, particularly Pharma and healthcare marketing, communication, diagnosis and treatment, and redefine healthcare delivery.

HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS TO CISCO FOR THIS REVOLUTIONARY INNOVATION.

Here is a limerick:

TELEPRESENCE COLLABORATION

CISCO has an innovation
For use in many a permutation
A mega revolution is in the making
Ignore not, Digital Health is there for the taking
Welcome one and all, to telepresence collaboration

This is my 54th blogpost, please do read all other blogposts, by clicking on older posts, wherever necessary, they are worth it!! Thnks - Sunil S Chiplunkar http://www.pharmaceuticalshealthcare.blogspot.com/

‘Healthentertainment’ and the mobile – two new marketing platforms

Hritik Roshan is a popular Indian film star who has abundant sex appeal and health.

Creating value and soft power (attraction power)

Marketing involves creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and managing relationships for mutual benefits. Marketing implies creating a culture around the products and services offered. For instance the coffee drinking experience at Café Coffee Day is not about drinking a cup of coffee alone, it is an augmented experience - a place to socialize with acquaintances. This is the culture of a café experience. Value delivery implies creating a culture.

This is the relevance of the soft power of a country – an acceptable component of a country’s culture. For instance, acupuncture and Chinese Traditional Medicine are not merely healthcare systems, but very much a part of the soft power of China. Thus, marketing or delivering value to the target audience based on the soft power of a country has the innate strength of playing on the cultural component and this makes the product more acceptable. The tea drinking culture of Japan is unique and thus herbal teas of Japan will have an edge as far as acceptance is concerned. Soft power based pharma or healthcare marketing has its own strengths.

Entertainment is an important component of the cultural mainstream in India

In India, films, songs, dance and TV sitcoms are a major source of entertainment. These are important threads of Indian culture. Thus, the opportunity lies bringing in the entertainment theme in healthcare marketing. The challenge however, is doing the same with out diluting the seriousness of the healthcare issue. So in essence:

‘HEALTHENTERTAINMENT’ is a marketing platform that uses entertainment themes in the marketing, communication and value delivery process for healthcare products (including pharma products).

The ’healthentertainment’ trend is a high potential marketing format

Film star endorsements for healthcare awareness campaigns are a very well known theme in marketing and communication activity. For instance, the famous appearance of film stars Amitabh Bachhan and Aishwarya Rai for the PULSE POLIO campaign is one example of healthentertainment. However, it is not that the above TV advertisement is entertaining – however, it has an entertainment theme in it (as film stars are endorsing the polio immunization drive).

So in essence health and pharma concepts are marketed based on components of entertainment culture - such as involving entertainment stars and other entertaining formats.

HEALTH ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA IS NOT NEW TO THE WORLD please click here http://www.healthradio.org/ This medium is dedicated to raising awareness and creating discussion on health and disease issues in an engaging and entertaining way.

In the FHMG segment Perfetii has generated a great message & highly entertaining TV advt. that is virally going around the internet too. The advt. is for the Happydent chewing gum that whitens and shines teeth. Please CLICK HERE.

In the core pharma sector it would have been beneficial and highly impacting to have involved film stars in the launch and promotion of sildenafil based brands. It would be interesting to have hot film star pairs talking on the importance of an aphrodisiac brand for enhancing husband – wife relationship. This promotional theme will definitely cause demand expansion and increased prescription flow for the aphrodisiac brand. For eg., a promotional theme in which, Kapikacchu and its effect in strengthening husband – wife relationship being discussed by say Dharmendra and Hemamalini (the same can be put in print, video and audio clips).

Mobile phones and the 'healthentertainment' formats converging for healthcare and pharma promotion

It is widely acknowledged that the mobile phone is the most persuasive of the marketing communication tools available in society today. Even more interesting is the fact that in China and India, internet-mobile penetration is more than broadband and is revolutionizing communication and information access. Already Airtel is positioning itself as an augmented mobile GSM service provider. Airtel helps you listen to 10,000 songs and use the Google search engine on internet. So Airtel is not just about mobile telephony. It is now reinventing itself as an augmented mobile service provider.

Now imagine the convergence of mobile phone service and healthentertainment marketing formats.

For eg., during the process of detailing the MR can play a 50 second audio or video clip on his mobile where a leading doctor shares his clinical opinion about the product. Or for that matter in the rocking growth segment of trichology and dermacosmetology a video clip of a leading dermatologist like Dr. Trashi treating a film star or model with a particular product can be played on the mobile as part of a persuasive approach of the MR. For that matter Mr. Narendran a colleague of mine has successfully used his mobile as a product promotional tool. Please CLICK HERE for more information.

In case, of pediatric products, 50 second video clips featuring child stars (both tele and film) using a multivitamin product on advice of a pediatrician can be shown on the mobile to the doctor being detailed to by the MR. This will obviously enhance in-clinic effectiveness and open a new medium for MRs to operate and persuade doctors very effectively.

Internet enabled mobile phones can play entertainment based healthcare podcasts mingling product messages to doctors. For eg., a doctor can sign up for a pharma company sponsored light ghazal song at exactly 10.00 pm every night. This will be played automatically by the GSM service provider on the mobile of the doctor, mingling the product message.

Thus, we see above some examples on how, the ‘healthentertainment’ and mobile marketing formats can synergize to augment healthcare or pharma product promotion in India (as entertainment is an important cultural thread of Indian society and the mobile has very high penetration, and the mobile is the most persuasive marketing tool today.)

This is my 54^th blogpost, please do read all my earlier posts too, by clicking on older posts where necessary. Thnks and Godspeed. Sunil S Chiplunkar. www.pharmaceuticalshealthcare.blogspot.com

THE CYBER PARADIGM

Paradigm is a framework of values, concepts, and ideas. A paradigm serves as a model or pattern. The la-affaire Exubera goes down in management case study books as a victim of a paradigm shift in the world of Pharma marketing. The paradigm shift we are talking about can be christened as the cyber paradigm. It is a powerful new frontier in healthcare, which will only get more and more powerful in days to come. In fact, this paper here http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/login.jsp?url=/iel5/7004/18885/00872547.pdf identifies the cyber paradigm phenomenon as a driving force of 21st century business. The article uses the term New Generation Internet (NGI) that describes the phenomenon, which will drive marketing communication, business, and social life.

Cyberspace and Pharma marketing

Healthcare is one of the most important reasons why the advanced world and many in the emerging markets are logging on to the internet. The information superhighway has also created opinion builder bloggers like Amy in the case of diabetes. Conversations in the cyberspace (blogs, message boards, healthcare websites…) are building opinions about products and influencing consumption patterns.

The patent paradigm

In the pre-internet days, life was simpler for Pharma companies. You had to innovate a dosage formulation or invent a drug, patent the product (that assures a monopoly market), build a clinical database, market it to target doctors using some SOPs (seminars, conference sponsorships, freebies, gifts, etc), and more importantly doctors had the authority to ensure patient compliance through prescriptions and counseling. However, the advent of the internet has changed the rules of the Pharma marketing game. The patent and market paradigm for Pharma products is no longer robust. Disruptive forces in markets are creating newer uncertainties that are challenging established business models. Thus, the patent and market model for Pharma markets is under siege. As this web (http://www.infosysconsulting.com/) says aloud disruptive forces are flattening the world and creating new opportunities and threats. In fact, IT (internet) is empowering people with healthcare information and tools in a way as never before in human history and this is causing disruptions in existing Pharma business models.

The challenge is to understand Pharma and Healthcare market behavior and the disruptive forces

The foremost challenge for Pharma and healthcare companies, today, is to understand the target market behavior, trends, and the disruptive forces in the market. Among the current forces to change the dynamics of Pharma and healthcare product consumption is the cyber paradigm and this trend is here to stay, and only gain momentum in days to come. With web 2.0 metamorphosis to web 3.0 where intuitive search results and a higher level of interactivity is expected, the internet will be ubiquitous in our social behavior. Already people are watching the cyberspace on Google Health and Microsoft’s Healthvault.

Exubera story

The Exubera story is not that of a product failure per se. It is about a Pharma product that got tossed in the Pharma and Healthcare cybersea full of eddies, currents, and storms. Exubera was like the ship Titanic (the product was huge), and the product hit a huge iceberg on the cybersea. The iceberg was unmapped netizen behavior. Only the tip was visible and the rest was not understood. The result Exubera…is a multi billion dollar loss case study in Pharma marketing.

The internet is changing the way people understand and access healthcare. The market will increasingly become OTX (a combination of over-the-counter and prescription based) rather than prescription dominated.

The moral of the Exubera story

IT IS PERILOUS TO IGNORE THE CYBER PARADIGM IN PHARMA AND HEALTHCARE. The net is not about nerds it is about you, I, and other ‘non-nerds’.

Kindly do read my other blogposts too, by clicking on OLDER POSTS, when required.
For titanic sinking:http://www.goroadachi.com/etemenanki/titanic-sinking.jpg

GOOGLE HEALTH ENABLED CRM

Marketing has an important dimension that strengthens its goal to increase consumption. This important dimension is CRM or customer relationship management. The processes and techniques in CRM depend on customer profile, and service or product offered. The attributes of the product and service should lend value to the customer’s profile.

For eg., a clinician like a pediatrician offers immunization shots regularly as a part of his or her clinical practice. It is a very valuable clinical input to his patients. Let us imagine a healthcare company or a company that markets products to kids and babies partners Google Health in CRM (customer relationship management).

To begin with, let us firstly see the immunization schedule as per the Indian Academy of Pediatricians:

PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

http://www.iapindia.org/timetable.cfm

This means that the immunization schedule helps interested companies to connect with the target audience, and engage in CRM activities for at least up to 2 years from birth.

Let us imagine that a company that markets products to a target audience of kids and babies (like Cerelac, Farex, Kellogs, babycare products, vaccine manufacturers etc) chooses to offer an augmented CRM service in collaboration with Google Health as per the following flowchart:

Step 1:

Kellogs partners with doctor to participate and offer the mobile based immunization alert and e-mail alerts program in association with Google Health.

Step 2:

Collection of mobile nos. and e-mail ids of interested parents through doctor.

Step 3:

Computerized entry of date of birth of child, and immunization chart specially created for the child is e-mailed : “IMMUNIZATION CHART OF BABY MADHUPRITA” Name of doctor: Dr. Pai DCH Address of doctor: Phone of doctor: Such details will be provided in the e-mail statement.

Step 4:

Google Health provides the above above e-mail chart regularly updated, and sends reminder alerts (through mobile and e-mail) to parents about the future immunizations.

This is a win-win relationship for all participants in the above process:

a) Google Health gets a kid and then the family to engage in its services. Google Health can establish a relationship that begins with immunization, and later can go ahead for online medical records and such other services.

For eg. let us say Jane (32 years) starts this immunization alert system through Dr. Paul for her baby daughter Shiny. As she gets used to the alerts and finds them useful, she may start enrolling for DOSAGE ALERTS for ensuring that her husband Henry (38 years) takes the antidiabetic medication on time every day.

b) For the healthcare or pediatric oriented company it is a great way to connect with the end-customer.

For eg., Jane gets regular mobile and e-mail alerts like “KELLOG AND GOOGLE HEALTH REMINDER ALERT: “TODAY BABY SHINY’S SECOND DPT IMMUNIZATION DOSE IS DUE AT DR. PAI’S CLINIC.” LOVE TO SHINY.”

In the above eg., we see that it is a win-win relationship for Kellog as this company can connect to the target audience, Google Health gets a winning relationship with a family, and Dr. Pai gets subliminal marketing for his clinical services.

This above is an example of how Google Health can enable CRM for Pharma, and healthcare companies.

In fact, this Google Health enabled CRM model can be extrapolated to management of menopausal symptoms in women. Soy product manufacturers can extend Google Health enabled CRM for menopausal women by keeping a track of the DEXA bone mineral density measurements, dosage alerts, and providing tips on special menopausal care through mobile and e-mails.

This is a citizen marketing evangelism type of blogpost. It is my 52nd blogpost – please do read all my blogposts, you may have to click on older posts to read all the blogposts.

WORLD’S FIRST AYURVEDIC CHEWING GUM

Have you ever thought of chewing gum as a healthcare product? In the above picture you can see a green tea chewing gum! The trend of FMHG products is really on worldwide and now in India too!

Perfetii has committed a marketing coup in India. They have launched HAPPYDENT WHITE SPARKLING SMILE as an APPROVED PROPRIETARY AYURVEDIC MEDICINE. This product contains per dragee, Neem satva 0.7 mg, Meetha (baking soda) 4.2 mg, Pudina satva 3.22 mg, Pudina tailam 0.392 mg, Nilgiri tailam 0.392 mg; sugar base qs, gum base qs; and is classified as a functional gum.

Ayurveda seems to be a most versatile medicinal and healing science. Or probably there are a lot of flexibilities (loopholes?) in the scientific and regulatory framework of Ayurveda that helps in presenting various products as Ayurvedic. There are probably no allopathic chewing gums. Happydent is an unique first-of-its kind Ayurvedic healthcare chewing gum. Protex Happydent from Perfetii contains aspartame (sugar free chewing gum) and this too is an Ayurvedic chewing gum.

Benefits of chewing gum

Chewing gum offers various benefits. For instance this webpage says that chewing gums containing xylitol like Protex Happydent (sugar free) offer certain benefits that have been approved by dental associations -

Xylitol For Dental Health

Sugar free chewing gums and sweeteners containing Xylitol have already received approval from dental associations. It enhances all prevention methods for preventing dental caries or cavities. And even has the ability to reverse existing cavities. Chewing gum and sucking mints which contain Xylitol puts the Xylitol directly into contact with the teeth. It is best to use it 3 to 5 times a day for maximum benefit with 4 to 12 grams per day being a very effective dosage. Replace ordinary chewing gum and breath mints with Xylitol products as well as mouthwash. Tooth decay is caused by a combination of bacteria and sugar. Acids and other substances that occur on cell walls cause bacteria to build in our mouths. Xylitol prevents acids from forming in the mouth and reduces the growth of bacteria by as much as 90%. It also decreases the formation of plaque. Effects are not only long-lasting, but could possibly be permanent. Another great thing about this natural sweetener is children love it!
http://www.cwahm.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?p=30484&sid=75680bd9baff69c60090159bd02d1763

Wrigley’s, the world leaders in chewing gum, highlight the following benefits of chewing gum:

Not Just Delicious, But Healthy

Most everybody loves to chew gum, whether for the flavor or just for the simple pleasure of chewing. But did you know that chewing gum also:

Improves Concentration

At work, chewing gum helps us concentrate on the task at hand. Many truck drivers find that chewing gum helps them stay alert at the wheel.

Eases Tension

As early as 1939, scientific studies showed how chewing reduces muscular tension and helps people feel more at ease. Because it is so well-recognized for helping stay alert at the same time it eases tension, the U.S. Armed Forces have supplied chewing gum to its soldiers ever since World War I. It is still included in field and combat rations today.

Freshens Breath

Chewing gum, especially a mint-flavored gum like Wrigley's Spearmint or Doublemint, moistens and refreshes the mouth and throat and sweetens the breath. Provides a -

Low-calorie Snack

Chewing gum often satisfies the desire for a between-meals snack, yet each stick averages less than 10 calories. Helps Fight Tooth Decay After meals, it isn't always convenient to use a toothbrush. Chewing gum stimulates the production of saliva, which helps neutralize acids from foods that may cause tooth decay.

Read more at http://www.gumisgood.com/ this website comes from Wrigley.

Happydent White on You Tube

Happydent White has a good presence on blogs, agency web pages, and on You Tube.

Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdesIbwOYAAThe ad film for Happydent White on You Tube is really funny and enjoyable

Happydent White and Perfetii are making news right from 2001: http://thehindubusinessline.com/businessline/2001/06/26/stories/14261804.htm

Their online marketing for strengthening word-of-mouth or word-of-web publicity is really great. Just click here: http://www.perfettivanmelle.in/happydent/ May be we pharma marketers should pick up a leaf on how to strengthen pharma product online presence and internet pharma marketing communication activity from the above link.
For a FMCG market player with a FMHG look the Perfetii website is a whole load of fun marketing. Click here: http://www.perfettivanmelle.in/index1.htm

Perfetii – a big gun or big gum (?) in India!

Perfetii a big name in the confectionary market has to its credit over Rs. 400 crores sales within a decade of its presence in India. Their expectation of 2007 sales is around Rs. 700 crores. http://www.businessworld.in/content/view/1828/1891/

Their brands like Big Babool, Centerfresh, Mentos, and Alpenliebe are household names in India now. http://www.icmr.icfai.org/casestudies/catalogue/marketing%20communications/CLMC016.htm

Perfetii is a big player in the FMCG confectionary market in India – and Perfetti brands are having a healthcare positioning along with fun and taste attributes. It is really unusual & somewhat hilarious to see an Ayurvedic chewing gum.

Contra thinking on chewing gum

Chewing gum habit can be dangerous. Here is an interesting report on the sugar free chewing gum http://www.laleva.org/eng/2007/06/chewing_gum_habit_poisons_woman.html

Chewing gum: fun product or healthcare product or both?

I guess chewing gum is OK as a fun product. A time pass product. I am not sure about its merits to be classified as an approved Ayurvedic proprietary medicine. Yes medicine! That is a debatable point. And now can all functional foods be classified as Ayurvedic products? That is another front for debating. In India there is a trend to sell FMCG products with a health hook – ie., as a product that helps health. Now, presenting Happydent White as an Ayurvedic functional gum really takes the cake. Is it trivializing the science of Ayurveda? That is for the Ayurvedic pundits to debate on. So in essence, Happydent White Sparkling Smile chewing gum is a functional healthcare fun product.

This is my 51st blogpost – do enjoy reading all of my other blogposts, by clicking on older posts when required.