Direct-to-consumer Rx ads: A useful tactic in the age of Covid?
Strategists think the time may be right for Canada's Rx companies to take their messages straight to patients. Aspen's Mike Egli and PAAB's Patrick Massad comment (and we'd like your views, too)
U.S. television viewers were treated to their first direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug ad back in 1997, at which point the nation collectively exclaimed, “Viagra? What’s that?”
Simultaneously, many Canadians saw their first DTC ad (“What’s this Viagra, eh?”) thanks to ingrained cross-border TV viewing habits.
An entire generation of Americans has grown up immersed in DTC. Today, the U.S.A. and New Zealand remain the only jurisdictions where advertising for prescription therapies aimed at patients isn’t prohibited or restricted.
Since the Covid pandemic began, American tourists have been turned back at the Canadian border, but U.S. TV ads intended for Americans are, in effect, waved through customs and welcomed into Canadian homes. That’s a cause of regret to some, such as Dr. Joel Lexchin, the York University health-policy gadfly whose views on drug advertising have been widely published. (Health Canada has allowed an abbreviated form of so-called reminder ads for pharmaceuticals for domestic audiences since 2000.)
But increasingly Canadian pharma marketers may be assessing the metrics of American-style DTC and considering the merits. A 2011 study by Dayne M. Porter found that every dollar spent on DTC promotion corresponded to a sales rise of $4.20. The stateside drug industry currently spends US$6.5 billion annually on consumer advertising.
There are indications Covid-19 may be nudging some Canadian marketers to look at compliant forms of DTC.
The subject was raised during a recent interview with Mike Egli (photo above), the general manager of Aspen Pharmacare Canada during a recent episode of the “NPC Podcast,” a program for pharma executives hosted by Peter Brenders. (Listen to the episode here.)
“I wonder how Covid-19 may be an impetus for companies to be looking at how they can connect with the patient more robustly, educationally and commercially,” Egli told listeners.
“Companies may try to shift [messaging] to patients because I think in this pandemic, patients are the ultimate stakeholder,” he added, “and companies are not going to be able to rely on traditional methods to get their medicines to the appropriate patient for the appropriate indication.”
Consumers have been viewing media at record levels during social isolation and accordingly have seen quite a bit of drug advertising, according to the commissioner of the Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board (PAAB), a self-regulating industry group. Patrick Massad (photo above) said, “PAAB is completely agnostic as to whether or not people promote DTC or not. There are ways to make things more effective. It's not a matter of is it right or wrong; it's a matter of how do we do it in a way that's ethical, accurate, complete?”
The takeaway: The prospect of speaking directly to patients and consumers remains intriguing to marketers such as Egli. He cited U.S. reports that suggest “the first line of communications for the pharmaceutical companies is DTC, and the second line is a drug-rep... I'm looking at [DTC] in the sense that there are now more challenges because of Covid-19, in terms of how we can communicate to Canadians.”
Further reading: Sectors other than pharma are jumping into DTC to a surprising degree during the pandemic. Story here.
NPC Healthbiz Weekly would like to know your thoughts about DTC in Canada. Please take two to three minutes to answer some brief poll questions for an upcoming article, and we’ll share the survey results — and we’ll even buy you a coffee in appreciation. (Starbucks e-card for the first 30* qualified Canadian marketers to respond.) To participate, please click this link, or click on the image below:
YOUR HEALTHBIZ WEEK 09/01/20
Valeo Pharma of Montreal filed for a Natural Product Licence with Health Canada for its oral bioflavonoid formulation (Hesperco), in-licensed from Ingenew Pharma. Says Valeo helmer Steve Saviuk: "Ingenew's ongoing expansion of scientific data as well as the development of new clinical data will provide further evidence of Hesperco's effectiveness in providing support for the immune system."
Cardiol Therapeutics of Oakville, Ont. initiated a Health Canada-approved Phase I trial of CardiolRx, an oral cannabidiol formulation (100 mg/mL), in 55 patients. The Tx is THC-free. The trial is intended to optimize dosing levels for a Phase II trial in acute myocarditis, a CV condition. Says kingpin David Elsley: "We see an opportunity to accelerate the development of CardiolRx as an important new cardioprotective therapy."
Health Canada green-lighted injectable atezolizumab (Tecentriq, Hoffmann-La Roche) in combo with bevacizumab, for first-line Tx of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who require systemic therapy. According to the company, HCC is one of the fastest rising Cas in Canada, with rates nearly tripling over the past 40 years. Says Jackie Manthorne, prexy of the Canadian Cancer Survivors Network: "Hepatocellular carcinoma is a fast-growing cancer in Canada and one often diagnosed late and is without multiple treatment options."
MindMed, the Toronto-based psychedelics outfit, says it's starting a Phase I trial in Switzerland of LSD and MDMA as combo Tx for psychiatric disorders. The company says by combining LSD and MDMA in the same session, researchers will evaluate if the combination produces greater overall positive acute effects when compared to LSD or MDMA on their own. In a statement, MindMed says MDMA may reduce some of the negative mood effects of LSD and make the patient more comfortable during psychedelic-assisted Tx. Trials will be conducted at University Hospital Basel's Liechti Lab. Bruce Linton, former supremo of Canopy Growth, is a MindMed director.
The week’s big number: US$6.5 billion (Cdn$8.5 billion.) That’s the amount Johnson & Johnson plans to spend to buy Momenta Pharmaceuticals, developer of autoimmune disease Tx candidate nipocalimab, now in trials for myasthenia gravis.
14th ANNUAL NATIONAL PHARMA CONGRESS UPDATE
Chronicle Companies is pleased to host the 14th Annual National Pharmaceutical Congress, a virtual series of weekly webinars. As Canada's largest stage for leaders in the pharmaceutical industry, the Congress presents industry reflections, ideas, and innovations. The Congress has been attended by over 200 delegates every year and is an opportunity to learn and reflect with the industry's most prominent thought leaders and visionaries. Organized in cooperation with Pangaea Consultants. (Hot tip: NPC Healthbiz Weekly readers get an additional 20% discount on registration fees by using the code NPC20.)
This year’s agenda
Wednesday 10/21 11:00 am to 1:00 pm EST
Session 1: Career Advice in the Post-Covid Life Science
Sponsored by ImpresSession 2: Industry Role and Partnerships: Have They Changed Through Covid-19?
Sponsored by Digital Partners
Wednesday 10/28 11:00 am to 1:00 pm EST
Session 1: Future External Deployments, Structures and Skill Sets
Sponsored by Shoppers Specialty RxSession 2: Patient Centricity: What Does It Mean in Action?
Sponsored by McKesson Canada
Wednesday 11/04 11:00 am to 1:00 pm EST
Session 1: How Do We Launch Products Post Covid-19?
Session 2: Inclusion and Diversity in a Virtual and Real-Life World
This year’s speakers
Pamela Fralick, Innovative Medicines Canada
Andrew Casey, BIOTECanada
Jason Field, Life Sciences Ontario
Ronnie Miller, Hoffmann-La Roche
Brian Bloom, Bloom Burton
Jayne Paterson, GSK
Danielle Portnik, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals
Marissa Poole, Sanofi Genzyme
Eileen McMahon, Torys
Paul Petrelli, Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Jim Hall, Covis Pharma
Carol Stiff, Santen Pharmaceuticals
Zal Press, CADTH
Brian Canestraro, Intercept Pharmaceuticals
Sylvie Pilon, Emergent Biosolutions
Peter Brenders, Kontollo Health
David Renwick, Emergent Biosolutions
others to be announced
Profits from the 2020 National Pharmaceutical Congress support Sandi’s Fund for Camp Liberté. More than $50,000 has been raised for Canadian health charities through the National Pharmaceutical Congress.
Watch a “greatest hits” encore presentation from a past NPC event
CANADIAN HEALTHCARE MARKETING HALL OF FAME
The Canadian Healthcare Marketing Hall of Fame awards were established in 2002, to honour healthcare marketers who have contributed to our avocation and are an inspiration to others.
More than 100 honourees have been selected during the past 18 years. They stand for, in the view of the selection committee, a representative cross-section of the qualities that make our business unique and fulfilling. Each week, NPC Healthbiz Weekly will acknowledge one past Hall of Fame Honouree.
2018 Inductee
Eric Tse
Allergan Aesthetics
Markham, Ont.
The blend of science and business is what drew Eric Tse to the pharmaceutical industry. “My dad is a physician so he introduced me to the industry. I just learned from there," he says. After graduating from Queen’s University, Tse came into the industry as a sales representative for Ciba Vision, which eventually became part of Novartis.
During his time at Novartis, he worked his way up to Brand Director for the company’s blockbuster drug Lucentis, all while studying to earn his MBA in general management from the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management. During his time at Novartis and more recently at Shire, he has faced some of his biggest challenges and greatest accomplishments.
The launch of Lucentis, which was at the time the most successful product launch Novartis has seen, is what Tse considers one of his greatest accomplishments.
Another significant accomplishment was leading the relocation of Shire’s offices from Mississauga and Montreal to a single location in Toronto, all while maintaining the organizational focus on the patients and the business.
At the end of the day, his top priority is his family—his wife Jennifer and their two children—and that’s what enables and motivates him.
NEXT WEEK
The 09/08 edition of NPC Healthbiz Weekly will feature Robin Hunter of Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals on how he managed a pharma company during the Covid Pandemic. Subscribe and have the issue sent to your phone or inbox each Tuesday at 6:00 am sharp.
Stay safe and stay on your game. We’ll see you again next Tuesday.