Influencing the Cancer Treatment "Gray" Zone
92% of Experts Speaking at FDA Cancer Drug Panels Are Paid by Pharma
[From www.statnews.com] A new analysis finds that many experts who spoke before the FDA committee that reviews cancer drugs held financial conflicts of interest with the pharmaceutical industry.
Specifically, the analysis identified 38 experts and found that 92 percent — or 35 of them — had received industry payments. And 47 percent — or 18 experts — had documented payments from the specific drug makers that were hoping to win an FDA approval. Moreover, there were significant correlations found between the number of published articles, total citations and industry payments
“As you go into the rarified quarters of academic oncology, you see experts whose influence is tremendous,” said Dr. Vinay Prasad, an assistant professor of medicine at the Oregon Health and Sciences University, who recently co-authored a separate analysis that found nearly 80 percent of U.S. hematologist-oncologists who use Twitter have financial conflicts of interest.
“But so many oncology decisions are made in a gray zone, not black-and-white data, and these are the people in a position to determine shades of gray area. And this is why it’s so problematic that these people are conflicted. An expert may be the only person in the room at an FDA meeting who has treated 5,000 lung patients. And all of us follow their lead.”
Further Reading:
- This beats previous estimates of 33%: #Pharma 'Highjacks' Public Comments at FDA Advisory Meetings
Beyond KOL Marketing
Tapping Into Digital Opinion Influencers
[From PharmExec.com] Pharma firms have long recognized the power of key opinion leaders (KOLs) in driving influence through traditional channels: journals, speaking events and word of mouth. The problem, however, is that healthcare providers (HCPs) and patients are acquiring information about disease and treatment in the online world – and many KOLs are not “digital opinion influencers,” or DOIs, aka "digital opinion leaders, or DOLs. This creates an opportunity – strategic DOI identification, outreach and management – for brand, communications and medical teams that is often overlooked or poorly addressed.
Further Reading:
- DOL v. KOL: Digital Opinion Leaders Are Different Than Traditional KOLs: https://sco.lt/5g4Fur
Roche Acquires mySugr
One Small Sweet Step for Pharma, One Giant Leap for Apps
[From PharmExec.com] Roche has taken its worldwide collaboration with mySugr to the next level by acquiring the Austrian digital health business. The company has set itself apart from others by trying to balance fun graphics with the fundamental information needed for the arduous task of managing a chronic condition with the frank goal “to make diabetes suck less”.
The acquisition fits into a growing trend of pharma and medical device companies adding services supporting patient engagement both to quantify the effectiveness of their drugs and devices and to gain additional insight from its customer base.
Comments from LinkedIn Friends:
A.R.J. (Rob) Halkes, principal consultant at Health Business Consult, said: "A great leap forward for Roche, a great opportunity for MySugr, a great potential for diabetes patients and a lot to learn for all concerned. Maybe a suggestion of places/sites where there is lot of experience with combined support for patients might help for a diabetes company like Roche and a diabetes-patient driven app company like MySugr."
Further Reading:
- Pharma Investing Across Digital Health, Biotech, And Medical Devices: https://sco.lt/6VZ4Jl
- The Pharma Digital Health Accelerator Club: Companies Leading the Way Implementing Disruptive Innovations: https://sco.lt/5ya2bJ
- LEO Innovation Lab Has No Skin in the Profit-Making Game: https://sco.lt/7MKXhp
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About the Author
John (PharmaGuy) Mack is a constructive critic of the pharmaceutical industry. You can follow him on Twitter as @pharmaguy
Senior Vice President and Practice Leader @ French/West/Vaughan | MBA, Public Relations
7 年Good post-John Mack. This type of marketing, more broadly than pharma/healthcare, has gotten the attention of the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC requires sponsored influencer posts on social media such as Instagram and Twitter to disclose that they're ads. Earlier this year the FTC sent warning letters to brands and online celebrities. An Influencer Marketing Council, comprised of brands, talent agencies, and other influencer representatives, was recently created to establish best practices for paid posts that are, in effect, ads.
Financial Advice for Biotech and Dividend Investors
7 年If experienced physicians are not to be employed as researchers, teachers, and advocates, then who should perform these functions?? Perhaps a high school science teacher??? A nurse? I have more than a decade of experience in the medical biz, and I can tell you that MDs ONLY value the opinion of other MDs....no one else has a high enough level of educational dedication to be considered as a medical teacher....
What are these payments for? It's a bit more complicated than "The pharmaceutical industry has used physicians" - a physician who is already influential is thanks to his reputation likely to be asked for advice by both industry and the FDA. So in and of itself, it's not too surprising that they both get payments from drug companies (compensation for their advice) and are influencing FDA drug panels. More analysis needed, this is not sufficient to have evidentiary character.