Research Triangle Park, NC – Smart pharmaceutical companies do more to reach consumers than just run ads during prime time TV hours – they launch patient education programs to teach people about their health, their specific medical conditions and the treatment options available to them.

A new Cutting Edge Information report, Patient Education and Direct-to-Patient Communication, compiles data from 20 different patient education programs across the drug industry. The report’s findings show that companies are pouring more money and time into patient programs that reach individual consumers with clear information – and a minimum of promotional distractions.

Drug makers have traditionally struggled to reach the very consumers who ultimately use their products. At the same time, patients and physicians alike clamor for educational content that provides useful, unbiased content about critical health issues.

Drug companies are well-positioned to provide that kind of information, and some organizations fill the need better than others. Patient Education and Direct-to-Patient Communication finds that the companies most effective at educating patients stick to five straightforward guidelines:

- Support patient education with tools and resource levels equal to program objectives. Drug makers spend millions of dollars on the websites and brochures that make up good education campaigns.

- Coordinate content disseminated to both patient and professional audiences. Consumers encounter drug information on TV, online, at the supermarket and in the doctor’s office. Coordination keeps confusion to a minimum.

- Utilize market research to effectively communicate with patient sub-groups. All patients are not the same. Market knowledge allows companies to reach consumers on the patients’ own terms.

- Balance branded and unbranded content to provide unbiased information without sacrificing commercial goals. Few doctors feel comfortable handing out brochures filled with logos and sales messages, and patients don’t trust such content. Good education materials are unbiased, accessible and scientifically trustworthy.

- Establish win-win relationships with advocacy and patient groups. These organizations have the credibility and reach to push patient education programs over the top.

To view a summary of this report, visit www.PharmaPatientEducation.com. For more information or to learn about other Cutting Edge Information research, contact Eric Bolesh at 1-919-433-0209.

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