A report released by Consumers International (CI) accuses 20 drug companies across Europe of endangering public health by engaging in questionable marketing practices. Particular criticism is levied at the use of condition education sites and online chat groups for implicitly promoting specific products.

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New sites that allow consumers to easily search on prescription drugs and compare prices across pharmacies could indicate a rising trend in how patients shop for and request specific brands. In some cases, the sites highlight generic drugs over brand name rivals at significant savings.

Full Article from BusinessWeek

Best Practices LLC has released a study regarding the use of oncology sites to promote brand equity and loyalty. Among other findings, the research identifies gaps between what physicians and patients want and what pharma companies provide. For instance, 74% of physician surveyed cited clinical trial information as very important, yet only 50% of companies provide this information online. A summary of the study can be downloaded for free here.

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A study released from Yahoo! finds that 61% of searchers have visited or plan to visit their doctor after searching for health information online. Once at the doctor's office, 71% of health searchers have pointed conversations with their physician about medications and brands. The study also covers ad responsiveness, finding that 20% of consumers conducted health searches as a result of an ad that they saw.

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A new study conducted by MRxHEALTH with Medical Marketing & Media (MM&M) magazine cites the Internet as the most widely used source for health information, and the biggest driver for brand name drug requests. However the perceived trustworthiness of online information scored only a 3.67 on a scale of 1 to 5.

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An increasing number of patients are writing blogs to detail their own experiences, update family and friends on their condition, and to communicate with other patients.

Full Article from San Francisco Chronicle