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In the 1980’s, HIV was a scourge of the population killing over 100K people by 1991.  Stigma and general ignorance about it seriously undermined treatment. To confront these problems, patient communication programs funded by governments and foundations were initiated.  This type of patient education was novel, with almost no precedent.  A famous PSA launched in the […]

This year GSK and the International Federation on Aging (IFA) have collaborated to launch the inaugural Shingles Awareness Week.  Why?  Because most Americans do not know much about the disease.  This is a mistake that must be addressed.  And it is true of many “silent diseases”.  Examples are conditions such as Pancreatic Cancer, Shingles, Hepatitis […]

In addition to physical consequences, many people suffer from social stigma associated with a health condition.  This is certainly the case for people who suffer from weight issues.  These people can suffer both overt and hidden social consequences, from nasty comments to rejection in social or business situations.  “Body Positivity” and “Fat Acceptance” movements are […]

  Studies have been conducted about DTC effectiveness since 2002.  The results are conclusive.  DTC marketing is effective.  In the early days of DTC, the emphasis was on TV and Print advertising.  DTC was being used mainly for drugs with very big budgets.  Prozac was the pioneer followed soon by Nexium, Lipitor and Viagra.  ROI […]

Is It Important to Catch Their Attention? Sure it is. If they do not notice the communication it cannot have an effect. However the form should not overwhelm the content. This means that any communication should be highly relevant to the patients and consistent with the feelings that they have. KEYTRUDA demonstrates great examples of […]