Philip George
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Trust is something that must be earned, and it seems as if online medical information has finally earned legitimacy in the
eyes of patients.
According to a recent Accenture survey, consumers rate medical Web sites nearly as high as pharmacists as their most trusted
sources for information. Approximately 13 percent of the 1,000 patients interviewed said they trust medical sites the most,
just three percentage points shy of the 16 percent who ranked pharmacists number one.
Most trusted source to learn about medications
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The survey found that most patients are interested in taking a more active role in understanding their health conditions.
Eighty-one percent of people want to know more about safety concerns and side effects related to the drugs they are taking,
and 76 percent want to play an overall greater role in their medical care.
Survey respondents noted they are willing to invest the time to research disease symptoms, available drugs and treatments,
and to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of medicines and consider which one offers the most benefit. Much of this research
is being done online, facilitated by the growing availability of the Internet and broadband capabilities. Sixty-three percent
of those surveyed said they turn to the Internet to research the therapies healthcare professionals prescribe them. Additionally,
48 percent of respondents cited the volume and breadth of information online as the reason they turn to the Internet for health
information.
Primetime Payoff?
Sources where patients typically learn about medications to treat their condition
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While advertising has proven to influence buying behavior, it's not as effective as a tool for building trust. The Accenture
survey shows a substantial difference between the number of people who say they trust information they see in a television
ad and the number of people who trust what they read on Web sites.
Only five percent of patients said they always trust information from a direct-to-consumer ad, and only 19 percent said they
always trust printed materials from pharmaceutical companies. Even if you include the "sometimes" category, only 60 percent
of patients said they trust DTC ads, while 83 percent trust printed materials.
However, industry's online marketing efforts and initiatives are generating a greater degree of trust among patients. Twenty-two
percent of those surveyed said they turn to pharma company-sponsored Web sites to learn about medication—the same percentage
of consumers that turn to friends and family for health information and advice.
Gender Differences
When it comes to learning about medication, women turn to medical Web sites more often than men. Fifty-four percent of women
say they go online for medical information, compared with 43 percent of men. Once online, females also are more likely to
visit pharma-hosted Web sites (26 percent of women versus 18 percent of men).
Women also are more likely to read the package insert when beginning a new medication. According to the survey, 50 percent
of men and 61 percent of women always read the information that comes with a prescription. This reinforces the need for inserts
that are user friendly in terms of language and design, and for targeting women as the gatekeepers of health information.
Warning Signs
The shift of consumer trust to online sources should be a positive development for pharma. While TV ads allow companies to
communicate only the most abbreviated information to patients, the Internet can provide consumers a richer, more educational
experience when they're looking for that information.
PharmExec Blog
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