Ilyssa Levins

Ilyssa Levins is president of HCIL Consulting.

The pharmaceutical industry imposes higher standards on advertising, PR, and medical education agencies than any other industry, except perhaps the financial services sector. Agencies need to keep up with constantly changing rules for advertising and promoting drugs or devices.

The pharma industry has traditionally defined effective public relations by the number of positive press clips a campaign generates.

Surprises may be good for birthday parties, but when it comes to pharma marketing, global companies with US headquarters need to know what to expect from European markets. Whether they face stiff competition for blockbuster products; are involved in acquisitions, mergers, or litigation; or are monitoring the European Commission's (EC) decision making process, global pharma marketers must be aware of negative buzz that might affect their global brands.