Antidepressants in the SSRI/SNRI class were the subject of the most pharmaceutical industry details and events during the third quarter of 2000, according to an audit by Newtown, PA-based Scott-Levin.
Antidepressants in the SSRI/SNRI class were the subject of the most pharmaceutical industry details and events during the third quarter of 2000, according to an audit by Newtown, PA-based Scott-Levin.
Some highlights from the audit:
•Â The number of details industrywide decreased 2%, to 14.8 million, while events fell 6%, to just under 76,000. Pharmaceutical promotion typically decreases during the summer months.
•Â SSRI/SNRIs again ranked number one in details, with 934,000. The class also finished first in events with 5,894, a 29% increase from the second quarter of 2000.
•Â The two products in the COX-2 inhibitor class, Celebrex⢠(celecoxib), co-promoted by Peapack, NJ-based Pharmacia Corp. and New York-based Pfizer Inc., and Vioxx® (rofecoxib tablets), manufactured by Whitehouse Station, NJ-based Merck & Co. Inc., were promoted at 797,000 details and 3,079 events.
•Â Promotion of antihistamines fell, as events for Kenilworth, NJ-based Schering-Plough Corp.'s Claritin® (loratadine) and Pfizer's Zyrtec® (cetirizine HCl) decreased substantially (19% and 33%, respectively). The class ranked third in details and fifth in events.
•Â Pfizer led the industry in detail ($181 million) and event ($45 million) spending.
A close look at promotion shows several different strategies and tactics to extend the lives of drugs whose patents are due to expire.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., New York, has attempted to lengthen the patent life for Glucophage® (metformin HCl) by creating a new combination drug, Glucovance⢠(glyburide and metformin HCl tablets).
During the third quarter, 56% of physicians surveyed noted that Glucovance details described the medication as a combination product, according to Scott-Levin's Personal Selling Audit/Hospital Personal Selling Audit. Another 23% mentioned cost as a topic of discussion.
Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co.'s Prozac® (fluoxetine HCl) will lose patent protection in 2001. However, in July the Food and Drug Administration approved Sarafem⢠(fluoxetine hydrochloride), which contains the same active ingredient as Prozac, for treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
By September of 2000, promotional expenditures for Sarafem (excluding consumer advertising) totaled $9.4 million, an increase of 47% over the previous month.
Wilmington, DE-based AstraZeneca LP's Prilosec® (omeprazole) faces patent expiration and heavy generic competition in 2001. During the first eight months of 2000, Prilosec was second in the industry in direct-to-consumer advertising spending, with $92.5 million. The 2000 campaign focused on the "Purple Pill," one of the more recognizable DTC programs among physicians and consumers.
Of the major pharmaceuticals that were advertised to consumers in the third quarter of 2000, Prilosec's ad was ranked number one in aided-with-image recall by consumers and number three by doctors. Additionally, 39% of consumers and physicians reported they had seen the ad when prompted with a picture of the print campaign, according to Scott-Levin's Direct-to-Consumer Advertising Audit. PR
Fake Weight Loss Drugs: Growing Threat to Consumer Health
October 25th 2024In this episode of the Pharmaceutical Executive podcast, UpScriptHealth's Peter Ax, Founder and CEO, and George Jones, Chief Operations Officer, discuss the issue of counterfeit weight loss drugs, the potential health risks associated with them, increasing access to legitimate weight loss medications and more.
The Transformative Role of Medical Information in Customer Engagement
October 3rd 2024Stacey Fung, Head of Global Medical Information at Gilead Lifesciences, delves into the evolving role of Medical Information (MI) in the pharmaceutical industry. Covering key topics like patient engagement through omnichannel strategies, combating misinformation, and leveraging AI to enhance medical inquiries, the conversation with Stacey highlights MI's critical role in ensuring patient safety and supporting drug development. She also shares her professional journey and tidbits for early career professionals on professional development.
Recent Developments in Pharmaceutical Validation
November 1st 2024Explore the latest pharmaceutical validation developments with industry experts from Barry-Wehmiller Design Group, Kneat Solutions, and No Deviation. You’ll gain valuable data-driven insights and discover emerging trends from the State of Validation 2024 industry report that are shaping the validation landscape.