Pharma Should Embrace Social Media Despite Regulatory Limbo, Hurd Says
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) July 10, 2013 -- Much has been made of the risks associated with the use of social media tools by pharmaceutical companies and medical-device makers. But despite a regulatory limbo in which certain questions remain unanswered, the industry can indeed chart a prudent course and reap the benefits of social media with minimal risk, writes LeClairRyan attorney Patrick J. Hurd in a recent online column published by Corporate Compliance Insights.com.
In the column, titled “Who’s Afraid of Facebook? Pharma Can Afford to Speak Up Via Social Media,” the veteran healthcare attorney, who is a senior counsel in the Norfolk, Va., and Washington, D.C. offices of the national law firm, notes that enough bright lines can be gleaned from FDA warning letters, draft documents and other resources to enable the industry to leverage social-media tools in useful ways.
For starters, Hurd cites the progress that drug and device companies such as AstraZeneca have made in adjusting to the realities of online media. As outlined in a white paper on its website, the pharmaceutical giant’s five, overarching principles regarding social media use—which are described in detail in the column—happen to double quite well as a description of the kinds of objectives that other companies might consider as they steer their own social-media efforts, he notes.
Hurd encourages companies to put together a dedicated team to tackle social media issues from A to Z and also describes several useful resources that can be applied toward this end. Those resources include Webicina, a free website created by blogger, medical futurist and physician Dr. Bertalan Mesko, and Britain’s Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority, which aims to help the U.K. industry use social media legally and responsibly.
But challenges remain, the attorney acknowledges. Indeed, he describes the kinds of vexing scenarios—for example, a podcaster with a huge audience speaking and tweeting about the off-label use of a drug or recounting anecdotal reports of adverse reactions—that could spell headaches for the industry. “Because anyone, anywhere, can chime in via social media, it is critical that companies have a coherent policy that is thoroughly understood by drug reps, agents and employees at all levels,” Hurd writes. “Precisely who can use social media on behalf of the company—and exactly the types of things that can and cannot be said—must not be left to chance. When it comes to social media, everyone in the company must be on the same webpage, so to speak.”
Despite the uncertainties and potential headaches involved, however, engaging with the public via social media is the right course of action for drug and device companies, Hurd notes in the conclusion to the piece. “Arguably, many companies could do more on this front. After all, doing so allows them to be proactive about the benefits and risks of their products,” he writes. “This can go a long way toward building trust with consumers.”
And while battling myths and misstatements in the wilds of the Internet is not easy, one could argue that the industry has no other choice, Hurd writes. “Twitter, Facebook and the like are now inseparable from our national conversation on public health,” he notes. “And that conversation, including its complex iterations online, is simply too important for the industry’s voice to be absent or drowned out by the opinions of the uninformed.”
The full article is available at: http://www.corporatecomplianceinsights.com/whos-afraid-of-facebook-pharma-can-afford-to-speak-up-via-social-media/
About LeClairRyan
As a trusted advisor, LeClairRyan provides business counsel and client representation in corporate law and litigation. In this role, the firm applies its knowledge, insight and skill to help clients achieve their business objectives while managing and minimizing their legal risks, difficulties and expenses. With offices in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C., the firm has approximately 350 attorneys representing a wide variety of clients throughout the nation. For more information about LeClairRyan, visit http://www.leclairryan.com.
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Bill Parness, Parness & Associates, 732-290-0121, [email protected]
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