ZEST and Schering-Plough's contraceptive campaign recognised at industry event!

Multi-healthcare professional prescribing is inevitable, despite the protests of the medical fraternity. Brace yourself for further rounds of debates as pharmacists and other highly-skilled and trained health professionals move up to the prescribing starting blocks in the coming years.

Given that most of our readers work in the pharmaceutical industry I’m probably preaching to the converted here, but is it just me that thinks we’re descending into an era of witchcraft and shamanism the likes of which probably haven’t been seen since the dark ages?

Those in the pharma industry believe that rep numbers will be declining over the next few years and we predict that e-marketing will increasingly be used to fill the gap. Already we are seeing very strong growth in the number of e-projects we are undertaking for our clients.

 The ZEST Wellbeing program in action!

Welcome to the new look ZEST blog! Those of you who have been reading our posts since we kicked off way back in 2007 will know we love to share our thoughts and insights about a range of topics that affect those in the pharmaceutical industry and medical profession, as well as those hard-working agency folk. Occasionally brilliant, often thought provoking, and always brief, our intent is to get people talking about current stuff that impacts on what we do.

You know when you're just bursting to tell everyone your exciting news? Your daughter just took her first steps; you've got a new tattoo; the Swannies thrashed Collingwood - that sort of thing? So you make a few calls, send some emails or texts, update your blog. If you're feeling very retro you might even handwrite a letter, depending on what works best for your nearest and dearest. 

In an earlier post I considered the likelihood that every doctor's patients were compliant to their treatment regimens (not very) and why the hierarchical connotation of the word "compliant" itself might be stopping patients achieving their best possible health outcomes. (And thwarting the best efforts of the pharmaceutical industry's marketing departments.)

In essence, a brand manager's job is devoted to educating doctors about the merits of their product in the hope the doctor will decide to start routinely prescribing it. Vast amounts of money are spent trying to achieve this. So a brand manager could be forgiven for thinking the task is done once a doctor starts using the product. But as we shall see, this is just clearing the first hurdle...

Unless there are any surprise last-minute announcements when the RACGP officially unveils its vision for the 2008-2010 triennium it's probably fair to say there's nothing controversial about their revamped framework.