The recent decision by Facebook to prevent pharmaceutical companies from disabling comments on their company fan pages caused quite a few Pharma companies to take their toe they were tentatively dipping in the water and run back to the beach and sit safely under their big umbrellas.
Some of you may be thinking too right Facebook, why should Pharma companies be allowed to disable comments on their pages, why should they be special…it is a social network after all, it is supposed to be about engagement and interaction not a one-sided discussion.
The reason that Pharma companies have traditionally been reluctant from interacting with their members is not because they don’t want to respond to enquiries or have something to hide, but because there is a regulatory code that they have to abide by.
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) provides very strict guidance about Pharma companies providing information to and interacting with consumers. Pharma companies can’t provide individual medical advice on their wall and can’t permit members to share unqualified information, as well as being against the regulations, it would not be ethically responsible.
Despite the regulatory challenges, a few Pharma companies such as GSK and Pfizer have kept their Facebook fan pages. It has meant that by doing so that they have had to delete comments about medication and refer people to their local healthcare professionals to ensure that their page stay compliant with the industry code of practice and the law.
This has resulted in some backlash from the social media community who may not understand the regulated landscape that healthcare must live within and it is a shame as rather than lambast these Pharma companies they should be applauded for trying to stay part of the conversation. It just might coax those still on shore to come back into the water.
Facebook, healthcare, social media, social media policy
Hayley
Well said – I’ve argued roughly the same thing.
Frankly, I’m not sure what the obsession with Facebook has been by proponents of SoMe for Pharma.
I’m all for helping patients and creating platforms and communities for them, but trying to force a regulated going concern into a medium that beyond its control just strikes me as dangerous – for companies as well as patients.
Phil
Hi Hayley,
You’ve hit all the reasons Pharma needs to be vigilant on Facebook with the new open comments system. I’d also mention that Pfizer (and others?) have a new “Not seeing Your Comment?” page as well to inform people of some of the reasons they may find their comments deleted. That’s a good move on their part.
Some feel it’s simply a matter of silencing dissent and hiding negative feedback but that simply isn’t the entire story. Guarding against medical advice being given by non-professionals and promoting off label usage of drugs are very legitimate concerns.
Good post.
Jason Boies
Radian6 Community Team
@Radian6