Pharma companies are finding early success engaging with consumers on Facebook in three emerging trends: [1] Rallying around causes by building community and awareness for diseases, [2] Strengthening relationships by addressing consumer requests rather than deleting comments, and [3] Supporting healthcare professionals with pages dedicated to specific professions like nursing. While still early, some companies are showing the value of social media engagement through growing community pages and handling consumer interactions positively.

1. PHARMA &
FACEBOOK
Three Emerging Trends

2. AUGUST 12, 2011
The day that Facebook opened comments on pharma’s
pages

3. A LITTLE BACKGROUND
AUGUST
2011:
August 12th is the
APRIL 2011:
first day that
Rumors suggest that
commenting was
Facebook will no
opened on pharma
longer allow Pharma
Facebook pages.
companies to “turn-
Several companies
off” commenting on
closed their pages
pages. Companies evaluated their Facebook prior to this date but
strategy many stayed the
course.
Companies are implementing &
MAY 2011: optimizing their strategies.
Facebook informs (With a few key trends emerging)
their Pharma clients
via email of their
change in policy
which will no longer
allow Pharma
companies to “turn-
off” commenting on
any properties that
are not solely
dedicated to a
prescription brand-
name drug.

4. ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN PHARMA
AND CONSUMERS EXCEEDS
EXPECTATIONS
What pharma thought What actually
would happen: happened:
• Consumers wouldn’t • Consumers are sharing
want to talk about their their stories and
health information on feedback
facebook • People are asking
• People would post questions about their
adverse events or say products
bad things • No FDA warning letters
• The FDA wouldn’t allow it have been issued

5. TREND 1: RALLYING
AROUND A CAUSE
Pharma companies are using Facebook pages as a
great place to build community and awareness
surrounding diseases and conditions that they’re
working to cure.

6. TREND 1: RALLYING AROUND A
CAUSE
Most popular pharma
Facebook pages support
a cause.
• Bayer‟s “I am ProHeart” has
just under 50K “likes” with
some of their posts generating
nearly 400 comments
• Over 64K people „like‟ Sanofi-
Pasteur and March of Dime‟s
“Sounds of Pertussis” page,
which educates parents about
Pertussis - more commonly
known as whooping cough - a
highly contagious and
sometimes deadly disease for
infants

7. TREND 2:
STRENGTHENING
RELATIONSHIPS
Regardless of the industry, consumers will turn to a
company’s Facebook page in search of customer
support. The moment of truth is how brands handle
these situations.

8. TREND 2: STRENGTHENING
RELATIONSHIPS
Pharma has 2 choices:
1. Delete the comment
2. Address the need
While its hard to know how many
comments companies have
deleted, evidence suggests that
Pharma companies are actively
addressing their consumer’s
requests

9. TREND 3:
SUPPORTING
HEALTHCARE
PROFESSIONALS
Pharma is keeping all of their consumers in mind –
including those that use their products in their daily
work-life and put their reputation on the line when
selecting them for their patients.

10. TREND 3: SUPPORTING
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
Abbott Nutrition’s
page dedicated to
Night Nurses:
• They offer suggestions to
help manage work/life
balance for nurses working
the night shift
• The page started in
January 2010 and has
over 2600 likes and an
active community of nurses
contributing to the
conversation
J&J’s Nursing Notes
• J&J’s goal is to provide
information to and engage the
nursing community
• This page has over 44K likes

11. WAIT A MINUTE, YOU SAY. ISN’T
IT A LITTLE EARLY TO IDENTIFY
TRENDS?
Well, aren’t you savvy? The answer is YES – it’s a little early.
But in the midst of so many people saying that Pharma
shouldn’t be on Facebook, we must give a nod to the
companies proving the value of being there for their
consumers; to note some of the early
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, baby steps – if you will, of Pharma
on Facebook in its beginning days of real engagement
with their consumers.