Pharmaceutical marketing and the internet

Abstract

Pharmaceutical companies are capitalising on the advent of the internet and the development of new media forms to promote their products. Electronic detailing, interactive websites, email prompts and viral marketing campaigns using social networking sites such as You Tube, My Space and Face book are among the tools being used. Such campaigns are targeting both health professionals and the general public. The internet is helping to globalise and to change the nature of pharmaceutical marketing, and thus raises some new challenges for regulators.