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500! This is my 500th column. It is good to see DTC is still here and thriving or else writing new columns would be difficult. While many in Congress and several noted consumerists wish DTC was banned it is clear now that the right to promote lawful drugs and devices is well established. That does not mean anti-DTC forces are not trying to nibble at the edges through more regulation or legislation.
FDA wants pre-submission and some in Congress still want to make the tax deduction for advertising an issue. The advertising industry and lobbying groups will remain busy countering those that think DTC is the cause of high prices and over-use of brands.
About half my columns were on macro issues relating to DTC/health policy and the other half were on specific DTC ads, ROI, marketing tactics and other micro issues. The micro issues are of course what most of us work on every day. While we work mostly on micro issues, we must be fully aware that the macro issues are critical to the health of the nation in terms of quality of life and our ability to be a great growing nation. That is why I cover both the micro and macro.
What has been evident to me is that most Americans do not really understand enough about health care. Issues have been made too simple for political reasons. There is nothing inherently wrong with National health or a full free market system. There are no easy solutions and all have strengths and weaknesses. Our politicians do us a great disservice not admitting this and demonizing each other as killers of the elderly or insensitive to the poor. Our media likes to ramp up controversy to create a reality show environment for their ?news? shows. Loud arguments get noticed while reasoned discussion is seen as boring. Sometimes Americans are going to have to sit still for a couple of hours to understand the issues. If not they will vote on half truths and simplistic solutions.
My columns advocate pragmatism. I am the ultimate believer in real solutions that are measured based on pre-agreed goals. I do not care which medium is hot or trendy. I advocate what works. I have angered both old and new media in some of my columns. Much of my advice is to push back on media sellers and agencies to have clear measurements of success. While some things are difficult to measure, everything related to DTC advertising can be quantified to a certain degree.
I also have tried to push the drug industry to be more consumer-minded. The consumer value of a drug, easily understood by consumers is the key to ultimate success. Drug companies are still not consumer organizations and that is a major opportunity. Most have consumer marketers but few elevate those positions to senior management roles. Every drug company needs a consumer advocate at the board level, equal to the chief lawyer, sales, scientist or financial executive. Unfortunately that is not usually the case. There is a reason drug companies rate low on consumer esteem. Some of that is not fair, but much is self-inflicted.
I probably have another 500 columns to write but we shall see if I can find ten more years of things towrite about. I suspect that exploding cost issues, aging population, genomic advances, global pandemics, drug regulatory changes, and new health technologies will provide plenty to write about. I am thrilled to have been a part of the drug industry for the past 17 years and intend to last at least another 10 or so. I hope I have provided some value to people that read my columns. If not, at least it was free! So, thanks for reading my thoughts in this 500th column.
Bob Ehrlich, Chairman
DTC Perspectives, Inc.
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