My work often takes me into the realms of healthcare blogs and every time I learn a lot. Often I am looking though personal blogs where people are blogging about the medications that they are on. I’ve always thought that the diary like style and unbiased approach has given them a weight that traditional media doesn’t have – so it’s always nice when official reports are released supporting your thoughts.
There is a new MHRA report that has looked at the influence and popularity of a range of online information sources for people interested in learning about the drug Seroxat, and found that people who write them are as influential as many traditional media and corporate websites.
There are many issues facing pharmaceutical companies talking on line without a firm strategy in place, but the outcome of this report shows that ordinary people can blog both truths and untruths about medicines that they are on, each having a strong impact on key audiences. The first step (and one in which many pharmaceutical companies are taking) is to start listening to the online world, auditing the key themes and the most influential sources. Then strategies can be put into place, ensuring that the flow of correct information is reaching the correct people.
Brill! I’m part of a project running blogs on the NHS website over at http://talk.nhs.uk – they’re still new but people we’ve showed them to have liked them a lot and find it reassuring to see there are ‘real people’ blogging about their medical conditions as opposed to simple old case studies or medical experts talking at you.
BTW, your link is to the US based FDA, rather than the UK based MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency)
– http://www.mhra.gov.uk/
Thanks Casper- yes I can imagine people are impressed. I see many people weighing other patients blogs as high as the medical information that they are given.
Your work combines the both – well done, it looks like a great resource!