The Hindu Business Line : Patent regime triggers thrust on healthcare communication

Bangalore April 5 Healthcare communication is gathering steam in the product patents era in which pharma companies are guarding their molecules with great care.

While about six years ago, Indian pharma companies were engrossed in getting latest blockbuster drugs into India, today, with IPR in place, they have been forced to think of other revenue models — all of which require sustained communication efforts.

Says Ms Asha Kapoor, Executive Director, Sudler & Hennesey, a WPP group company, which specialises in healthcare communication: "In 2001, no pharma company wanted an agency to develop communication methods. The chief revenue model then was through copying molecules of blockbuster drugs. Indian companies were focussed on bringing the latest drugs quickly into India — with a price advantage — as soon as they were launched globally.

"But post-2005, when product patents came into place, copying molecules is no longer allowed. Besides, international companies are setting foot and introducing products in India. Since Indian companies cannot copy drugs, they want to generate revenue in other ways — engage in clinical trials, create own products and market existing drugs. Companies are also going outside India with their products. And they want an agency that is scientifically sound and can talk their language. It is not enough to have great looking material. The perception among pharma companies that marketing and communication is frivolous is changing."

With Indian pharma companies looking at marketing and communication with renewed vigour now, media agencies — which have separate divisions to handle this specialised field of communication, and dedicated concerns such as Sudler & Hennesey (which has worked with pharma majors such as Ranbaxy and Dr Reddy's) are confident that this category of communication is evolving and here to stay.

Says R. Lakshminarayanan, CEO, Mudra Marketing Services, which has a healthcare division called Mudra Health and Lifestyle: "Clients will find it worthwhile investing in communication if the value of the brand increases and there is a return on investment.

"We partner the pharma companies in moving from the molecule stage to the market."

Typically, these healthcare communication outfits work with pharma companies to communicate information about their products to the medical fraternity. (In some cases, they also talk to patients and the general public.)

Since pharma companies cannot advertise directly on mainstream media (except in the case of over-the-counter drugs), they rely on direct marketing to pitch for their products, which are mainly prescription driven.

Healthcare communication is serious business, as unlike mainstream communication, it requires special expertise and deeper understanding of complex issues.

Mr Prateek Srivastava, Group President - South, Ogilvy & Mather, which has its own healthcare division Ogilvy Healthworld: "Healthcare communication, unlike mainstream communication, requires greater understanding of details and laws regarding what you can and cannot do. It is not like selling a toothpaste of soap, it requires sensitivity as one is dealing with people's health."

Ogilvy Healthworld has worked with pharma companies such as Pfizer (on its drug for Alzheimer's) and Allergan (for Botox).

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