2. Pharmaceutical companies are finding novel ways to promote their products to physicians and other
prescribers, namely through new media channels such as internet detailing, tele-detailing, e-meetings
and web advertising. Pfizer’s depression drug, Pristiq, and Merck’s asthma product, Singulair, were
among the top drug brands receiving the largest budget allocations for these new media channels. With
the exception of Lescol and Nucynta, all of the products promoted through new media also rank overall
in top expenditures in pharmaceutical promotion (they are in top 100 in total promotional spending).
Source: Cegedim Strategic Data, based on ongoing survey panel of 2,455 physicians and other healthcare
practitioners. For more information about subscribing to Cegedim’s monthly Promotion Data reports, please
contact: Ayala Rom, Project Analyst: 201-984-3785 or ayala.rom@cegedim.com
3. Over the last four years, promotional spending in new media has increased significantly from about $5
million in January 2006 to about $26 million by September 2010. Traditional forms of promotion, such as
face-to-face detailing and meetings, are becoming less commonplace, while internet media such as e-
detailing and e-meetings are growing at a fast and steady pace.
In the U.S., promotional spending totaled $24 billion between October 2009 and September 2010. Of
the $24 billion spent in promotion of pharmaceutical products, $327 million was invested in new media.
New forms of detailing made up 84 percent, or $276 million, of new-media spending. These two new
detailing channels, tele-detailing and e-detailing, in combination have grown over 600 percent since
2006. Further, meetings are also a key promotion channel in the pharmaceutical industry; $48 million
was spent on e-meetings, a new, growing channel in pharmaceutical promotion. Finally, web advertising
(targeted to physicians), which is growing but at a much slower pace than other new forms of detailing
or meetings, made up one percent of spending in new media.
Source: Cegedim Strategic Data, based on ongoing survey panel of 2,455 physicians and other healthcare
practitioners. For more information about subscribing to Cegedim’s monthly Promotion Data reports, please
contact: Ayala Rom, Project Analyst: 201-984-3785 or ayala.rom@cegedim.com
U.S. Promotional Spending Oct 2009 to Sept 2010
New Media Channel Spending $ mil % of New Media Spending
Telephone Detailing 160 49%
Internet Detailing 116 35%
E-Meeting (Internet) 48 15%
Web Advertising to Physicians 4 1%
Total New Media Spending 327 100%
New Media Average Monthly Spending
2006-2010