The development of any industry is driven by interconnected factors such as growing market demand, technological innovation, favorable legal regulations, and effective marketing strategies. It is no different in the case of the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, where the issue of promoting products and services brings with it enormous opportunities, but also challenges characteristic of both of these areas.
It is hard to name two other industries that have such a significant impact on our lives throughout their entire duration, from birth to old age, as pharmaceuticals and medicine. We can say with full certainty that each of us, at some point in our lives, to a greater or lesser extent, has or will have to do with pharmaceutical products and medical services. And this is only the first element that makes these two sectors so important in the business and economic context.
New technologies such as the development of artificial intelligence, telemedicine or biotechnology, combined with demographic changes led by an aging society, as well as growing health awareness also have a direct impact on the importance, position and enormous increase in the speed of development of these fields.
It is therefore not surprising that the pharmaceutical and medical industries rank second in terms of innovation, importance and revenue generated, just behind the broadly understood IT area.
As reported by the new report Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP) on the medical and pharmaceutical sector in Poland:
- The medical and pharmaceutical products sector is one of the most important areas of the Polish economy.
- Poland has been recording an increase in the number of companies producing medical and pharmaceutical products, offering unique technological solutions, for several years now. The value of exported products is also growing.
- the position of Polish companies operating in both of these sectors on the international stage and their recognition abroad is also systematically increasing.
- Poland is among the top ten global exporters of medical equipment, and forecasts for the next five years predict stable growth.
- the pharmaceutical sector is the sixth largest in the European Union, and over the last few years many promising pharmaceutical start-ups with global potential have emerged in Poland.
This unquestionable expansion of both industries, bringing with it the emergence of more companies, services and solutions, is also associated with an increase in competition. All this determines the growing demand for marketing activities. As with any other industry, also in those discussed by us, advertising and promotion are of great importance in acquiring customers. However, both the pharmaceutical and medical marketing markets are governed by slightly different rules than the others.
Medical and pharmaceutical marketing
Due to the specificity of both industries, we must first clarify what the word marketing actually means in their context.
Pharmaceutical Marketing is a specialized type of marketing aimed at promoting pharmaceutical products such as prescription drugs, OTC (over-the-counter) products, dietary supplements, and medical devices. A key feature of this type of activity is compliance with legal and ethical regulations that are intended to protect public health.
Pharmaceutical marketing may include:
- Educating physicians and pharmacists: providing them with information materials and clinical trial results to support informed treatment decisions.
- Campaigns aimed at patients: including OTC product advertisements, health education and mobile applications supporting treatment.
- Product advertising: both traditional (leaflets, conferences) and digital (websites, social media).
- Collaboration with health organisations: e.g. partnerships with public health institutions.
Medical Marketing refers to the promotion of services, products and technologies related to broadly understood health care. Its goal is not only to increase awareness among patients, but also to develop medical services, such as clinics, hospitals or companies dealing with diagnostics.
Medical marketing may include:
- Promotion of health services: e.g. hospitals, clinics or diagnostic services, taking into account the advertising ban in some countries, including Poland.
- Online activities: e.g. creating clinic websites, SEO campaigns and content marketing to better reach patients.
- Patient education: sharing information about health, disease prevention and treatment options through educational platforms.
- Promotion of medical technologies: such as modern diagnostic devices, therapies and applications supporting the treatment process.
The aim of marketing activities in these industries is to:
- increase in the number of patients/clients.
- educating recipients and increasing health awareness.
- increased loyalty and trust in the brand.
- increased competitiveness.
- improving the quality of care and services.
- improving the image of the facility.
The most important thing is that in both cases marketing activities are based on one common and inseparable pillar, which are legal and ethical regulations. Both pharmaceutical and medical marketing are strictly specified by the law of each country or community (e.g. the European Union), especially in the context of advertising medicines and health services.
Legal compliance comes first
Marketing activities for the medical and pharmaceutical sectors differ somewhat from standard practices commonly observed in the promotion and advertising market. In short, we cannot afford to do everything here. Legal regulations, professional ethics and the specificity of the target group require a special approach, safe actions, wise strategies, but also knowledge of the currently applicable regulations. And these simply play a superior role here.
Both industries must adapt to the applicable legal regulations, restrictions and limitations to ensure consumer protection, prevent disinformation and ensure the responsibility of companies towards patients. Pharmaceutical and medical companies must comply with regulations regarding product advertising, information about effectiveness, and the protection of personal data.
What are the most important rules to remember when preparing an advertising campaign for the medical and pharmaceutical industries on the Polish market?
- Drug advertisements must include the information contained in the SPC (Summary of Product Characteristics) and SIL (Summary of Drug Information).
- You may not use the images of famous people, doctors or pharmacists.
- It is forbidden to advertise prescription drugs. Only OTC (over-the-counter) products, i.e. available without a prescription, and dietary supplements, may be advertised.
- Medicines and supplements must be clearly separated in advertising content to avoid misleading patients about their effects and intended use.
- Advertising must not be misleading or suggest health benefits that are not proven. All claims must be supported by scientific research.
- Advertising of medicinal products must include warnings, e.g. "Before use, read the leaflet..." and information about possible side effects.
- Currently, there is a ban on advertising medical services in Poland, such as surgical or diagnostic procedures. Only informational activities that provide the facility's contact details, scope of activity and opening hours are permitted.
Important!
From 1 January 2025, the new Code of Medical Ethics (KEL) will come into force, which will introduce significant changes to the advertising of activities by doctors. They concern three aspects:
- Advertising medical services – doctors will be able to advertise their services, but the advertising must be in accordance with ethical principles. Evaluative advertising (which informs that a specific person is the best specialist in a given field) and comparative advertising (which may depreciate other specialists) are prohibited.
- Participation in scientific research – the possibility of participating in research whose sole purpose is to promote products is limited.
- Use of AI – Physicians will be able to use AI in diagnostics and therapy, provided they obtain informed consent from the patient and use only certified algorithms. The physician will be responsible for any final diagnostic and therapeutic decisions.
Effective marketing strategies
Despite the fact that marketing in the pharmaceutical and medical industries is strictly regulated by law, the scope for action is still very wide. With the help of properly constructed strategies, companies in this industry can very effectively reach customers and build long-term relationships. The first step to achieve this is to define the target group and understand the needs of the market.
Defining the target group
This means nothing more than defining the recipients, both current and potential, in order to later adjust the content and form of messages to the preferences of each group.
There are a few important questions to answer:
- Who is the target group?
- Are they doctors, pharmacists, patients, or perhaps all of the above groups?
- What are their needs?
- What do they expect from a product or service?
Answers to these questions are the basis for effective marketing. The way to obtain them is primarily aided by market research, i.e. regular surveys of end users to better understand their situation and needs.
Another way is to use and analyze market data on diseases and popularity of therapies. It is a good idea to use available tools for analyzing the market and behavior in the industry, or even seek advice from data science experts.
Given the legal restrictions on marketing activities in these industries, collaboration with medical experts and patient associations will be of great value.
Partnership and cooperation with experts
Pharmaceutical and medical companies should build relationships with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), i.e. people who are distinguished by their knowledge and authority in a given field and are valued experts in their industry.
In relation to pharmaceutical and medical marketing, KOLs are people who have knowledge of broadly understood health topics and are considered authorities in the field of medicine, pharmacy or health prevention. They can be:
- doctors,
- persons practicing other medical professions,
- pharmacists and people involved in the distribution of medicines,
- academics and researchers associated with medical sciences.
Working with experts who have been in the industry for years helps understand the market, specify its needs and challenges. They can also become brand ambassadors, helping to build its credibility and reach a wider group of customers, gaining their trust.
Industry experts are also essential in helping to develop educational materials. Formats that enable specialist engagement that can be used in marketing activities include:
- scientific articles,
- lectures and webinars,
- training and conferences,
- case studies,
- workshops, both live and online.
Their main value lies in the educational message reinforced by the presence of a specialist whom the client simply trusts.
Education comes first
Educational activities are among the most popular ones undertaken by the medical and pharmaceutical industries, primarily due to restrictions on direct advertising of many products, especially prescription drugs. Informing about health problems and solutions available on the market strengthens trust in the brand.
Examples of educational activities that can be implemented into the strategy are:
- creating materials on disease prevention and treatment, which will provide valuable information on selected diseases, available treatment methods and other topics related to health and health prevention:
- articles,
- e-books,
- infographic,
- newsletters,
- case study,
- white paper, i.e. research results, reports,
- video,
- podcasts,
- multimedia presentation,
- guides,
- organization of webinars with the participation of specialists.
- social campaigns increasing awareness of selected diseases.
Each of the above-mentioned materials is actually an element that can then be used in online campaigns.
Internet Marketing Support
As patients increasingly search for health information online, and doctors use e-learning platforms and digital tools to update their knowledge, creating valuable and engaging content is one of the most effective ways to attract and engage your target audience. By providing your audience with unique and high-quality materials, you can build a reputation and gain their trust.
Internet marketing activities that work well for the industries discussed include:
- Website – a key tool in promoting medical services is a professional website, which is a showcase for the facility and allows patients to familiarize themselves with the offer. Valuable content, directed to the appropriate target group, is a great way to increase organic traffic.
- Medical Blog – Running a blog with interesting articles on health topics can build trust and establish you as an expert in the medical field while driving traffic to your site.
- E-mail marketing – regular newsletter with news and information about new products for doctors, pharmacists and patients.
- Social media – presence on platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook, with a focus on building professional relationships and engagement.
- SEO and content marketing – through search engine optimization, a medical website can achieve a higher position in search results, which increases its visibility to potential patients. Creating content optimized for search engines, e.g. blogs, educational videos or guides.
- Local positioning – focusing on local positioning allows you to reach patients from a specific region, which is especially important for medical facilities offering their services in a given area.
Building brand trust
Trust in both of these industries plays an even more significant role than in any other field. Patients and medical professionals choose products and services that are associated with reliability and the highest quality because, after all, it is about the most precious value for everyone - health.
Building trust in a brand is something that is created through regular action; it is a long-term process that is actually influenced by each of the points already mentioned above. The fact is that any brand that operates in accordance with the law, conducts transparent activities and respects its audience should have no problems with a high level of trust in it.
Activities supporting this process may include:
- regular communication based on values and reliable data.
- conducting CSR (corporate social responsibility) programs, e.g. supporting charitable activities or scientific research.
- monitoring customer feedback and responding quickly to their needs.
- cooperation with reliable experts.
- creating valuable educational materials.
Challenges and the future
Like all industries, these too face specific challenges in the context of marketing. In the case of pharmacy and medicine, when designing promotional activities, you should always keep in mind:
- legal regulations – this marketing must comply with applicable regulations.
- professional ethics and the specificity of work of medical professions – marketing activities may influence the way services are promoted and how they are communicated with patients.
- competition – the growing number of medical facilities and the availability of medical services mean that competition in the industry is increasing.
- changing needs of patients – they expect a personalized approach, easy access to information and innovative solutions, such as telemedicine or health applications.
Keeping up to date with all changes in the industry will certainly pay off in the form of effective marketing campaigns, the key to success of which is a strategic approach based on market knowledge, the needs of target groups and compliance with applicable law.
One thing is certain – given the pace and scale of development of both industries, marketing teams specializing in medical and pharmaceutical issues will have their hands full.
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- Written by: Paulina Kubala
- Posted on: 19 gru 2024
- Tags: Marketing, Social Media, Strategy