Changing HCP behavior and building pre-launch demand using social media

Pharma focuses on creating a pipeline of oral therapeutic options for patients with rare diseases

Overview

To increase the likelihood that HCPs would adopt a new oral delivery mechanism for an established treatment of a rare endocrine condition, we first needed to raise HCP awareness about the burdens and inconvenience of the current treatment protocol on patients. Using quizzes on Sermo, Facebook and LinkedIn, we challenged HCPs knowledge of the disease and its treatment impact on patients. This set the stage for HCPs to embrace the new drug.

Challenge

A pharmaceutical company developed an exciting, new oral delivery mechanism for an established medication long used to treat a rare endocrine condition which required injections. Because the medicine requires careful titration to stabilize and manage this rare condition, endocrinologists had little incentive to change the delivery mechanism. HCPs also chronically underestimated the physical and mental pain and inconvenience of injections to the patient.

Solution

We used social media as a primary channel to alert HCPs about the burden of the current treatment on patients. Social media was selected due to a dramatic rise in its use among HCPs during the pandemic.The campaign offered a contextually relevant emotional argument to articulate the patient voices. It was delivered using quizzes on Facebook, Sermo and LinkedIn, challenging HCPs knowledge of this condition and its impact on patients.

Results

The campaign received a strong response on Sermo and LinkedIn, indicating growing condition awareness. It was a significant recruitment tool for HCP-oriented webinars. Because of this success, we used social media for the brand launch and on-going awareness, availability, efficacy and safety messaging.

68%

of the target audience reached

77%

of inbound website traffic