Nothing new in drug databases

I read with interest “Drug giants build direct techniques” (MW March 1) but would argue that pharmaceutical companies are certainly not hastily building databases and sampling their products. Equally these activities are not being solely targeted at the consumer.

We have been developing both sampling and database building activities on behalf of clients for an extended period of time. In some cases several years.

Additionally, and most importantly, in the search of building a better informational relationship between drug companies and the consumer, we have been working on informing and educating chemist and pharmacy staff and developing relationships with them so that they are better aware of the uses and advantages of our clients’ products and are able to communicate these more effectively to their customers, the patients.

To our knowledge, our clients believe the way forward is to continue this two-pronged approach both informing the consumer through relationship building, and equally importantly to pharmacy counter staff motivating and keeping them updated.

This is much better than anticipating the possibility of direct selling to the patient which is likely to be a very long time coming, if ever.

David Lazarus

Director

Fingerhut Associates

London NW3

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