1. Social Media Connectivity in
Pharmaceutical Industry
Kiran Pedada
Harish Shankar
Pranay Veer

2. Overview of Indian Pharmaceutical Industry
• 1990 - INR 5,000 crores
• 2009-10 - INR 1,00,000 croresTurnover
• Domestic - INR 62,055 crores
• Exports - INR 42,154 crores
Indian
Market
• Volume - World’s 3rd largest producer
• Value - World’s 14th largest
• One of the Lowest priced markets in the world
Position
• 15.3% during 2011-12 to 2013-14CAGR (PE)
• More than 20% of the world’s genericsProduction
• Three out of the Global Top 10 fastest growing generic
companies are from India
Top
Companies
• Global Top 10 - Sales
• Value - INR 2,50,000 crores
Future
(2020)

3. Active Users - 100 crores (Oct, 2012)
Active Users - 20 crores (Dec,2012)
Video Views a day- 400 crores (Jan, 2012)
To conduct a study to understand the connectivity of Indian
Pharmaceutical companies on Social Media
1
• Whether people use online sources for health related information
2
• Whether entering a social medial platform help a Pharmaceutical
company
1. To share health related information
2. Create brand awareness

4. I
N
T
E
R
N
A
T
I
O
N
A
L
COMPANY
Facebook Twitter Youtube
Likes Followers Tweets Subscribers
Video
Views
AstraZeneca
GlaxoSmithKline
Johnson & Johnson
Merck (US)
Novartis
Pfizer
I
N
D
I
A
N
Dr. Reddys
Cipla
Ranbaxy (Volini, Revital)
Glenmark*
Sun Pharma
Lupin

5. I
N
T
E
R
N
A
T
I
O
N
A
L
COMPANY
Facebook Twitter Youtube
Likes Followers Tweets Subscribers
Video
Views
AstraZeneca 12009 17387 1053 126 25732
GlaxoSmithKline 69425 17405 1126 800 221683
Johnson & Johnson 38728 24507 3062 6493 7551651
Merck (US) 5866 8053 1087 206 19251
Novartis 20936 32190 2386 1688 561013
Pfizer 57721 36056 1100 501 733934
I
N
D
I
A
N
Dr. Reddys
Cipla
Ranbaxy (Volini, Revital)
Glenmark*
Sun Pharma
Lupin

6. I
N
T
E
R
N
A
T
I
O
N
A
L
COMPANY
Facebook Twitter Youtube
Likes Followers Tweets Subscribers
Video
Views
AstraZeneca 12009 17387 1053 126 25732
GlaxoSmithKline 69425 17405 1126 800 221683
Johnson & Johnson 38728 24507 3062 6493 7551651
Merck (US) 5866 8053 1087 206 19251
Novartis 20936 32190 2386 1688 561013
Pfizer 57721 36056 1100 501 733934
I
N
D
I
A
N
Dr. Reddys No Page 469 619 0 0
Cipla No Page 2117 67 0 0
Ranbaxy (Volini, Revital) No Page 566 12 34 39374
Glenmark* 75 No Page
No
Page
0 44
Sun Pharma No Page 544 126 0 0
Lupin 788 No Page
No
Page
0 0

7. Scope & Advantages of Social Media
High
ROI
Flexibility
- Content
Targeting
- Specified
group
Faster
feedback
loop
Cost per
contact -
Small
Offer a quick means to update information that is current and relevant
to the target markets
Complement other communication channels
HUGE POTENTIAL
• Social commerce sales have the potential to
bring in $30 billion each year by 2015**
• 50% of these social commerce sales will
occur through social media**
**Mashable (Nov, 2012)

8. FDA GUIDELINES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA
PROMOTION
• “All advertisements for any prescription drug shall present a true statement of
information in brief summary relating to side effects, effectiveness and
contraindications, and there must be a fair balance in the benefits and risk
information provided to consumers.” - FDA
The guidance document published by the FDA in May 2009 did not provide
adequate guidance on the use of online technologies
Distinct features of non -print media add complexity
Defining information related to drugs with limited number of characters
available in each ad is a difficult task

9. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Secondary Research
Various academic and industrial reports
Primary Research
Sample
Size – 310
Random
Sample
Type -
Online and
Paper
Participants
Age
Distribution N %
Below 15 2 1%
16-25 166 54%
26-34 87 28%
Above 35 55 18%
Gender
Distribution
Male 238 75%
Female 72 25%
Occupation
Distribution
Student 148 48%
Employee 138 45%
Business 11 4%
Housewife 6 2%
Others 7 2%

10. INQUISITIVENESS
89% - Search online for health
related information
High Potential to increase their
reach on online platforms
SENSITIVENESS
64% - Information they found
online affect their decision to
seek a doctor
Users don’t take chances, but
approach a doctor for specialist
advice
RE-
VERIFICATITION
Seek for a second opinion from
another doctor even after
approaching a doctor
Re-verify the advice on online
sources
ONLINE MEDIUM -
SPECTRUM
16-25 years- 76% Facebook
Above 25 years - 74% Separate
website by the company
Youth - Facebook (Other SM)
Old - Company Website
SHARING HEALTH
INFORMATION
79% - Shared or sent health or
medical related information
Care for others – Wish their
friends to read and get benefited
from it
IMPACT OF
HEALTH
INFOMATION
62% of the respondents had
stated that there was as minor
impact on them
Develop a web site  Satisfy
people’s need which could make
a major impact on them
FINDINGS IMPLICATIONS

11. RECOMMENDATIONS
• Dedicated for providing health
related information  Leverage to
build brand
Website &
FB page
• In long run, it will widen the
audience base
Provision
of info.
• Based on the age groups
Different
approach
es
• Facebook - Small problems
• Website - Deep issues (in detail)
Type of
info.

12. • Clear guidelines for promotion
• In India CDSCO should play a major role
Regulations - Social
Media
• Application based service
• SMS based service
• Precautions, Symptoms to be taken for the diseases
Mobile Application
and Service
• Pharmaceutical company  Articles  More awareness  Users can take
correct decisions
Authentic provider
RECOMMENDATIONS
OUTCOME
• Itself from its
competitors
DIFFERNTIATION
• Sharing Health
Information
EDUCATION
• Patients –
• Well informed
• Take care of
their health
• Company –
• Brand
Awareness
• Trust
RESULT

15. • Sample Size was limited
• The accuracy of responses could have
been varied between different
respondents
• The data available for Indian rules and
regulations on social media platform is
very limited as compared to that
defined by FDA
Scope for Improvement
•Study conducted to understand the types of
health information they look for
• Frequent searched topics
• Satisfaction with information available
• Preferences on getting updates of health
information
• A study to understand
• Current focus and strategies of
international pharmaceutical companies
• Feasibility of replicating the same for
Indian companies
LIMITATIONS
CONCLUSION - From the study, we understand that people use online
sources for health related information and pharmaceutical companies have a
great opportunity to explore social media platform for marketing their
products.

16. Appendix 2- References
• Promoting online sales of dental supplies. Journal of Medical Marketing 8: 137 – 143, Gadish, (2008)
• Promotion Audits, SDI Health, Yardley, Pennsylvania, (2009)
• Guidance for industry presenting risk information in prescription drug and medical device promotion –
Draft guidance. (Dec, 2011)
• The magical digital, Stephanie C. Ardito, (March 2012)
• Why Drug makers don’t Twitter, Businessweek, (Nov, 2009)
• 100% foreign direct investment regime in pharmaceutical sector, Economic Times (Oct, 2011)
• Estimating the value of internet marketing in the US pharmaceutical industry, Thani Jambulingam,
(2010)
• http://www.cliohealthcare.com/winners_media/2010/pr/pdf/401000796_1_supporting.pdf
• http://mashable.com/2012/11/01/facebook-sales/
• http://mashable.com/2011/08/16/social-media-marketing-stats-infographic/

17. References
• http://www.pewinternet.org/Commentary/2011/November/Pew-Internet-Health.aspx
• http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Technology-and-social-networks/Summary.aspx
• http://www.financialexpress.com/news/domestic-pharma-market-grows-13.7-in-august/1004076/0
• http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/pharma-life-sciences/publications/india-growth.jhtml
• http://www.pwc.com/us/en/press-releases/2012/pwc-report-forecasts-a-golden-era.jhtml
• http://www.pwc.com/us/en/press-releases/2012/pwc-report-forecasts-a-golden-era.jhtml
• http://theelearningcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2010/06/using-twitter-for-business.pdf
• http://www.indianexpress.com/news/healthcare-spend-to-rise-to-2.5--of-gdp/918380
• http://mashable.com/2012/12/26/facebook-2012/
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/dec/18/twitter-users-pass-200-million
• http://mashable.com/2012/01/23/youtube-4-billion/

18. Links
• Online Health Habits.xlsx
• Abstract_IIM-C FINAL.doc
• IIMC Full Paper - Social Media Connectivity in
Pharmaceutical Industry.docx