Sponsored learning events have waned in the United States, while healthcare providers in new markets seek more CME opportunities
The growth of continuing medical education events as a marketing tool in emerging markets is mirrored by a recent drop in CME sponsorship in the United States, according to new findings from pharmaceutical consulting firm Cutting Edge Information.
Government and stakeholder support for CME is strong in many emerging market countries, where officials are rallying resources to meet fast-rising public expectations for healthcare quality. To help meet the demand, pharmaceutical brand teams are revving up sponsorship of accredited CME in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America, according to "Pharmaceutical Marketing Strategy: Key ROI Benchmarks to Drive Brand Success." Their budget plans for next year increase average resources for continuing medical education second only to patient adherence.
"Every profiled company reported supporting accredited CME activities in emerging markets," said Adam Bianchi, chief operating officer at Cutting Edge Information. "Given a theoretical 10 percent budget increase, these marketing executives would dedicate 16 percent of it to branded CME."
In the United States, pharmaceutical marketing metrics show that industry support of continuing medical education (CME) has dropped over the last five years as regulatory scrutiny has drilled down on interactions with presenting physicians. Though once a major element in brand marketing, only 22 percent of U.S. accredited CME now involves funding from a named brand, according to companies surveyed for the study.
"CME's value has gotten muddier because some attendees now see industry affiliation as tainting the CME material even though marketing teams are firewalled from educational content," said Bianchi. "The flip side of criticism about drug company sponsorship of physician education is that professional organizations have had difficulty finding reliable funding for continuing medical education."
"Pharmaceutical Marketing Strategy" contains detailed metrics and strategies to:
- Coordinate marketing tools for greater cross-channel effectiveness
- Identify which marketing tactics produce the best return-on-investment and brand lift in different markets
- Uncover marketing spending trends
- Boost product portfolio's market visibility and professional reputation
For more information about continuing medical education and pharmaceutical brand marketing, visit http://www.cuttingedgeinfo.com/research/marketing/pharmaceutical-marketing-strategy/ or contact Eric Bolesh at 919-403-6583.
Contacts:
Cutting Edge Information
Eric Bolesh, 919-403-6583
