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W-32: Evaluation of Branded Prescription Drug Facebook Messenger Responses to Consumer Requests for Product Information

Poster Presenter

Alexandra Didonato

Post-doctoral Fellow
St. John's University
United States

Objectives

The objective is to evaluate how pharmaceutical companies are utilizing Facebook Messenger to respond to unsolicited questions about branded prescription products from consumers from branded promotional Facebook pages.

Method

Facebook was used to identify branded prescription drug pages created and controlled by pharmaceutical companies that utilize Facebook Messenger to answer unsolicited consumer questions. FDA Prescribing Information was evaluated before initiating the chat function to tailor questions appropriately.

Results

Results indicate that the majority of responses provided by the pharmaceutical companies did not answer the specific question asked by the consumer. Some responses provided information related to the question. Any product information that was provided was on-label and pulled directly from the Prescribing Information (e.g., the FDA-approved indication). Most of the responses referred the consumer to sources with more information (i.e., FDA Prescribing Information, brand website, patient brochure, separate company website with the drug’s full indications and Important Safety Information, etc.). Regardless of whether or not product information was included in the response to the consumer, most brands directed the consumer to speak to their healthcare professional to determine if the drug is right for them. Only a minority of responses included the phone number to the Medical Information department. Two different questions were asked from separate accounts for each branded prescription product. Most of the Facebook pages were consistent in the types of responses provided, but only a few responses were exactly the same. In these latter cases, despite the varying questions, it is likely that the responses were pre-programmed rather than freeform.

Conclusion

Because social media is so widely used in today’s culture, utilizing Facebook Messenger can be an effective and accessible conduit for consumers to connect to accurate and balanced information on branded prescription products and treatment options. Based on the number of current Facebook pages using this feature, it is still a new concept and many companies are providing answers that are direct lifts of FDA-approved language or not responding specifically to the question asked, perhaps to minimize any risk of misinterpretation or enforcement (or to avoid being the learned intermediary). Responses provided access to other sources where the consumer can learn more. Including links to other pages/websites with more information and phone numbers to speak with Medical Information can aid consumers in getting answers to their specific questions. Safety is always of the highest importance; therefore, in addition to providing the consumers with responses narrowed to their inquiry, companies should also remind them to speak with their healthcare professionals to determine if the treatment options are appropriate for them.