Is a 3rd-Party "Seal of Approval" for Health Blogs Necessary?

Fard Johnmar, founder of healthcare marketing communications consultancy Envision Solutions, LLC and author of the blog HealthCareVox, just released results of a new study of the Health Blogosphere. Here are some snippets form the press release:

"According to a national survey we commissioned, the U.S. adult health blogging population currently stands at 13.6 million. (We defined health bloggers as people writing on blogs where at least at least 50% of posts focus on health-related topics.) In addition, the majority of health bloggers are female and 38% are either African American or Hispanic.

"Marketing activity taking place in the health blogosphere has increased. For example, the number of bloggers reporting inquiries from public relations professionals jumped 57% between 2006 and 2007. Also, respondents were more likely to report running advertising on their Weblogs.

Of course, these marketing trends will be cause for concern for some. However there is evidence many bloggers are operating ethically. Most respondents view statements by their peers critically. Yet the majority have great confidence health bloggers routinely disclose apparent and implied conflicts of interest.

Overall, these two studies indicate that the state of the health blogosphere is strong. Millions of Americans are writing health blogs. In addition, many are operating ethically."

However, at least one-third (34%) of respondents have low confidence that healthcare bloggers disclose conflicts of interest and about the same feel that running advertising on blogs negatively affects credibility (an equal number strongly disagree). [Compare these results with the 2007 Pharma Blogosphere Survey.]

At least one commenter to Fard's post announcing the report suggested that a "smidgen of regulatory oversight" might be called for:

"Seems to me that a 'credentialing' function or disinterested 3rd party seal of approval may filter the credible sites from the pumping crowd.

Privacy, legal and veracity issues notwithstanding, the horse is no doubt 'running on the range'. The question seems to be: how will market forces, tempered by voluntary enforcement of a code of ethics, coupled perhaps with a smidgen of regulatory oversight coalesce into an aggregate voice in the interest of public health?" -- Gregg Masters

[I note with amusement, that when you click on Gregg's name, you are brought to the site preferredhospitals.com -- "Your trusted source for value in hospital and physician services..." -- which has no information about who produces the site, what the privacy policy is, and what, if any, conflicts of interest may exist.]

Is a "Seal of Approval" Needed for Health Blogs?
	No, we don't need no stinkin' seal!
	Yes, it is imperative!
	Can't say one way or another
	Maybe not a seal, but a "credo" or guidelines with signatories -- like the PhRMA Code

'Round the Sphere: Marc v. Mack, POE v. MM&M, Commuincation v. Nooses

A few of us blogger denizens of the Pharma Blogosphere^TM were out and about attending and/or presenting at pharma industry conferences this week.

Marc Monseau -- J&J BTW blogger -- and I teamed up at the Digital Pharma conference in Princeton, NJ, to do our audience-participation point-counterpoint routine on whether or not the pharmaceutical industry should embrace Web 2.0 (see "J&J Blog, Shire PR: The Whole Story and Nothing But the Whole Story!").

It was such a great success that I am thinking of trademarking it. But I'm afraid J&J might sue me, so I won't! ;-)

Ed Silverman at Pharmalot interrupted his busy blogging schedule to moderate a panel discussion at another pharma industry meeting hosted by DTC Perspectives in Parsippany, NJ. The panel of bloggers addressed the question, "Do Pharma Blogs Have Any Influence?"

This was a mystery panel -- the blogger panelists were not announced prior to the meeting although at one point it was rumored that Peter Rost was invited. But I think Peter was busy making a speech in the Swedish Parliament.

I planned to attend, but other business kept me tied down in my office. Perhaps Ed will enlighten us on the details later in a post to Pharmalot. I know my ears were burning all day!

What I do know is that DTC Perspectives had their annual POE awards dinner the night before and announced the winners of the most innovative DTC campaign. I had predicted the Gold and Silver winners, but was surprised and disappointed by the Bronze winner.

I didn't attend that event either because I rather be watercolor painting! This is my first composition. like it?


But I will be attending the even more gala, Black-Tie MM&M awards ceremony at Tavern on the Green in Central Park, NYC, on Thursday, November 1. For more on this, see "Awards: POE vs. MM&M. I Pick Winners!"

Finally, on a more serious note, Fard Johnmar over at HealthcareVOX blog, went "off topic" to comment on racist "gestures" like nooses hung on trees and doors and the brouhaha over a statement attributed to James Watson, winner of the Nobel Prize as co-discoverer of DNA's molecular structure. See Fard's comments here.

According to Bloomberg.com, Watson was quoted Oct. 14 in the Times of London saying he was "inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa'' because "all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours -- whereas all the testing says not really.''

Ever since I read Watson's book, The Double Helix, I realized he was a pr*ck! His comment about Africans just confirms it. Let's put racism aside for a moment. May I ask, WTF do social policies have do with intelligence? I mean, should charity and financial aid go to only intelligent people rather than to anyone in need regardless of their intelligence?

Fard suggests that we should not waste our time condemning these idiots but rather counteract racist beliefs with communication:

So, I have a simple suggestion for communicators of all colors and creeds. People are quoting the 'science,' IQ tests and SAT scores to suggest that Blacks and Whites are not of equal intelligence. They also rely on anecdotal evidence, saying "look around, you can't help but notice that most Blacks don't take advantage of the opportunities they have in this country." If we want to change these beliefs, we have to replace assumptions with the facts. Show people why they are wrong by citing examples of the quiet, unheralded contributions Blacks are making in business, science, education, law and other areas. Condemnation is good, but saying 'this is wrong' and going back to business as usual two weeks later is criminal.

Fard cites a few names of Blacks that have made unheralded contributions to our society. What I want to know is, where are they in the pharmaceutical industry? I know they are there! I've met a few at industry meetings like Digital Pharma and have written at least one story in my newsletter about the work of a Black pharma product manager.

Women pharmaceutical executives have the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association but where is the Black Pharma Businessperson Association?

Fard, I think it would be a great idea to seek out Black professionals in the pharmaceutical industry and begin telling their stories. Let's ask Marc Monseau for help -- he may be interested in getting J&J employee stories posted to his blog!

Yet Another "Unscientific Survey"?

My friends Fard Johnmar of HealthcareVOX and Envision Solutions and Dmitriy of Trusted.MD are at it again!

They are again hosting a "global healthcare blogger survey," the first one of which was done last year (see "Taking The Pulse Of The Healthcare Blogosphere").

Needless to say, this is a very "unscientific" survey, just like the "First Ever Pharma Blogosphere Reader Survey" (download summary here).

Of course, critics of these kinds of surveys always point to the fact that they are "unscientific" and hint that the surveyors are trying to pass them off as scientific. Never mind that we surveyors never made that claim and, in fact, pointed out that our surveys are NOT "scientific" from a statistical significance point of view. See, for example, the video of an interview I did with Fard about the Pharma Blogosphere Survey (access it here).

If there's one thing bloggers in this pace have in common, it's our belief in science and the scientific method. Science, after all, is the foundation of the pharmaceutical industry that we all love to hate. Maybe we feel that science should serve the public good rather than serve the investment community. But as Mr. Merck once said, "We try never to forget that medicine is for the people. Not for the profits. The profits follow, and if we have remembered that, they have never failed to appear."

But I digress!

I believe in science and I have the degrees to prove it: BS (Chem), MS and MPhil (Biochem). But I also believe that you can learn a lot by using non-scientific methodology. Market researchers do this all the time with surveys and focus groups.

To require scientific rigor in every thing we do is unrealistic and not necessary. It would take too long and cost too much. Sometimes, we just need some quick and easy estimates so that we can make decisions.

Now, I wouldn't say that drug companies should bypass the scientific method when developing new drugs. That would be criminal -- drugs can kill!

So, when Fard and Dmitriy cite the following benefits of their survey, I concur:

"The first benefit of participation is increased knowledge. You will help your fellow bloggers better understand who is blogging about healthcare and why they are doing it. More knowledge will benefit everyone who cares about the healthcare blogosphere."

NOTE: F&D claim that the survey will allow them to make "valid conclusions about the size and shape of this growing part of the global blogging community." I note that they stop short of saying "scientifically valid."

If you are a healthcare blogger who devotes at least 30% of your blogging time to healthcare, you are invited to take the survey:

Click logo to be directed to the survey

Fard Johnmar Interviews John Mack on Bloggers and the Pharmaceutical Industry

Have you seen the HealthDot video commentary site?

If not, I suggest that you take a look first at the informative interview of John Mack (Pharma Marketing Blog) by Fard Johnmar (HealthcareVOX).

Although this interview was done back in April at the Healthcare Blogging Summit in Las Vegas, it is still very relevant today.

In the interview, Fard and I touch upon the credibility of pharma blogs, the effect of journalist bloggers, and the role that blogs can play in informing the industry.

View the video here.

Some Background on HealthDot.
As stated in the About page of the site:

HealthDot was created by ScribeMedia.Org as a non-partisan, informational and analytical multimedia publication that offers expert opinion on the future of the American health care industry. We do this from the perspective of three primary constituencies: Consumers, Providers, and Employers.

We bring together key players, report on their opinions, uncover current trends, and analyze the legislation that will affect it all.

The recent HealthDot Pharma Report 04 is very entertaining and covers the Avandia House Committee hearing, online pharma fraud, counterfeit drugs, Nigeria vs. Pfizer, and "erectile malfunction."

The latter topic includes the appearance of "Pharma Girl," who explains what priapism is. Pharma Girl is not related to "PhRMA Intern," whose latest adventure, "PhRMA Intern and the No-Strings-Attached CME Proof!", can be found here.

HealthDot does have an agenda, which is obvious from the following statements:

Politicians, academics and analysts from all political perspectives have come to the same conclusion: The US healthcare system is broken. They’ve fielded studies, issued reports, legislated, debated and spent millions lobbying for one change or another.

Still, the simple fact remains that the country has tens of millions of uninsured and underinsured, prohibitive costs for employers both large and small and byzantine rules, regulations, practices and processes that point to further systemic erosion over the next decade as 72 million baby boomers begin their retirements.

In the end, we aim for intelligent and informed debate as the country seeks solutions to a national crisis.

Perhaps Michael Moore is involved with these guys? Not that that's a bad thing!

'Round the Sphere: Not-as-black-as-you-think-you-are and Blog Schmog Point-Counterpoint

Jim Edwards over at BrandweekNRX wonders whether "not-as-black-as-you-think-you-are" genes are responsible for lackluster sales of BiDil -- the first drug approved specifically for "self identified" African Americans. Jim posits that maybe this group is not as black as they think they are and casts doubt on "race-based medicine" (see "BiDil Falters, Casting Doubts on Race-Based Medicine").

John Mack, over at Pharma Marketing Blog, believes this is a bogus argument and places BiDil's problems squarely in marketing's court (see "BiDil Sales Disappoint: Blame Genes or Marketing?"). As usual, I don't just criticize, I offer an innovative solution to the problem of marketing to minorities.

Meanwhile, Agnes Shanley over at On Pharma is casting some doubt of her own and questions the utility of blogs: "Zube-gate aside, rumors of your power to change the world have been greatly exaggerated," says Shanley (see "Blog, Schmlog: Tales from the Dark Side of Web 2.0").

"I Beg to Differ!," says Fard Johnmar over at HealthcareVOX. "To say that blogs are not significantly influencing health and healthcare is far from correct," says Fard (see "Agnes Shanley Says 'Blog Schmog'; I Beg To Differ").

Agnes has been posting some very interesting things on her blog lately and seems to have picked up some pointers from the rest of the pack, especially heating things up with some controversial postings.

Don't worry about lack of comments, Agnes. Keep up the good work and I am sure the comments will follow. It's not the quantity of comments you receive, but the quality and whether or not they move the discussion forward and teach us a thing or two.

Speaking of moving the discussion forward: don't bother making any comments here if all you are doing is pointing out my shortcomings! I am fully briefed on that subject. Just stick to the subject at hand and I am glad to pass your comments on. Otherwise, hasta la vista, baby!