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Science and medical conference season is in full swing and tens of thousands of persons are attending scientific and medical meeting all over the US. While social media is no longer a new “thing” only a few scientific and medical societies understand its power and ways in which it may be harnessed to improve the experiences of their members who attend their national meetings. 

At most of the scientific conferences that I attend (usually four to fiver per year), people still lug around and are tethered to printed program guides. Further there is no easily accessible electronic repository (aside from the conference website) or guide that conference attendees can use to optimize time management and see “everything” that they want to at the meeting. Unfortunately, most scientific and medical conferences are still being run the same way that they have been for the past 30 years despite improvements to internet access and bandwidth, the advent of social media and the recent explosion of mobile devices and apps.

Finally, and perhaps most egregiously, rather than publicly disseminating what is being reported at these meetings, conference attendees and the lay public must rely on carefully orchestrated press releases (chosen in advance by the organizing committees of the meetings) for information and late-breaking news from the events. This is so web 1.0 that it is almost laughable.

Until last week, I thought that I was the only person who felt this way about social media and medical and scientific congresses. Imagine my surprise when no fewer than three others social media enthusiasts including Mark Senak, author of the EyeonFDA blog, Brian Reid, author of the WCG Common Sense Blog and Sally Church, author of the Pharma Strategy Blog, last week authored posts on the topic! It is always refreshing to find like-minded individuals to confirm that you are not alone!

Unfortunately, many scientific and medical societies like to tightly control information flow, limit access to it and, not surprisingly, are quite suspicious of social media. This is because the use of social media decreases the ability of these societies and their journals to control their messaging and content dissemination. With this in mind, is it any wonder why American scientific and medical literacy is pretty much in the “toilet?”  While the lay public may not be able to understand peer-reviewed scientific and medical publications, they have grown accustomed to gathering information on Facebook, Twitter and most importantly blogs. Why not use these vehicles to better inform the public about scientific or medical breakthroughs that have been validated and generally regarded as authentic?

Like it or not, social media is here to stay. And if leveraged correctly, it can be an extremely effective educational tool. I think that it is time for scientific and medical societies to consider using social media at their annual meetings. A failure to do so may have negative consequences for future membership in these societies and also reduce their effectiveness as purveyors of timely and accurate scientific and medical information!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!!!

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Over the past few months, a number of celebrities have agreed to help pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies pitch their products in direct-to-consumer advertising campaigns. Perhaps this is related to the economic downturn and these actors are having trouble finding high paying gigs to support their lifestyles. Alternatively, their motives may be altruistic or they or one of their loved ones may suffer from a life-altering or threatening illness.

The latest addition to the celebrity pitchperson parade is the soap opera diva Susan Lucci. After her husband Helmut Huber was unexpectedly diagnosed a decade ago with atrial fibrillation—a type of irregular heartbeat that increase the risk of stroke five-fold, Lucci yesterday announced that she and her husband would partner with Boehringer Ingelheim the National Stroke Association and StopAfib.org to launch a new education campaign to raise awareness of atrial fibrillation. Financial terms of the relationship were not disclosed.

In other news, Amgen and Pfizer yesterday announced the joint launch of "Psophisticated Style:  A Guide to Everyday Style and Psoriasis™," an online resource, providing a wealth of style advice specifically for people with psoriasis.

The new online presence will be hosted by B-list celebrity Tim Gunn, mentor to the designers on TV's "Project Runway" and chief creative officer of Liz Claiborne, Inc. and dermatologist Susan C. Taylor, M.D., the style guide includes five videos, which illustrate various style issues for individuals with psoriasis. Practical and insightful highlights from each video are also available and can be printed.  The new website is well designed and has a decidedly web 2.0 look and feel to it. And, you can even follow Psophisticated Style on Facebook and share the site with your friends!

According to a press release Addressing Psoriasis™ was developed to inspire people with plaque psoriasis to actively manage their condition, be more confident and not allow the condition to inhibit their everyday style. 

Despite the slow uptake, Pharma’s attitude on the use of social media is beginning to shift. Last week, Eli Lilly &Co announced the launch of Lilly Pad a blog and twitter feed designed to provide information and helpful tips to patients with diabetes. Yesterday at the Business Development Institute’s HealthCare Social Communications Leadership Forum in Manhattan, Todd Siesky , Public Relations Manager, Roche Diabetes Care described an innovative and creative initiative (started two years ago) to establish a network of influential bloggers in the diabetes space. The bloggers are not paid and do not benefit financially from their interactions with the company. Roche interacts with the blogging network on a quarterly basis and has held two summits to bring the bloggers together to brainstorm and interact with one another (Roche covers airfare and hotel accommodations).

Also, Ted Phelan, Senior Regional Scientific Manager Medical Affairs at Astra Zeneca gave an illuminating talk about his company’s efforts to build a physician community in the gastrointestinal therapeutic space. Ted’s take away from his impromptu presentation (the originally scheduled Astra Zeneca representative couldn’t attend) was you won’t be successful unless you understand the needs of community members (he is married to a physician).

For those of you who may not closely follow the pharmaceutical social media space, building Facebook fan pages and creating a Twitter feed are no longer de rigueur. Instead, the next big thing is building company-sponsored, unbranded, online patient and physician communities around different therapeutic indications! Move over Patients Like Me, there may be some new kids on the block in the very near future!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Tweeting!!!!!

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The differences between the Millennial (born 1980ish-2000) and Baby Boomers (born 1947-1966) generations are noticeable and stark. To that end, the differences between these two generational groups have been the subject of many articles and many talk radio shows (my friend  fellow boomer and host of the always amusing The Recruiting Animal Show loves the get me “going” on the topic).

Before I legitimately entered the Web 2.0 world several years ago, I thought the planet was in serious jeopardy (how boomer-centric of me!). While Millennials aka GenY have their own problems —just like me and my fellow boomers —I believe that their sense of community, connectivity and transparency, may, in the end, save a world that is being run into the ground. That said there is an interesting article in the Sunday New York Times business section written by Michael Costonis and Rob Salkowitz that clearly delineates the differences between Millennials and status-quo boomers; and why it is important for boomers to co-exist rather than resist Millennial trends in the workplace. The authors describe Millennials this way:

“Young workers grew up in a digital culture distinguished by near-immediate sharing of information. They tend to be collaborative and team-oriented, even when they aren’t technology experts. They grew up multitasking and don’t see the sharp delineations between “work” and “leisure” that previous generations did. Millennials often prize freedom, innovation and speed over security and stability. They seek flexibility in work schedules and work locations.

Most of all, young workers take access to technology for granted — as a way to get information, keep track of friends, schedule activities and do their work. And, of course, this access has now gone mobile, via wireless connections and smartphones.

Newer technology also creates a more networked and less hierarchical workplace. Work is distributed across more people in more places, with virtual teams communicating more or less instantly.”

Not a bad set of characteristics and skill sets, if leveraged correctly, may actually improve workplace efficiency and productivity and possibly reduce costs!

We boomers like to think of ourselves as agents of change. While this may have been true in the ‘60s and ‘70s, it is no longer the case—once a group becomes the so-called establishment there is no impetus or inducement to change the status quo. And, as many boomers have learned, change can be difficult and nobody really likes it! 

With this in mind, it makes sense for boomers to tap into their inner, ancient desires for change and accommodate, rather than resist, workplace changes being insisted upon by millennial hires. After all, they will be running the world in the next decade or so and if we aging boomers want to be taken care of and treated well, then a little support and understand may go a long way! And, as we used to say back in the tumultuous ‘60s: “Try it; you’ll like it!”

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!

Addendum: I was taken to task by a GenXer who claimed that, in typically Baby-boomer style I tried to butt in on GenX by asserting that the Boomer generation extended until 1966. While some experts claim that GenX may have begun as early as 1961 others do not and contend that it began in earnest in the West in 1966.  In any event, Baby Boomers and GenXers are aging and will ultimately have to cede control to the Millennials.  But hey, why not split a few hairs (even if many of us have few hairs left to do that!)

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We scientists tend to be a serious bunch who often hard on difficult projects with lofty goals and expectations. However, like most other people, many of us have well developed senses of humor and enjoy a good laugh from time to time.

While working on my recent post on pharma and social media, I came across a post on Wendy Blackburn's blog, epharma Rx, that showcased a clever and well-crafted video created by her agency InTouchSolutions to help pharma companies overcome fears about social media.  I think BioJobBlog readers will enjoy it because it uses scientific principles (presumably understood by life sciences companies employees) to poke fun and educate pharma executives about social media 

Hat tip to Wendy and the InTouchSolutions Team

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Viewing!!!!!!!

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In today’s edition of the incisive EyeonFDA blog, Mark Senak, provides a historical perspective on events leading to the US Food and Drug Administration public hearing on the use of social media and medical promotion that will be held on Thursday and Friday, November 12 and 13, 2009. As Mark points out, registration for the meeting was closed because of an overwhelming response and the number of people who wanted to offer testimony on the topic. Many social media enthusiasts view the public hearing as something of a “game changer” that may influence the future direction of social media in the life sciences industry. But, as Mark, astutely points out, only four pharmaceutical companies and one or two trade organizations will be participating at the hearing. 

The lack of industry participation at the meeting is curious given that 14 companies received warning letters several months ago about their misuse of ad associated with the results obtain by Google search. Further, pharmaceutical companies have consistently and publicly stated that their aversion to social media is contingent upon the lack of FDA’s regulatory guidance for its use. By not actively participating in the public hearings later this week, many pharma companies have chosen to remain silent and will likely allow FDA to craft social media policies that guide the promotional activities of drug makers on its own. This begs the question: why would drug makers allow a federal regulatory agency to unilaterally dictate policy, when the policy will likely affect their bottom lines, i.e. sales and profits? The industry’s refusal to actively participate in these hearings is another example of the cat and mouse game that drug makers like to play with FDA. Put simply, drug makers expect and want FDA to commit (in writing) to certain policies and guidelines and once established, company regulators and lawyers are instructed to find loopholes and work-arounds. I liken the drug industry’s refusal to actively participate in the upcoming public hearings to the now infamous rope-ad-dope strategy Mohammed Ali used to knock out George Foreman in the now infamous Rumble in the Jungle in 1974. This is how wikipedia defines the rope-a-dope: “The rope-a-dope is performed by a boxer assuming a protected stance, in Ali's classic pose, lying against the ropes, and allowing his opponent to hit him, in the hope that the opponent will become tired and make mistakes which the boxer can exploit in a counterattack.” I hope that I am wrong about the drug industry’s strategy and motives.

Without active industry participation it isn’t clear how effective the FDA public hearing on social media will be. As Mark adroitly points out in today’s post, “The bulk of the other presentations are tertiary stakeholders perhaps sensing a vehicle for free self-promotion such as advertising and public relations firms and bloggers, but they aren't the real stakeholders in this issue.  The real stakeholders are those who are referred to in the meeting notice - the medical products industry.” I would also add the American public to the stakeholder list who also has considerable “skin in the game.”

Pharma’s active participation at many of the social media conferences that I recently attended indicates that something must be in it for pharma; otherwise they wouldn’t attend. There is no question that social media isn’t a passing fad and is now an integral part of the Web 2.0 experience. That said, for the first time in many years, drug makers have a unique opportunity to actively voice their ideas and concerns and collaboratively work with FDA to craft meaningful social media regulatory guidance. As many of us “outside observers” know, the agency doesn’t have all the answers and we would like to think that drug makers would extend a helping hand to avoid confusion and misunderstandings about the use of social media to promote their products and services. While only 4 companies are scheduled to speak at the hearings, I suspect that there will be many life science company representatives in attendance. Nevertheless, despite what may happen at this week’s hearings, I hope that, going forward, drug makers and device manufacturers will begin to view FDA as a partner rather than an adversary!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!

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As somebody who has been unemployed more than once, unemployment can be depressing, very frustrating and extremely worrisome.  In addition to sending out resumes and networking, I highly recommend using the free time that you have at your disposal to learn new skills to either make your life more manageable or to increase your employability.  Obviously, unemployed persons usually don’t have the money to enroll in formal training programs but thanks to the Internet and social media there are a variety of free tools and options out there for people looking to pick up new skill sets. 

Amber Johnson at OnlineDegreePrograms.org has put together a list of 100 skills you should learn (for free) while unemployed. While many of her suggestions are intuitive, there are a few on the list that may surprise you and quite possibly improve your chances of finding a new job!

100 Skills You Should Learn (for Free) While You’re Unemployed

People Skills and Networking

Become a better networker, small talker and listener to improve your job prospects.

1. Listen: Become a better listener by tuning out background noise and making eye contact.
2. Build a portfolio: Have an organized hard copy and file on your computer that succinctly and accurately represents your best work.
3. Share the conversation: Don’t dominate the conversation: learn to take a step back when you’ve said your part, and know when to jump in if the conversation becomes all about them.
4. Understand your emotional intelligence: Become more socially aware and learn to evaluate your own emotions and reactions.
5. Bring personality to a company: Being able to provide something that people can relate to behind the big corporate name is priceless.
6. Make your resume Internet ready: Make sure your updated resume will display nicely when you e-mail it and post it on job sites.
7. Set an example: Learn how to inspire others by doing what you love, being expressive, and helping others along the way.
8. Expand your network: Tap into contacts two or three degrees removed from your regular network.
9. Network or interview on the phone: Stop working on your in-person networking skills for a minute and remind yourself how to win someone over via the telephone.
10. Give a strong handshake: Impress people with your confidence by giving a better handshake.
11. Remember people’s names: From face association to repetition, there are various ways to remember a person’s name.
12. Know when and how to use icebreakers: Become the one other people depend on to make connections and feel comfortable.
13. Make a point to grow existing relationships: Don’t just get to know people on the surface: get to know business and personal contacts on a deeper level.

Life hacks

From making your own coffee to saving gas, here you’ll learn valuable skills that save you money, too.

14. Make your own coffee: Cut back on expensive coffee runs by learning how to make your own cup.
15. Comparison shop: Comparison shopping will save you money and turn you into a more responsible consumer and better product researcher.
16. Learn how to be more energy efficient: Save money on energy bills at home and at your new office when you get hired again.
17. Save gas: Minimize the number of times you have to spend money on gas by making each fill up last longer.
18. Eat cheaply: Watch this video to learn how to make yummy meals out of dollar-store food.
19. Discover your life purpose: Discover how to tap into your life purpose and passion to give you more direction in your job search and life goals.
20. Face reality: Accepting and dealing with reality will help your career and your personal life.
21. Cook: While you have the time, learn to cook healthy, budget-friendly meals for yourself, and use leftovers.
22. Being positive: Stop complaining and turn yourself into a positive thinker.
23. Meditate: Meditation will help get you through the tough times.

Productivity and Task Mastering

Stay productive and learn to stay on task, avoid procrastinating and set goals even when you’re unemployed.

24. Get up on time: Learn how to get up right when your alarm goes off to get a fresh, productive start to the day.
25. Funneling: The art of funneling means that you know how to manage incoming projects and to-do lists, and prioritize them accordingly.
26. Speed reading: You’ll be able to stay on top of industry reports, news stories, job postings and more when you learn to speed read.
27. Break things down: Turn difficult tasks into easier ones by breaking them down and taking it day by day.
28. How to set goals: Setting goals will help you be more successful, in the short-and long-term.
29. Overcome fear of failure: Fear of failure wastes time and prevents you from doing what you really want.
30. Beat procrastination: This step-by-step guide will help you beat procrastination.
31. Prepare a to-do list: A well-organized to-do list will keep you on track and save time.
32. Learn the Pomodoro Technique: Those who are anxious about meeting deadlines should master this technique.
33. Eliminate distractions: Learn how to tune out distractions and interruptions.

Computer and Internet Skills

These skills will turn you into a better Googler, blogger and typer.

34. Online research: Besides helping you find a job, solid Internet research skills will make you a desirable job candidate.
35. Learn how to use different operating systems: Train yourself to learn how to use Macs, Windows and Linux systems.
36. Hack Google: Learn all of the Google shortcuts and business tools.
37. Build a high-traffic website: Promote yourself and show potential employers how you can improve their websites.
38. Use Facebook productively: Turn Facebook into a business tool for networking, branding and more.
39. Basic web design: Employers will snatch you up if you know even basic web design.
40. Blog: Becoming an expert blogger takes time, so use your unemployment to learn the technical and business side of blogging.
41. Telecommute: Learn how to work with others online.
42. Learn to type: Typing quickly and correctly saves you time and makes your work look more professional.
43. Create a podcast: This fun and simple skill could increase your job prospects too.

Organization

Organize your personal and professional life by learning these skills.

44. Be punctual: Being punctual forces you to map out your day according to appointments and to-dos.
45. Use spreadsheets: Spreadsheets are great organizing tools and are used at almost every office.
46. Sort email: Set up folders, archives, filters and searches to organize all of your emails.
47. Prioritize: Prioritize your tasks so that it’s easier to work down your to-do list.
48. Use a calendar: Make use of an online calendar to set up alerts and more tools to help you stay organized.
49. Improve your memory: Practice different techniques to improve your memory.
50. Organize your closet: A better organized closet will help you stay on top of chores and get ready faster in the mornings.

Writing

Write better emails, use better grammar and influence others with your writing.

51. Write better emails: Write effective, impressive emails and subject headings.
52. Learn correct grammar: Poor grammar will hurt your career prospects in a heartbeat.
53. Persuasive writing: Learn how to write more persuasively and passionately.
54. Write for the Internet: Writing online pieces is completely different than writing for traditional media.
55. Write the perfect cover letter: Write a better opening and remember to include all the important details.

Confidence

These skills will boost your confidence and make others take notice of you.

56. Work on body language: Learn how to stand confidently, make eye contact and relax.
57. Trust yourself: If you’re constantly worried about what other people think of you and your decisions, you’ll come across as weak and inexperienced.
58. Examine your soft skills: Discover what soft skills make you a good employee: leadership, dedication, or the ability to motivate others.
59. Master the job interview: Be prepared, be confident and research the company and person you’re interviewing with.
60. Handle rejection: Stay confident and inspired even when you aren’t getting call backs.

Promotion and Branding

The skills you learn to promote yourself now will pay off later.

61. Design for branding: Learn how to think creatively and visually in order to promote your brand.
62. Understand copyright: Learn about copyright laws and how to get your own patent.
63. Promote yourself without bragging: You’ve got to learn how to relate to people and make them interested in you and your experience, without bragging.
64. Know — and own — your best attributes: Show off your ability to close a sale or put on your resume that you’re the one to call if a decision needs to be made.
65. Being accountable: Monitor what’s being said about you online and on social networks, keep track of your brand’s reputation, and own up to any mistakes or issues people have with you.
66. Use Twitter effectively: Learn how to use Twitter to boost your brand and reputation, not diminish it.
67. Develop your message: Learn how to create a focused, engaging message.
68. Write a press release: Even if you don’t work in PR or marketing, being able to write a press release is a valuable, desirable skill personally and professionally.
69. Follow up: Make sure you follow up on promises and after meeting new people.
70. Identify an audience: Learn how to rework your message depending on who you’re speaking to.

Speaking and Communication

From better storytelling to learning a new language or becoming an effective public speaker, these communication skills will make you more influential and confident.

71. Learn a foreign language: Speaking at least two languages greatly increases your desirability as a job candidate.
72. Storytelling: For presentations and networking, it helps if you’re a good storyteller.
73. Keep it simple: Don’t babble; instead, learn to speak clearly and simply.
74. How to make transitions: Making smooth transitions in your talks and presentations will strengthen your speech overall.
75. Deliver bad news: You should learn how to be diplomatic and break bad news considerately.
76. Consider things from different points of view: Relate to your audience and act like a fair leader by considering various points of view.
77. Give a compliment: If you’re uncomfortable giving compliments, you’d better learn how to get over it.
78. Negotiate: Negotiate salary, job offers, payment, and more.
79. Conflict management: Learn how to be more diplomatic and solve problems in the workplace.
80. Speak to executives: Don’t be afraid to talk to the boss, just make sure you do it the right way.

Finance

Save money and learn smarter budgeting tips here.

81. Open a Roth IRA: Use a little of the money you have saved to start a Roth IRA for the future.
82. Pay taxes as a freelancer: If you’re freelancing between full-time jobs, you’ll need to learn how to do your own taxes.
83. Turn eBay into a money-maker: While you’re out of work, learn how to use eBay to make extra cash.
84. Haggle: Get better deals on food, entertainment, clothes and more when you learn to haggle.
85. Lower your cell phone bill: Learn how to lower your cell phone bill when you’re tightening your budget.
86. Get a tax extension: If you just can’t pay your taxes this year because you’re unemployed, learn how to get an extension.
87. Consolidate debt: This skill may help you with a finance problem at work and alleviate some of the burden of high interest rates.
88. Make a budget: This practical skill will save you money and help you trim expenses at work.
89. Find a bargain: Learn when to go generic and hunt for bargains.
90. Save: Practice restraint by setting up savings accounts and spending less.

Weird Skills

You never know when you’ll need to win a fist fight or have to know your tolerance for alcohol, so practice now.

91. Win a fist fight: Man up and learn how to win a fist fight or street fight.
92. Be more photogenic: Look more attractive and confident in photographs.
93. Know your tolerance: Before getting wasted at networking events or office parties, know how much booze you can handle.
94. Be a respectful house guest: Review basic etiquette and send a thank-you note the next day.
95. Know when someone is lying: Be able to tell when someone else is lying to protect yourself.

Miscellaneous

From tying a tie to taking better notes, here are more skills you should learn while you’re unemployed.

96. Stay on top of industry news: Make reading industry reports and niche news blogs a habit for when you’re unemployed and when you get a job.
97. Get comfortable with international travel: Even if you can’t afford a plane ticket, read world news, learn a language and keep up with other cultures to broaden your horizons and show potential employers that you’re open to traveling for them.
98. Tie a tie: Make sure you always look presentable by tying your tie correctly.
99. Keep your brain active: Keep learning so that you’re in shape to tackle new challenges when you do find a job.
100. Take better notes: Learn to take notes during interviews and meetings.

There you have it!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!

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For the past several weeks, the EyeonFDA blog has been reporting on the possible regulatory impact of Google’s Sidewiki on life sciences companies. For those of you who may not be familiar with Sidewiki  (released in late September) it is a new feature of the Google toolbar which can turn a static web 1.0 website into an interactive web 2.0 experience by allowing website visitors to leave comments behind.

When you use side-wiki, you have the ability to leave your comments and associate them with a website whether or not the website owner has enabled commenting.  Since the comments are maintained by Google, there is no direct relationship with the website.  Basically, anybody who visits a website that has Sidewiki enabled can say or comment on whatever they like and immortalize it (until Google removes it) for the entire world to see. Apparently, this doesn’t sit well with many website owners and Google purportedly recently release code to disable Sidewiki at websites that don’t want to support it. However, it isn’t clear how robust the anti-sidewiki code is!

While I haven’t formulated an opinion on Side Wiki yet (mostly because it isn’t that interesting to me), it does represent a regulatory dilemma for life sciences companies with marketed drugs and devices. According to today’s EyeonFDA post “If someone writes of an adverse event on a Sidewiki, or promotes an off-label use, it is now on the company's home page.  Is the company under a duty to monitor and correct such misinformation or if they do, do they incur liability for doing so?  It is a conundrum - and there is no insight apparent from the FDA on the matter.” Further, most life sciences companies have yet to craft a legal or regulatory policy for Sidewiki usage. 

EyeonFDA has been assiduously monitoring life sciences company websites for the appearance of Sidewiki. To date EyeonFDA has found it on the following company websites:

1. Abbott
2. Amgen
3. AstraZeneca
4. Bayer
5. Baxter
6. Bristol-Myers Squibb
7. GSK
8. Johnson & Johnson
9. Lilly
10. Novartis
11. Novo Nordisk
12. Pfizer
13. Roche
14. Sanofi-Aventis
15. Takeda

While Google would like everyone to believe that Sidewiki is taking the Internet by storm and spreading like the H1N1 virus, a show of hands at yesterdays e-Patient Connections 2009 meeting in Philly, which was attended by many computer geeks and social media enthusiasts, revealed that about4 out of about 150 had heard of it! Nevertheless, it is out there and life sciences companies would be well advised to formulate internal legal and regulatory guidelines despite the fact that FDA hasn’t issued any guidance on its use.

P.S. Shortly after I posted this, @pharmaguy alerted me to an article that appeared on the today's online PharmaExec.com entitled "SideWiki: What's Pharma To Do"?

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Commenting

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I came across a recent post on Adage.com entitled “Pharma Drops Search Advertising After FDA Warning” that revealed that paid search ads by pharmaceutical companies dropped a 84% between March 26 of this year and the end of June. As you may recall, March 26 was when 14 companies received warning letters from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicating that they had violated marketing guidelines for search ad advertising. The letters stated that sponsored-link advertisements for specific drugs were misleading due to the exclusion of risk information associated with the use of the drug -- even though the regulatory agency's guidelines are for print and broadcast, not online or social media. Pharma companies that believed they were in compliance with the unwritten "one-click rule"— taking the consumer from the ad to a site that offered fair balance and the risk information by clicking on the ad. What? Did I read that correctly; the words “unwritten and FDA” in the same sentence? This is very surprising since anybody who has worked with the agency is well aware of the “if it isn’t written it didn’t happen” principle. But I digress....

The post went on to say that pharmaceutical companies are “fearful of running afoul” of the agency again. Say what? The words “pharma and fearful” used in the same sentence? The point that I am trying to make is that pharma chose to keep things vague about web-based advertising to see how far they can push the envelope with FDA instead of taking the proverbial “bull by the horns” and directly asking FDA for guidance on web 2.0 technologies and their uses. Wouldn’t it be in everyone’s best interest if companies took a more active role to help craft new rules on the use of new media technologies rather then rely on and wait for FDA to do it for them? While the old “cat and mouse” game worked for old media, it is no longer tenable when it comes to Web 2.0 and related technologies.

The FDA is holding public hearings next month to begin the process of establishing internet advertising guidelines and the use of social media in the life science industry. This offers drug and devices companies an opportunity to show FDA that they no longer want to be part of the problem but part of the solution.  I have always subscribed to the notion that “you don’t get if you don’t ask!”

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Surfing (on the Internet that is)

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For the first time in history, more people are searching the Internet for health information than asking doctors. Web 2.0 and social media tools are allowing people to discover new ways to connect, learn and engage one other in search of healthcare and drug information.

e-Patient Connections 2009 which will be held in Philadelphia, PA on  October 26 and 27 will feature a number of leading authorities on social media and digital health  Some of the featured speakers include Wired Magazine’s Thomas Goetz, Jay
Bernhardt of the CDC, and Lee Aase of the Mayo Clinic. The conference also offers case studies, 1:1 coaching sessions with industry experts and the latest products from digital health companies.

BioJobBlog readers can use the discount code kru500 to save $500 off the current price.

See you there!

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There has been a growing reliance on the use of online tools to teach science to primary, secondary and college students. This makes sense because anybody who has pursued a science career will tell you that using web-based programs, applications and searches is absolutely essential when conducting scientific research. To that end, Amber Johnson at onlinecourses.org sent me an article that details some really cool educational add-on tools that are available for the Firefox browser.

I highly recommend that science educators at all levels check out the post and evaluate some of these interesting tools!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Teaching!!!!!!!!

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Mark Senak at the EyeonFDA blog reported yesterday that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking public input on the use of social media in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical devices/diagnostic industry. Meetings to solicit input will be held in Washington DC on November 12 and 13^th.  This will be the first opportunity for industry representatives and the public to begin a discussion with FDA on the policies that will guide the use of social media in the life sciences industry.

According to EyeonFDA, on Monday, the agency will publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing this historic event (see excerpt below)

Questions have arisen regarding the application of the prescription drug and device advertising and labeling provisions, regulations, and policies of promotion on the Internet, especially with regard to the use of emerging technologies such as blogs, microblogs, podcasts, social networks and online communities, video sharing, widgets, and wikis. This section briefly discusses the issues the agency has identified as most frequently raised by regulated companies and other interested parties. It should be noted that although a question may raise a particular issue, that does not necessarily mean that the agency will issue guidance or a regulation on that issue. The agency invites comment at the public hearing on the general concept of Internet promotion, positive or negative; on any aspect of Internet promotion that is of interest to the presenter; and on the topics outlined in the following paragraphs. We are specifically interested in data and research on the use of social media tools in promotion, including data from companies on their own experiences, the extent to which health care professionals and consumers are using and are influenced by various social media tools, and the impact of Internet and social media promotion on the public health.

For the past year or more, many bloggers and other social media enthusiasts have taken FDA to task for not taking action on the topic. Finally, the agency realized that something had to be done given the growing use and popularity of social media tools and strategies in other less regulated industries. Earlier this week, in an unexpected move, FDA launched its first Twitter feed. Perhaps this was a hint that FDA is beginning to emerge from the dark ages into the digital world of Web 2.0 and social media.

Hat tip to Mark!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Twittering !!!!!!!

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BioCrowd co-founder, Vincent Racaniello, and I were chatting the other day with Crowdvine’s Tony Stubblebine (the guy who created the BioCrowd software platform) about the reluctance of scientists to embrace social media. Both Vincent and I, both scientists ourselves, posited that scientists are simply asocial or at the very least not comfortable engaging in social activities whether they be online or IRL. Tony, a self-anointed software geek, wasn’t buying into to our argument and noted that even software geeks are social!

This prompted me to do a little research and I found a blog post written by Nachiket Vartak a blogger and doctoral student at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology. While the blog post focused mainly on reasons why bioscientists won’t use Twitter, I think that many of his observations can be used to generally describe the chilly relationship between many scientists and social media. Before you read on, I must inform you that I paraphrased and embellished some of Nachiket’s original ideas on the subject. That said, here are some of the reasons why bioscientists may not use social media.

1. The reputation of social networking sites
Many scientists disdain social networks because they believe that social networking sites and microblogging platforms like Twitter are nothing more than places to waste time. Those scientists who use social media usually do it in-between experiments and when planning activities which usually involve copious quantities of alcohol, for after laboratory hours fun. In other words, social media is for fun not for work. Also, many so-called serious scientists contend that “real science discussions” only happen on closed e-mailing lists or forums and not in the “open” on social networking sites.

2. The social activation barrier
According to Nachiket, the stereotype that scientists are asocial is well.....err...true! He asserts that many scientists feel more comfortable focusing on themselves (and their research) rather than interacting with others to learn what they have to say or what they may be thinking. And, many times, unless an individual can demonstrate that they are “smart” they probably aren’t worse listening to anyway. Finally, scientists train for years to become independent investigators. Not surprisingly, there is very little emphasis and importance placed on teamwork or social interactions with others scientists or lay people for that matter. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that many scientists aren’t particularly social or inclined to participate in extracurricular social activities.

3. Privacy aka “secrecy”
Science is a highly competitive endeavor and, in many cases, the discoveries that are made represent many years of sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears. With this in mind, nobody wants to be scooped or beat out by their competitors. Consequently, scientists are generally instructed to be very hush-hush when it comes to sharing any information or data that might give the competition a “leg up” in the competition. Any leak, large or small, could mean the difference between fame and failure and, perhaps more importantly, a successful career as a scientist.

In marked contrast, the success of social media is contingent upon its openness, sharing and transparency. Thus, as Nachiket aptly pointed out social media is antithetical to the very nature of science and scientists.

4. Legitimate channels of communication
The only acceptable and legitimate means of scientific communications are presentations at meetings and publications in peer reviewed journals. These forms of communication are the lifeblood of scientific community and critical to the success of all scientists. If you aren’t published, you have no credibility as a scientist. The scientific publishing and communication industry is big business and “the rules of engagement” in the industry have been well established and institutionalized. Unfortunately, social media threatens to destabilize the science publishing world both financially and philosophically and possibly change the way science information is communicated. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that there is little support for social media in scientific publishing world and the science community in general.

While the number of science blogs and podcasts continue to increase daily, scientific social networking sites continue to struggle. This is because the information flow in blogs and similar forms of social media can be easily monitored and controlled. This is not the case for social networking sites like BioCrowd and microblogging platforms like Twitter.
However, if scientists are truly asocial beings then none of the existing science social networking sites will gain traction and be successful. Call me crazy, but I think social networking is an ideal medium for scientists to exchange information, ideas and develop relationships that can help them jumpstart their careers!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Networking!!!!!!!!!!

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We were able to entice Berci Mesko —a Hungarian medical student who writes at ScienceRoll and is founder of Webicina —to chat with us about the transection of Web 2.0, science and medicine.

Berci, who only sleeps four hours each night, is a medical section editor at Wikipedia, runs courses in Second Life (and real life at his medical school) and can frequently be found on Twitter enlightening his followers on topics ranging from personalized RSS feeds for physicians to the latest breakthroughs in medical genetics. While this ought to be enough for most people, Berci told us that he always wanted to be a scientist and— to realize this dream— will be entering a PhD program next fall. He is a very bright, energetic and engaging fellow whose understanding of the relationships between physicians and patients are insightful and instructive.

Have a listen and also check out BioCrowd!

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Listening!!!

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Vincent Racaniello, a pioneer in RNA virology and world class researcher on the pathogenesis of polio, believes that social media can be used to enhance scientific research and improve science education. Vincent recently blogged about this on his virology blog and graciously allowed me to repost it to BioJobBlog. It is an interesting perspective from an innovative and creative scientist.

Science and the Social Web

In a previous post about why I blog and podcast, I discussed how these activities allow me to think more about virology and to teach far more people than I ever could in a laboratory or classroom. Is there even more value in the web for scientists?

There are three different web activities, besides blogging and podcasting that enhance science in new ways. The first is the ability to post comments on blogs and podcasts. In so doing, people can interact in ways that were not previously possible. Scientists who have never met, or students hoping to learn, all can connect and create an instructive and creative dialog. Don’t understand something in a post? Just ask. Have something different to contribute? Post it. Science can only benefit from interactions not limited by geography or time.

The second powerful web tool for science is the social networks. We know how MySpace and Facebook made it easy to meet and interact with new people. These networks also allow scientists to connect and talk about their profession. There are various groups on Facebook that enable focused, productive discussions among scientists. Even more useful are the social networks that have been developed specifically for scientists - well over 20 according to this  blog post. These networks exist to foster interactions - meeting other scientists, looking for jobs, troubleshooting experiments, finding answers to thorny questions. The value of scientific social networks is that they enable dialogue far beyond what you could achieve on your floor, in your building, by telephone or email. The result is scientific interactions at unprecedented levels.

The third web tool for scientists is Twitter. This microblogging platform restricts users to posts of 140 characters or less - the end result is concentrated information. For scientists, Twitter can be either a distraction or a gold mine. If you choose to follow individuals who are interested in science, you will, in the course of a day, find tweets with links to interesting science - news or journal articles; comments on science; questions about science or science methods - in brief, the kind of exchange originally facilitated by email but far more immediate and pithy. Follow the right people on Twitter, and receive useful information. I keep an eye on Twitter to find tips on how scientists use the web, the latest science news, and comments on science in general. In turn, when I learn of an interesting science news event or article, I tweet it. Mr. Tweet’s discussion of  the evolution of a twitter user crystallizes this concept.

There is also great value for scientists at FriendFeed. No, it’s not a fourth category - it’s an aggregator of the three activities described above, one-stop for all your blogging, podcasting, social networking, and twittering.

These three aspects of the social web are revolutionizing science. By using them, I am learning more about my field than I ever have before. Those who choose not to take advantage of the social web will miss the opportunity to become more creative and productive scientists.

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I was reading Karen Ventii’s Science to Life blog today and she “turned me on” to a couple of new web-based tools that I think might be useful to people who work in the biosciences. I added Karen’s recommendations to a list that I was building and decided that it had reached enough of a critical mass to share it with you.

The first of these new tools is called graduatejunction.com, a research community primarily aimed at graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. According to its founders—a team of UK graduate students at Durham and Oxford universities—the intent of graduatejunction.com is build a community of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows so that members can stay abreast of research activities within in the community and to connect with other community members who share common research interests. Not a bad idea, considering that many graduate students and postdocs frequently operate in intentional mentor-induced research vacuums.

The second is called labmeeting.com. It is a novel, web-based tool that helps researchers organize (and search) personal PDF collections, share laboratory protocols, Powerpoint presentations and other scientific data with their lab mates. The software was created by graduate students at Stanford University and it aims to organize laboratory research so that it can be conducted more efficiently and at a faster pace (time is money after all). I think that this concept has legs and might be a big winner downstream (although security will be of paramount importance).

Another new tool that warrants praise is biomedexperts.com that was created by Collexis, Inc. In my opinion, biomedexperts.com is the “mother of all” publication search tools and literature management systems. Billed as the first literature-based social network, it allows users to quickly perform personalized literature searches (based on authorship and research interests) and then identify potential collaborators or competitors who have published in the same research areas. Unfortunately, while biomedexperts.com is a “monster” web-based, literature search application, the communication and interactivity between community members is extremely limited and almost non-existent.

Finally, for those of you who are tired of using PubMed’s arcane Boolean search algorithm to find relevant publications, you might consider trying a new free search engine (semanticmedline.com) that allows users to search MEDLINE using phrases or “conventional sentences." Cognition Technologies, creator of the site, says its “semantic natural language processing technology "incorporates word and phrase knowledge to comprehend the meaning and nuances of the English language." Although early reviews suggest that semanticmedline.com might not powerful enough for doing comprehensive science literature searches, it may be useful in situations when you are working on a time-sensitive project or you need to quickly find an article for this afternoon’s journal club meeting (that you failed  to enter into your blackberry or iPhone).

Check them out—they are all pretty cool (for scientists anyway-not that there is anything wrong with that)!

Until next time

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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Insmed a small, Richmond Va-based biotechnology and manufacturing company has upped the ante in the fight to bring follow-on biologics to America.  After spending some time on Capitol Hill, company executives  found that “people in Washington, as well as payors and patients don’t have an understanding at a reasonable level of the debate that is going on and the issues” surrounding that follow-on biologics debate. To reach as wide an audience as possible and frame the debate on the issues” the company decided to use the Internet to take the initiative to the next level–the Internet.

A key to Insmed’s initiative is an economic study on the potential savings follow-on biologics could provide to patients, payors and healthcare providers. The study is still being conducted and its results will be published on the net when available. The campaign also includes advocacy components that like user-generated content (blogs) and social networking sites. Recently, Insmed posted a video clip on YouTube that feature one of its scientists extolling the virtues and cost-saving advantages of follow-on biologics.

As many of you may know, I have long been an advocate of legislation to allow the approval and sale of follow-on biologics in the US.  Unfortunately, until now, only one side of the debate–from big biotech and BIO–has been heard by the American public. This has largely been due to marketing muscle and deep pockets of big biotech coupled with a lack of unity among follow-on biologics advocates. Web 2.0 with its social networks, blogs and video sites allows people with the smallest voices to be heard. And, sometimes those small voices can turn into  roars!

Kudos to Insmed for having the courage to boldly go where no generics manufacturer has gone before–on YouTube! Yeah baby!!!

Until next time….

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting (see you on Web 2.0)!!!!!!!!

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