Pharma Seeks Digital Innovators: A New Phase of the "Pharma Digital Hype Cycle"

The pharmaceutical industry has often been criticized for being behind the "digital curve," meaning that it lacks the expertise to fully take advantage of the Internet and other technology to improve marketing and communications. Although some pharma companies are digital "dunces," others are digital "geniuses" (see, for example, "Is Your Brand a Digital Genius or a Feeble-Minded Idiot?").Lately, several major pharma companies have initiated programs to (1) identify, reward, and work with innovative technology companies, and (2) increase the digital "smarts" of their employees via structured educational activities.Recently, I participated in two such activities:The Roche Digital Academy in Milan, Italy. Read about that here: "Overcoming Pharma’s Social Media Challenges: My Roche Digital Academy Presentation" and here: "Graduation Day at Roche Digital Academy: What's Next?" Bayer HealthCare Grants4Apps™ in Berlin. Read: "Bayer Pharma Meets Pharmaguy Meets Healthcare App Startups: A Call for Best Practices" and "Pharmaguy EU Tour 2013 - The Infographic".Another pharma company that has reached out to reward digital innovators is Sanofi. Sanofi's Data Design Diabetes Innovation Challenge had its inaugural run in 2011. This program engages technology entrepreneurs in a competitive framework while providing mentorship and education around deep patient-centric issues.Other initiatives that foster pharma-technology company relations focus on the R&D side of the business....
Source: Pharma Marketing Blog - Category: Pharma Commentators Tags: Bayer Roche Johnson and Johnson Digital Pharma Sanofi Innovation Source Type: blogs