Pharmaceutical Marketing Definitions
Medical Affairs
Medical Education (including but not limited to CME)
This subcategory includes all resource allocations associated with delivering accredited and non-accredited continuing medical education (CME) programs, including strategy development, program selection, grant application management and decision making, vendor selection and management, and program management.
Medical Information
Medical Information activities include responding to inquiries from physicians, payers and consumers about topics such as label information, medical data or off-label information. This subcategory includes medical information call center activities as well.
Thought Leader Activities/MSL Programs
This subcategory includes expenses related to consulting and advisory services provided by thought leaders, as well as activities related to cultivating new research opportunities.
Medical Publications
This subcategory includes expenses incurred during the creation and distribution of medical publications.
Decision Support
Market Research
Market research includes resource allocations associated with the design and execution of market research studies, such as primary and secondary research and message testing.
Competitive Intelligence
This subcategory includes expenses incurred when tracking market trends and competitor activities.
Market Access
Pricing and Reimbursement
This includes expenditures on pricing study design and execution as well as work concerning strategic pricing decisions. It also includes resource allocations associated with securing reimbursement for the brand from third-party payers. Included are the costs for marketing to and negotiating formulary placement with payer organizations such as insurance companies, local and federal government agencies, HMOs and other groups. Activities include message development and testing and promotional materials development.
Health Economics and Outcomes Research
Health Economics and Outcomes Research includes investments in the study of health economics and health outcomes associated with the use of pharmaceutical products and/or medical devices.
Advertising and Promotions
Health Care Providers
Detail Aids and Promotional Materials
This category, which excludes sampling, includes resource allocations associated with the development and creation of posters, brochures, promotional items, supplements and other promotional tools or collateral used by field forces to promote the brand.
Print Journal Ads
This includes expenses incurred during the creation and placement of journal ads.
Promotional Speaker Programs
This subcategory includes all resource allocations associated with the sponsorship of promotional speaking events, dinner meetings, luncheons and other speeches.
Congresses, Symposia and Conference Promotions
This subcategory includes expenses associated with promotions at meetings, including medical congresses, therapeutic area conferences, satellite symposia and other gatherings of medical professionals.
Digital Marketing
This includes all resource allocations associated with digital marketing that targets physicians, nurses, physician assistants and other health care providers. It includes tools such as brand websites, social media, mobile device campaigns and applications, and other online marketing and communications.
Physician Support Programs
This subcategory includes expenses incurred during the creation and management of physician support programs. These programs assist physicians by helping them navigate payers’ drug reimbursement processes on behalf of their patients.
Patients and Consumers
Direct-to-Consumer Advertising
This subcategory includes expenses incurred during the creation and placement of mass-market DTC advertisements, such as television, radio and print spots.
Patient Communication and Education
This category includes all costs of non-DTC patient communications, including programs for patient education, disease education and awareness, adherence and compliance, patient outreach, patient advocacy and other direct-to-patient, communication, education or marketing.