Digital Pharma: Pfizer launches Dutch prescription service
pharmafile | January 12, 2011 | News story | Medical Communications | Digital Pharma blog, Holland, Pfizer, consumer healthcare, disease awareness campaigns, healthcare coaching, ilivi.nl, patient information
Pfizer has tied up with an online pharmacy to break new ground in patient services in Holland with ilivi.nl.
The company’s Dutch consumer healthcare portal began piloting a repeat prescription service late last year in Utrecht, Gelderland and Overijssel, and a national roll-out of the service is reported to be due this year.
The pharma initiative is just one of more than 70 from across the industry to be featured in the new Digital Pharma links directory and filed under Campaigns.
Pfizer’s ilivi.nl will offer to fill prescriptions, irrespective of which company manufactures the items, through a partnership with online pharmacy eFarma. Pfizer has also partnered with a number of logistics companies, including TNT, to manage the home delivery aspect of the service.
Other services offered by the healthcare portal include an online shop stocked with a range of self-care related items such as over-the-counter remedies and tools.
Pharmaceutisch Weekblad reported in November that Dutch competition authorities don’t prevent drug manufacturers from offering this type of service and it says Pfizer will provide a 24-hour helpline for patients who have questions about their prescriptions.
Pfizer’s Ilivi.nl site also offers second opinions and online consultations. Limited to a simple Q&A format, the consultations are free if they fall into one of 14 therapy areas, including cholesterol medication and psoriasis.
Pfizer’s biggest selling product is the cholesterol drug Lipitor and it also has a leading treatment for psoriasis in Enbrel and may have another in its phase III candidate tasocitinib.
Pfizer has then partnered with online health information company Medical Media to offer advice in a further 20 areas at a cost of seven euros per question.
The site, which is being advertised on Dutch television (see below), also offers information on exercise, diet and a number of diseases.
Ilivi has echoes of Pfizer’s ManMOT initiative, the UK online male health surgery it launched last July to offer the public confidential advice and information about any health problem.
GSK launches US health coaching website
Meanwhile, another big pharma company took a step into this area with the launch this week of an interactive health coaching website.
GlaxoSmithKline’s US HealthCoach4Me.com aims to help the public reach their personal health goals in areas like weight management and smoking cessation, where the company is active with alli and Nicorette respectively.
It also provides comprehensive information and coaching for conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, breast cancer, diabetes, heart disease and migraines.
Online pharma campaigns directory
Ilivi.nl, ManMOT and HealthCoach4Me are all featured in the Campaigns page of Digital Pharma’s new links section.
The new section, which went live today, is part of our efforts to build a comprehensive directory of digital pharma initiatives and includes over 70 disease awareness and information campaigns for healthcare professionals and patients.
It builds on the mobile apps section which was launched last week and contains information on more than 60 iPhone, iPad, Android and BlackBerry apps produced by pharmaceutical companies.
Dominic Tyer is web editor for Pharmafocus and InPharm.com and the author of the Digital Pharma blog He can be contacted via email, Twitter or LinkedIn.
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