“It reaches people in different demographic and psychographic profiles. That being the case, more people will receive more messages that are more relevant to them and, as a result, will be more compliant with their treatment regimens.”

Buying Medical Devices Online

According to a study by Cyber Dialogue, 11 million consumers are shopping on the Internet for health and beauty products, and that number is projected to grow to 55 million by 2005. Drug purchases account for most of the $93 million that consumers spent for health care over the Internet. However, growing numbers of consumers are buying medical devices on-line. The medical devices include such products as hearing aids, contact lenses, magnets, and laboratory diagnostic test kits.

While the Internet offers many quality medical devices from legitimate sites, it also offers medical devices that don’t work and some that may even harm you or your family. Some Web sites sell medical devices for unapproved uses, or they sell medical devices that have not been cleared or approved by FDA. Other Web sites sell prescription medical devices without asking for a prescription. Some foreign Web sites sell medical devices to customers in the United States where the medical devices have not been cleared or approved for sale. Below are some examples of problems with Internet purchases.

The Internet offers many opportunities for consumers to receive new information and new offers of legitimate medical products. Unfortunately, it is difficult to examine an Internet business in the same way as you would a local store. It is easy for a dishonest merchant to set up a professional-looking Web site. However, if you take a few simple precautions, your Internet purchase can be a worthwhile experience.

More than 73 million online consumers in the U.S. are looking for clinical knowledge about medical topics and many of these deal with the medical devices they are selling. Put another way, the marketing environment for medical device companies is beginning to mirror that of the pharmaceutical industry’s, and the consumer, not the medical professional, is at the heart of the equation, thanks to the Internet.

For medical device marketing managers, there is an enormous opportunity to market to online consumers, also known in Internet speak as ‘health seekers.’ Of the more than 73 million health seekers searching the Internet for health information, it is important to note that most, according to recent research, turn away from sites that appear to be selling something and are instead seeking credible, non-commercial information. The health seeker is web-savvy, educated and hungry for reliable diagnostic information, and it is the product marketer’s job to play right into this demand with great skill, and the right interactive, web-based strategy.

About $1.5 billion advertising dollars are spent annually by the medical device industry in specialized trade journals that target physicians and other healthcare professionals, and it is forecasted that the industry plans on spending another $50 million in the next year on consumer advertising. Now would be the time to redirect budgets, at a fraction of the cost, to launch a widespread online campaign based on education and interactive tools for consumers that illustrate the value of your product while also providing essential, clinical information in non-branded, trustworthy web-driven environments.