Patient Influencers Partnering with Companies for Drug Promotion

Claims by patient influencers may be an accurate reflection of their own experience with drugs, but it may not support that they will provide ‘relief’ quickly.

During the television show ‘The View’, Kim Kardashian, who has 255 million followers on Instagram, touted the benefit of migraine drug Nurtec ODT.

She became a paid spokesperson for Biohaven Pharmaceuticals a few weeks before her visit to the popular daytime talk show.

‘Patient influencers may help people explore the confusing world of health care, but it must be done ethically.’
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The Biohaven promotional video aired during the talk show revealed how medical companies hire celebrities to promote their products.

Patient influencers build niche followings on social media and build trust with their audiences through sharing their day-to-day experiences, personal accounts and ‘life hacks’.

They share their experiences with a specific medical condition, usually for money or free or discounted products.

“It literally works within, for me, 15 minutes. And anyone with a migraine, for 15 minutes, of pure agony, they’re like knives in my head,” Kardashian told viewers about the migraine drug back in July 2020. “So, to have this relief, and to not be in a fog afterwards … I’m able to just go with the rest of my day.”

Experts and influencers say the role of patient influencer can help people navigate the confusing world of health care, but it must be done ethically and honestly.

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Nearly an year after Kardashian’s appearance on ‘The View’, the FDA sent Biohaven Pharmaceuticals a warning letter that Kardashian’s claims were ‘false’ or ‘misleading’ and said that the video violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

“While these claims may be an accurate reflection of the spokesperson’s own experience with Nurtec ODT, their personal experience does not adequately support the suggestion that the drug will provide ‘relief’ within 15 to 30 minutes,” the letter stated.

Need for Marketing’ Amid Old Regulations

Many pharmaceutical companies are partnering with patient influencers to promote their products and services on social media platforms, according to early research findings published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

“A consumer medical product can only help someone if they know it exists, which creates a need for marketing and advertising, including through partners in social media,” says David Spangler, JD, a senior vice president at the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

The FDA and the Federal Trade Commission have established regulations for drug and medical companies that advertise on social media.

Source-Medindia