AZ Health Connections

Principles for product-related online dialogue

AstraZeneca believes health care companies have an obligation to responsibly engage in social media to help patients, caregivers and prescribers make informed decisions about our medicines.

 

Today, AstraZeneca published guidance we submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for pharmaceutical companies to engage in online conversations on branded medicines. Our guidance was in response to the FDA’s published call for comments back in September and two days of public hearings held in November.

 

At the core of our proposal are five important principles

 

 

1. Truth and Accuracy: Content that is truthful, balanced, accurate, and not misleading

2. Be Respectful: Respect the interests of patients, caregivers, and health care providers, particularly related to matters of privacy and the primacy of the patient/physician relationship

3. Protect and Advance Patient Health: Provide accurate and timely reporting on medicine safety

4. Transparency: Any sponsorship should be entirely transparent as to the role of product sponsors as participants in online discusions

5. Respect the Views of Others: Acknowledge other opinions but don’t censor or limit these views; rather, add the product sponsor's views tothe ongoing discussions

This blog represents a corporate presence in social media but, we, like many others, believe it is increasingly important to provide accurate, timely and regulated information about our branded products in conversations with patients, caregivers, and health care providers.

The general public indisputably turns to the Internet for health information and the amount of incomplete or erroneous information that is being published and distributed in social media is concerning. But we can’t be part of these conversations without FDA guidance.

If companies like AstraZeneca are absent in these conversations, where will consumers turn for accurate, timely and regulated information? 

What do you think?  Please review AstraZeneca’s FDA submission and let us know your thoughts.

Click here to view AstraZeneca’s full FDA submission

AstraZeneca announces total patient savings and prescriptions through AZ&Me™

Today AstraZeneca announced total patient savings and prescriptions provided through its AZ&Me™ patient assistance program. In 2009, the AZ&Me™ Prescription Savings Program helped 507,475 patients fill 3.8 million prescriptions in the United States last year resulting in $769.6 million in savings to these patients. These numbers represented a 13% increase in patients benefitting from AZ&Me™ than in 2008.

The rise in patients is not all surprising – AstraZeneca’s US President Rich Fante stated the “last year was particularly difficult for many Americans who faced tough economic conditions.”

AstraZeneca expanded its prescription savings program last year to extend assistance to qualifying patients who recently lost their jobs, had their incomes reduced, or experienced a change in marital status or family size.

The AZ&Me™ Prescription Savings programs provide free medicines to patients in three ways:

1. To qualifying individuals without prescription drug coverage who make up to $30,000 per year and families of four with $60,000 annual household income.
2. To qualifying Medicare Part D patients who make up to $30,000 per year or couples who make up to $40,000 per year.
3. To qualifying non-profit organizations, such as disproportionate share hospitals, community health centers and community free clinics. This program connects patients to the medicines they need at the same time and place they receive their treatment.
At AstraZeneca, we know that no matter how effective our medicines may be, our medicines can’t help patients if they cannot afford them. If you or somebody you know is in need of assistance, please visit www.AZandMe.com or call 1-800-AzandMe to see if you qualify. Program specialists are available Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST. Other companies also offer prescription savings programs and to find out more about these programs, please visit www.pparx.org or call 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669).
We encourage our readers to share the news about these programs and help raise awareness among people who may be in need of help.

New Study: Rates of Diabetes on the Rise

As I’ve worked my way through the email and RSS feeds that have piled up this week, one in particular caught my eye – Projecting the Future Diabetes Population Size and Related Costs for the U.S.  I went on to read the following:

A new study out of the University of Chicago published in the December issue of Diabetes Care reports that the number of Americans with diabetes will nearly double in the next 25 years and spending on the disease will nearly triple if things remain as they are right now. “…we will have massive increases in diabetes incidence in this country over the next two decades,” says researcher Elbert S. Huang, MD of the University of Chicago.

In light of our post on diabetes, I wanted to share this data.

All the best,
Earl

AstraZeneca Contributes to Global Rescue Effort for Haiti (updated)

AstraZeneca is contributing to the global rescue effort in the wake of Haiti’s devastating earthquake. We have donated antibiotic and respiratory medicines through US charity AmeriCares and made an initial donation of £100,000 (approx. $163,000) to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal.

AstraZeneca has now donated an additional $340,000 to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal and committed an additional $500,000 to support a longer-term disaster recovery program that will give the people of Haiti help to re-build their lives and communities.

AstraZeneca US and the American Red Cross have created an online AstraZeneca Haiti Relief donation web site to receive emergency relief and recovery effort contributions from employees.

Decompressing After The Holidays: Helpful Resources

The start of a new year is a time of excitement celebration and joy for many people.  It is also a time of stress associated with holiday shopping, decorating and event planning from the weeks before – or even grief and loneliness.

However, while nearly everyone is dealing with some added stress after the holidays, people with mental illness may be especially vulnerable and  have difficulty accessing resources and services that could help them.

At AstraZeneca, we understand how important support can be for patients, as well as their families. That is why we support programs designed to help people living with mental illness as well as their caregivers. It is through partnerships with non-profit organizations that AstraZeneca can continue to contribute to programs that are designed to help ensure the supportive mental health services that patients need are available and accessible to them.

• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (www.dbsalliance.org ) is a leading patient-directed national organization focusing on mental illnesses.
   
  
• Families for Depression Awareness (www.familyaware.org ) helps families recognize and cope with depressive disorders to get people well and prevent suicides.


• Mental Health America (www.nmha.org ) is dedicated to helping all people live mentally healthier lives..


• National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.nami.org) supports public efforts focused on educating America about mental illness, offering resources to those in need, and insisting that mental illness become a high national priority.


• National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (www.thenationalcouncil.org ) serves more than 6 million adults and children with mental illnesses and addiction disorders..


• The Jed Foundation (www.jedfoundation.org ) is the leading nonprofit organization working to reduce the rate of suicide and the prevalence of emotional distress among college students..

At www.FacingBipolar.com, you can learn more about bipolar depression and download useful tools like a mood diary and medication tracker.

All of these programs are important resources but the most important resource is your healthcare professional who can discuss the most appropriate care for your individual needs.

Best wishes for a healthy and happy new year.

Going Green for the Holidays

As we once again approach the holiday season and wonder how 2009 passed by so quickly, thoughts turn to celebrations with family and friends. Letters and yes, emails to Santa (check out emailsanta.com), have been written, sent, rewritten and sent yet again; I bet my young daughter and three nieces are perfecting additional revisions.

One of the pleasures of the holiday season is sharing gifts between loved ones. It is fun to watch and see the joy in anyone's eyes when receiving that one special personal gift that meets or exceeds hopes and expectations. But at the same time, one of the biggest displeasures for me is seeing and knowing the amount of trash generated. You know what I mean – the endless amount of plastic, bubble wrap and cardboard packaging - not to mention the countless reams of paper and ribbon torn up in instant or over days of celebrations..

AstraZeneca is committed to helping people live longer, healthier lives and part of that responsibility is be a good steward of the environment. This led me to think – and ask colleagues – how can we create "greener" holiday celebrations? I want to share some of the more original answers I received which I will try using this year:

• Cut up holiday cards from last year and reuse them as gift tags.
• Wrap gifts in tissue paper and don't use boxes.
• Instead of bows, use flowers, greenery or holly berries to top your gifts.
• Replace paper napkins on your holiday table with cloth napkins. You'll have these to reuse year after year.
• If you have the outdoor space, consider a live Christmas tree that can be planted after the holidays rather than a cut tree. Also, LED tree lighting now is a readily available and affordable alternative to conventional holiday lighting – and uses 90% less energy.
• If you receive a new cellphone or computer take the extra step to responsibly recycle your old electronics. Most major electronics retailers now have bins for old cell phones and laptops.

How will you have a more "green" holiday this year? I'd love to hear your comments. As always, thanks for reading and have a Happy Holiday!

- Earl

New Enhancements To AstraZeneca’s Medicare Part D Patient Assistance Program

At AstraZeneca, we know the most important step we can take to improve healthcare is to continue building a pipeline of valued medicines that make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives.  But as I said on a previous post AstraZeneca believes that healthcare isn’t just about treatment. It is also about affordability, access, prevention, and solving chronic problems. AstraZeneca made an important announcement today to help seniors on Medicare Part D have easier access to our medicines.

We know that no matter how effective our medicines may be, our medicines can’t help patients if they cannot afford them. That’s why for more than 30 years, we have offered patient assistance programs to help people afford our medications. Today, we announced that patients enrolled in our AZ&Me Prescription Savings program for people with Medicare Part D will no longer pay co-pays for their medicines in this program. Effective January 1, 2010 prescriptions will also now be mailed to these patients’ homes or physician’s offices rather than retail pharmacies. The elimination of a co-pay will save approximately 30,000 of our patients enrolled in the program a total of $3 million each year and eliminate the need to travel to a retail pharmacy.

In addition to our assistance program for people with Medicare Part D, we also offer other AZ&Me Prescription Savings Programs for individuals without insurance and one for healthcare facilities. If you or somebody you know is in need of assistance, please visit www.AZandMe.com or call 1-800-AzandMe to see if you qualify. Program specialists are available Monday through Friday between the hours of 9a.m. and 5p.m. EST. Other companies also offer prescription savings programs and to find out more about these programs covering 2,500 medications, please visit www.pparx.org or call 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669).

We encourage our readers to share the news about these programs and help raise awareness among people who may be in need of help. In addition, we are interested in any feedback you may have regarding these changes.

Take a Stand Against Diabetes during American Diabetes Month®

Thanksgiving is coming quickly and, with it, a special meal with family and friends.  But this year, I’m re-thinking how I view the Thanksgiving feast.

The American Diabetes Association has designated November as American Diabetes Month, and every November 14th is World Diabetes Day. World Diabetes Day is celebrated every year to engage millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy.  

What better time than Diabetes Awareness Month to raise awareness? Diabetes isn’t just a condition; it is a chronic epidemic that affects nearly 24 million children and adults in the United States alone.  There are an additional 57 million Americans at risk for type 2 diabetes¹.  

At AstraZeneca we are committed to communicating the seriousness of the disease and stressing the importance of prevention and control. That is one of the reasons why we have partnered with the International Diabetes Foundation on World Diabetes Day. I encourage anyone reading this post to become a fan of World Diabetes Day on Facebook.

Awareness is the first step in fighting type 2 diabetes. So is having a healthy diet and exercising, every day, not just on holidays. This year I’m going to make my Thanksgiving menu healthier. And I’m also going to make sure I get my exercise in over the holidays.

What will you do to help lower your risk for diabetes? And what are your tips on helping to raise Diabetes Awareness? Let us know any resources or programs that help combat diabetes – we’d love to hear from you.

1. http://www.diabetes.org/communityprograms-and-localevents/americandiabetesmonth.

Health Engagement Goals

Well we’ve just completed our initial two-weeks with AZ Health Connections.  Writing on this blog has been a valuable learning experience for me. Feedback, dialogue and opinion, whether it be supportive, critical or somewhere in between is healthy, no pun intended. It helps AstraZeneca and me see ourselves from alternate points of view and gives us important insights on news and issues. It also makes us think harder and broader about the issues.

I’ve been talking with friends, colleagues and respected social media professionals to get their perspectives on what a health company can do to engage the public through social media and stay within the scope of current FDA rules and regulations. Why is this so important?

For starters, nearly every presenter at last week’s FDA hearings on the role of the Internet and social media to promote medical products, noted that the general public indisputably turns to the Internet for health information, and that social media is a very different landscape than other media. Many quoted recent Pew research stating that 61% of Americans and 83% of Internet users search online for health information.

Secondly, health care companies need to be concerned about the amount of incomplete or erroneous information that is being published and distributed in social media. In order to share accurate and relevant health information with the public on our company, issues, and medicines we have to be part of the conversations where they are happening.

I have summarized what I’ve heard in my discussions with knowledgeable social media practitioners, colleagues and friends down to the following key points:

1. Content Should be Comprehensive, Relevant, and Meaningful
   We should never assume people do not want or can’t understand information. People want as much accurate and relevant news as they can get their hands on. It’s better to share more and let readers be the judges of what they ultimately value and absorb.
   


2. Be Transparent and Communicate Openly
   This means talking about the bad news along with the good. For the purposes of this blog, we won’t be addressing product information, but we will continue to discuss corporate and industry issues with you openly and honestly and direct you to appropriate product related information sources to answer those questions.  We’ll also admit when we don’t have an answer.
   


3. Provide Information Rapidly
   This is always somewhat of a tricky subject for us. We know that people expect organizations to provide information almost instantaneously. However, in order to adhere to current FDA guidelines and industry regulations, we aren’t always able to be as fast as we’d like. Sacrificing speed will sometimes be the cost of behaving and responding both responsibly and ethically.
   


4. Become a Valued Voice in the Conversations
   We understand people have questions and they’re looking for answers.  AstraZeneca wants to be a trusted source for answers and information on issues, how we conduct ourselves as a business, our relationships with key stakeholders, and the safety of our medicines.  We want to continually earn trust in our mission to improve patients’ health through meaningful medicines. It is critically important to us that the public trusts our ability to carry out this responsibility ethically and in the best interests of patient health.
   


5. Go Beyond the Pill
   Healthcare isn’t just about treatment.
   It’s also about issues like affordability, access, prevention, and solving chronic problems. We feel strongly that we need to interact on all patient experience touch points– and to engage the public more holistically along the entire health and wellness spectrum.
   
   At AstraZeneca we believe we have a responsibility for not just curing illnesses, but for also helping keep people healthy. We need to help people live healthier lives so they don’t develop chronic conditions– as well as help diagnose and treat chronic conditions earlier before they become acute.
   


6. Make it Personal
   People want to be engaged on the topics that matter most to their personal health. We want to help create an experience for a person that is more meaningful and complete – and raise the bar for what people expect from a health care company.  Why?  Because healthcare connects us all. It is the common thread that connects all people regardless of nationality or socioeconomic status – everyone wants to be well, or to get better.
   
   We know that a healthier world will not come from medicines alone. But we believe that it can come from collaboration between healthcare companies, patients, patient advocates, professional caregivers, and government.  The road to a healthier world lies in the connections that we form between all of us.

There you have it – some of the preliminary insights and learnings I’ve picked up in what I expect will be a continually evolving conversation. Industry guidelines and regulations make this a different sort of interaction than most online users are used to having. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make it work.

What else do you think lies at the center of successful health engagement?  Do you have any tips to share that can help those of us trying to navigate the Healthcare Engagement terrain?

Pharma Blogs Face Unique Challenges

“PharmExecBlog’s" Andrew Sheivachman has published one of the first stories related to the launch of our blog.

We are presented with some unique challenges  when it comes to mentioning specific products or disease states on our blog, but despite the critical headline, it’s also wrong for anyone to assume that this is how we want things to be.  We believe it is critical for patients and doctors to have accurate information about AstraZeneca medicines. That’s why our corporate website www.astrazeneca-us.com provides a wealth of information about our products. We’ve also provided the number for our information center (1-800-236-9933) in our blog comments policy. Anyone with questions about our medicines can call this number and get answers immediately. We believe that questions about products deserve fast answers, from live people, and we are happy to offer this service.

Can more be done to help provide accurate, balanced and timely information about our products, especially through social media channels? Yes, of course. But what the PharmaExec blog post labels as “close corporate scrutiny,” I see as responsibility.  While adding any extra level of “scrutiny” to the comments we receive may mean it will take longer for us to respond to a comment, this is how we will operate for now.

On my October 19^th blog I wrote about  the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) holding a public forum to discuss the role of the Internet and social media tools.  We applaud this decision and look forward to their engagement. In the meantime, we hope our early steps into social media will lead to more meaningful and helpful conversations with those who care about our company and the medicines we make.