Healthcare professionals are turning to social media for pharma education

Aug 22
MedFluencers just released some interesting survey results that show HCPs are increasingly turning to social platforms for pharmaceutical education and patient engagement. In the survey of HCPs across 15 different specialties, a whopping 85% said that their patients have brought up social media posts during their appointments.

Dr. Sanjay Juneja, MedFluencers' President of Innovation, sees this as a big opportunity. “Patients are already on social media, and they trust what they see. It’s up to us as healthcare professionals to share accurate, engaging content that can fight misinformation.” He also called on pharma companies to jump on board, urging them to support these efforts and get more involved in the conversation.
The survey also found that 92% of HCPs are open to learning about new drugs or medical devices through social media. Dr. Adam Goodcoff, CEO and Co-founder of MedFluencers, explained that today’s generation of doctors is not interested in traditional sales pitches or long-winded presentations. “No one wants boring iPad presentations anymore,” he said. Interestingly, over half of the HCPs surveyed said they’d rather avoid face-to-face visits from industry sales reps, and nearly 40% skip traditional lectures for their continuing education.

The overwhelming consensus (nearly 90%) is that pharma companies aren’t taking full advantage of social media as a communication tool. 

Whether it’s connecting with colleagues or educating patients on new treatments, HCPs are becoming a big part of the growing creator economy. Social media isn’t just a trend for them—it’s quickly becoming one of the most effective ways to share information in the healthcare world.

Partnering with influencers in pharma

Influencers have the ability to shape opinion and they can be an authentic and trusted voice to bridge the gap between brands and their target audiences. In some cases they even have the ability to target hyper-niche communities that would otherwise be difficult to reach through more traditional amplification tactics. 

If you are considering partnering with an influencer (whether a HCP, patient or carer), we'd recommend our "Partnering with Social Media Influencers in Pharma" 50 minute mini-course. In this course we'll take you through:
  • Why you may want to consider working with influencers
  • The different ways you can work with influencers
  • A 7-step process: right from the initial scope through to community management and monitoring
  • The pros and cons of using influencer platforms
  • Some compliance watch-outs and tips for getting influencers approved within your organisation
  • And of course, healthcare examples to inspire you!

Select a course to start your learning journey

Created with