The Impact of Social Media Distrust on Pharmaceutical Marketing

In this Pharmaceutical Executive video interview, Ian Baer, Founder & CEO of Sooth, explores the growing distrust and uncertainty surrounding social media and its impact on the pharmaceutical industry. Key contributors to this distrust include the spread of misinformation, the rise of AI-generated content, and the politicization of social media platforms. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by pharma companies in building trust with patients in this environment, including the need to combat misinformation and navigate the complexities of social media platforms.

He emphasizes the importance of building partnerships with trusted voices, such as medical influencers and patient communities, to effectively communicate with patients. It also underscores the need for transparency and authenticity in pharma's social media presence, including acknowledging and addressing patient concerns and responding to negative feedback.

The conversation concludes with a discussion on the evolving role of social media in healthcare and the potential for private communities and personalized sharing to play a greater role in the future.

What are the consequences of public distrust of social media? How will that impact pharma marketing and the industry's presence on the various social platforms?

Especially in the healthcare category, which in the US is going through so much in terms of public debate, political debate, the whole economic model being called into question, people having questions about their health insurance and what it covers. They're paying more for that insurance and often are paying more out of pocket for drugs. Now you've got companies out there purporting, ‘Oh, I'll save you all that you don't need a doctor and you don't need a pharmacist and you don't need health insurance, just take this, this magic bottle of pills’, and if it comes recommended by somebody I trust, who again, may be getting spiffed for making that recommendation, say, ‘My God, I've never felt so good. I've never felt so young.’ It's, it's potentially very damaging, and it's a debate that needs to be brought to the forefront much more. Again, I'm as big a fan of alternative medicine as anybody. I have been seeing a naturopath for 20 years. I'm a believer in that stuff, but it has to be regulated and, you know, I have to know that there's some standardization around what I'm getting and some science behind it. But you know, even science itself is now much more open to questions somehow than it's ever been, because even science often is seen as having its own biases, you know, as evidenced by the fact that the number of Flat Earthers is growing in this country.