Pharmaceutical companies are finding ways to market direct to health consumers. Although direct advertising of s8 drugs is not allowed in Australia, influence is coming via advertising campaigns that suggest consumers 'ask your doctor'. As well, clubs and programs increase patient compliance (and therefore sales) when direct mail, websites, SMS or e-email are used to remind patients who register about script renewal and regular checkups. Doctors are encouraged to enlist their patients.

Now comes Pfizer Australia with its recently launched web service myeportal.com.au. This targets doctors and their patients. It is run by IT subcontractor BigNet. Doctors who register get a free practice website that can include health information from Pfizer or other sources.

BigNet's Aman Berhar said around 3000 doctors have registered so far, hard to imagine as registration involves agreeing to 3000 words of terms and conditions that mostly safeguard Pfizer's position!

The important Pfizer privacy statement says a "secondary purpose" for the use of registering doctors is "to provide ongoing information about Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd's products and services to people that Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd believes may be interested".

Their intention became more obvious when, soon after registering, one doctor received an e-newsletter from Pfizer before his password had been issued to allow log-on to the website! "My e Portal Doctor Newsletter" invited the doctor to participate in CME activities aligned with Pfizer products, promoted a number or third party websites (including one "for the discerning woman"), offered a travel agent's holiday package and promoted a competition for Optusnet. Hardly Pfizer "products and services" as outlined in their privacy statement!

It appears Pfizer has contracted a third party IT vendor to provide an internet service with Pfizer branding, as a way of gaining access to GPs. Unfortunate for the GPs, their are a raft of commercial products companioning the Pfizer material, obviously designed to reduce Pfizer's investment in the project.

Thank God for spam laws allowing e-news recipients to opt out.