Bringing social media on board in pharma sector

Darren Spevick of global life sciences executive search and interim management specialist RSA, looks at some of the challenges and opportunities posed by social media and the part that the right people in the right places, can play in harnessing the power and staying compliant.

In March of this year, GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK) announced that it was working with Infosys and Fabric  to sharpen up its digital strategy. In the same month Janssen announced that it was closing its pioneering Psoriasis 360 Facebook page.  The two stories provide complementary and quite different perspectives on the Life Sciences industry’s adoption of social media, says Mr Spevick.

GSK’s goal is to work with its new partners to strengthen its on-line presence and improve its use of social media. The aim is quite business-specific, centred on achieving better digital engagement with consumers and health care professionals leading to “rapid growth and deeper customer engagement.” GSK is an example of a company that is engaging with social media and looking to the future.