Teva launches YouTube channel for PD

The Israel-based generic drug giant Teva has launched a video channel on the YouTube web site concentrating on Parkinson's disease, called  TevaNeuroHealth. Like some other drugmakers' efforts, the project does  not allow the embedding of videos onto other web sites or invited  unrestricted comments.

However, Mark Senak, a public relations expert in the pharmaceutical  field writes on the Eye on FDA blog that "one of the most interesting  parts of the narrative accompanying the channel is the encouragement of  consumers to report negative side effects of drugs and the provision of  information on how to do that." Mr Senak also compares the Teva effort  with those of other drugmakers, such as UK-headquartered majors  GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca, as well as France's number one  Sanofi-Aventis. He concludes that "channels that feature patient stories  seem to be prospering." Overall, the development of on-line video  diaries by patients would seem to encourage this trend.