AstraZeneca (AZ) launched a branded YouTube channel today for its asthma drug Symbicort, as well as My Asthma Story (myasthmastory.com), a website calling for testimonial videos.
The YouTube channel and “vlog” (video blog) feature testimonial videos in widescreen, where patients describe their experiences with Symbicort. Some risk information scrolls across the bottom margin of the videos while they play, and a link to full PI information appears near the top of the channel page. Other fair balance information appears elsewhere on the page. The channel also directs consumers to myasthmastory.com, where Symbicort users are invited to upload videos about their own experiences with the drug.
According to Dana Settembrino, senior brand communications manager at AZ, the videos submitted on myasthmastory.com will be reviewed by a panel of legal, regulatory and compliance experts, with their selections appearing on the Symbicort YouTube channel. Videos appearing on the YouTube channel are not open for comment by viewers.
The YouTube channel and the My Asthma Story website were created by Digitas and Cadient, and allow asthma-sufferers to “share patient stories about controlling asthma,” said Settembrino. “[The channel and website] is a way to engage patients and maintain a conversation,” she said.
From the March 01, 2009 Issue of MM+M - Medical Marketing and Media
