FACT SHEET: Men's Health
With our population aging and our life spans increasing, men's health has become a growing focal point of the pharmaceutical industry. In support of medications for prostate cancer, testosterone replacement therapy and erectile dysfunction (ED), the expertise of MCS includes:
- Launching new product indications
- Forging alliances with third-party patient and physician groups
- Creating physician advisory boards and disease-education task forces
- Developing physician and consumer-education materials
- Partnering with celebrities on disease-awareness initiatives
Focus on Prostate Cancer
MCS has provided public-relations support for several chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC), including Novantrone® (Immunex), Eulexin® (Schering-Plough) and Taxotere® (Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., now sanofi-aventis). As a primary goal of these campaigns, MCS fostered successful communication between patients and their urologists, oncologists, pain specialists and psychologists to help improve their health and well-being.
- In support of the FDA approval of Novantrone®, the "EPIC (Empowered Patients in Control®)" program empowered HRPC patients to proactively discuss pain management with their physicians, and reached approximately two million consumers and physicians. Tactical elements included:
- Collaborating with third-party groups and thought leaders in urology, oncology, pain management and psychology to form the EPIC panel.
- Launching the program with celebrity Harry Belafonte, a prostate-cancer survivor.
- Disseminating thousands of copies of the EPIC Manual, a set of physician and patient guidebooks explaining late-stage prostate cancer and treatment.
Launching a New Product
On behalf of Columbia Laboratories, MCS developed and implemented a campaign to announce the FDA approval and availability of Striant for the treatment of hypogonadism/testosterone deficiency. In addition to media relations that reached more than 200 million physicians and consumers, MCS cultivated relationships with third-party organizations such as The Men's Health Network and The Pituitary Network Association. MCS also co-developed a brochure designed for women entitled "What Women Need to Know About Men's Health: Dealing With Sensitive Issues," which was distributed to 2,500 OB/GYNs across the country.
Erectile Dysfunction Awareness
On behalf of Pharmacia's Caverject®, MCS developed a communications program positioning the therapy as a viable and effective treatment for ED patients who failed to achieve results with the market leader, Viagra®. A primary goal was to change patient and physician opinions of injection therapy and to communicate the safety and efficacy of Caverject through the popular press.
Results
Our men's health programs have resulted in placements in major print media outlets and industry trade publications, as well as top broadcast stations, including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Newsweek, the Associated Press, Reuters and CNN.
