Google Sidewiki is a browser sidebar that lets you contribute and read information on any web page. A great tool, in theory. A scary tool to pharmaceutical (and healthcare marketing) companies that have received little or no guidance from the FDA on Internet promotion. Will the FDA meeting on November 12 provide guidance? I think it’s a good first step. But the wheels of the FDA move a bit more slowly than social media and Google.
In the immediate future, what are pharma companies to do? Anyone can post anything they like alongside a pharma corporate or product website. Should pharma companies respond? Should they correct incorrect information? Should they take advantage of the ‘Page Owner’ ability to contribute the first post?
As of today, I know of 10+ pharmaceutical companies who have Sidewiki entries on their home page. To date, none of them have made any entries or moved to correct misinformation.
Should companies that market medical products create policies on how to deal with the Google Sidewiki? Or should they “ignore” the posts (as they seemingly have so far) in lieu of making policy with no FDA guidance?
Someone should answer these questions, and soon. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. I know I’ll be watching…
- Libbie
