Advice You - Business

Nothing is more vital to your nonprofit's media success than knowing how to get a reporter's at

According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product

tention. So, to get an insider's perspective, I turned to Mark O'Keefe, Newhouse News Service's

; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.

Examples of combination products may in

values and philanthropy correspondent. Mark provided these very concrete tips on how to get his

lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.

attention:

• Know the stories the reporter writes and make a pitch that fits with those sub

here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe

ects. Do the work to find out what s/he's interested in.

• Before you call the journalist f

d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.

Combination pro

or the first time, do your research on his or her recent stories, then send an email with your

ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc

omments and a very soft and respectful pitch (i.e. "I thought you might be interested in...").

easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi

• Respect news judgment (what runs) and the reporter's time management. 

• Aim for

nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically

a long-term working relationship with the journalist, instead of quick-hit story coverage. R

and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ

32;

• Invite the reporter to lunch or a cup of coffee. The best way to get him or her to yo

ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi

r news conference may be to precede or follow it with lunch. But don't be offended if the journ

ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

Following aspects would a

list insists on paying his or her own way, even if it's a spread you put on at your place. Some

dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod

news organizations don't allow freebies, not even a sandwich.

• Look for the "teachable mom

cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin

ent" with one eye trained on today's breaking news and, better yet, what will be in tomorrow's

tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen

ews.

• Target your story on what your organization is doing that impacts breaking news (eve

t?

As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel

sports), rather than simply reporting on activities.

What NOT to do? Mark advises:
ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust
rong>

• Don't leave long voicemails.

• Don't focus on why the story is important to you
y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products
, rather than to the reporter and to his or her readers.  

• Don't think there's only
.

As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de
one right story about your organization - instead of many.  

• Don't get annoyed or a
elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

Companies that provide selfless information through particip
t rudely if the story on your organization is cut or doesn't run.

Definitely words to the wise

tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products

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Advice You - Do's and Don'ts for Getting a Reporter's Attention

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