Healthcare communications and marketing news and information

Today, my e-mail box has been burning up with astounding news from the FDA regarding social media marketing.  In a press release, which is starting to be widely distributed online, the FDA is said to be developing draft guidance on social media marketing! First, my mouth fell open in shock.  Then I remembered what day today is, April 1.  Here’s the “release”:

“New FDA Draft Guidance Aims to Improve Health Information Obtained via ‘Social Media’ Websites

The Food and Drug Administration today issued a draft guidance document designed to improve communications to consumers and health care practitioners about health conditions and medical products that they obtain on 'social media' Websites such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and online bulletin boards. The guidance is the result of FDA research and policy development, and was influenced by the success of the recent social media based peanut recall program (see http://tinyurl.com/d3lvag).”

This is a clever ploy by my fellow blogger John Mack of the Pharma Marketing Blog to drive traffic to his Website and get folks buzzing about the new “guidance.”

I took some time to call one of my contacts in the FDA’s media relations department today about this release, Rita Chappelle.  She is aware of every FDA release that crosses the wire.  She told me: “We have not issued any releases today.”  Check out the FDA's newsroom to confirm her statement - as of 1:30 p.m., Eastern. 

Also, careful examination of the “release” reveals that the telephone number listed regarding media contracts is incorrect.  In addition, FDA always provides specific contacts on all releases who can field media requests.  Finally, the FDA does not use TinyURL links in its official communications.

So, stop distributing this release to your colleagues.  You’ve been had.  April Fools!