MED DEVICE CODE IN EFFECT JULY 1
A major update to the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) Code of Ethics goes into effect July 1. The DC-based association created the code in 2004 to ensure a high ethical standard of conduct in the medical device industry. This sector has been quick to adopt the code according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers survey released last month, which reported that 90% of respondents, representing 32 companies, have policies in place addressing all the code's provisions and 94% plan new policies to reflect the 2009 revision, including clarification of appropriate interaction with healthcare professionals.

DOCTORS CONNECT DIGITALLY
CE Health Interactive (Richmond, VA) recently launched the CME Lounge (www.thecmelounge.com), a digital learning community for healthcare providers. Current offerings feature a discussion of hypertension in the Cardio Lounge, the milestones of treating arthritis in the Rheumatology Lounge, and treatment options for Crohn’s disease in the Gastroenterology Lounge. CME Lounge members can review therapeutic areas, interact with colleagues via forums and blogs, and connect with the pharmaceutical industry. The Lounge News Pulse provides the latest medical headlines.

INVENTIV IN AD AGE TOP 50
Marketing and media magazine Advertising Age ranked inVentiv Communications (Columbus, OH) #19 in its annual 2009 World’s Top 50 Agency Companies (based on estimated 2008 revenue). Three other inVentiv companies ranked among the Top U.S. Healthcare Agencies: GSW Worldwide (Columbus, OH) at #8, Palio (Saratoga Springs, NY) at #23, and Ignite Health (Irvine, CA) at #24. A fourth inVentiv company, Addison Whitney (Charlotte, NC), ranked #8 on the Top U.S. Branding and Identity Agencies list. “We are thrilled to be recognized,” said Bill O’Donnell, president and COO of inVentiv Communications.

WATCHING AND WAITING
CARE Media Holdings (Tampa, FL), a provider of reception room programming through its PetCARE TV, KidCARE TV, and Women’s HealthCARE TV, earned high ratings in a recent study by Arbitron, an independent media and marketing research company. After an average wait of 17 minutes, about 64% of people recall at least one advertisement shown, and 63% go shopping that very day. People enjoy the programming: 92% believe it’s good for doctors’ offices to offer; 91% say it helps pass the time; 88% say it provides them with useful and credible information; and 67% say it enhances the patient-doctor relationship. Perhaps most important, 76% of the people say they plan on watching CARE Media TV again during their next visit.

JUICE HELPS LITTLE FLOWER GROW
Later this year, JUICE Pharma Worldwide (Denver, CO) will launch an ad campaign featuring hip-hop innovator Grandmaster Flash for Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York, a foster care and family service agency. Lynn Macrone, a founding partner of JUICE, joined the Little Flower Board of Directors in 2007. She co-chaired this year’s annual Distinguished Humanitarian Award Dinner hosted by Little Flower and honoring Margaret Ajemian Ahnert’s achievements as an author and philanthropist.

PDI AND MEDICAL AFFAIRS ALLIANCE
PDI (Saddle River, NJ), a provider of commercialization services to pharmaceutical companies, and the Medical Affairs Company (Kennesaw, GA), a contract medical organization, have entered into an exclusive strategic alliance. By integrating their services, the two companies will provide clients with a more complete set of field-based commercialization solutions, while preserving the separation between pharmaceutical sales and medical departments. Under the agreement, the companies will integrate their services, participate in joint client presentations, and exchange new business leads.

MULTI-CHANNEL PHYSICIAN ACCESS
Arista Marketing Associates (Blue Bell, PA), a Publicis company, announced the rollout last month of a multi-product, multi-channel physician access program for a leading pharmaceutical company. “In this major initiative, Arista’s multi-channel approach is creating live conversations with doctors and other healthcare professionals ranging from two-minute teledetails to ten-minute Web-based video details,” said Chris Student, Arista’s Managing Director.
—Andrew Matthius