GlaxoSmithKline, better known as GSK, has launched a new web effort aimed at providing both information and inspiration for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in what the company says is arguably the most engaging platform in the marketplace.
The rollout of the new COPD.com goes beyond what was previously offered, certainly by GSK but possibly many others, according to Darielle Ruderman, senior director of repository consumer marketing for the North Carolina-based company.
“Our previous site was pretty basic and didn’t have the tools,” she said. “It wasn’t as engaging. It’s also different from other websites because this is patient testimonials.”
The new site lets users customize their accounts, create a personalized plan, an action plan and read about how others with COPD are dealing with the condition, which is primarily from smoking.
While GSK makes respiratory products, the effort to host the new website is directed toward education and resources, not driving sales, Ruderman said.
“This is not about sales, it’s not about our products, even though GSK is a leader in respiratory care,” she said. “This site is about helping patients with COPD. We wanted to give patients encouragement and tools and better resources to better manage their disease.”
COPD affects some 24 million people nationwide, of which about only 12.7 million are actually diagnosed, according to the American Lung Association. It’s the third-leading cause of death in the U.S., having claimed more than 134,000 lives since 2010.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
It’s also costly to treat – in 2010, it cost $32.1 billion to treat COPD and it’s expected to increase significantly, to $49 billion by 2020, accordion to the CDC. Medicare pays for more than half of those costs and Medicaid pays for 25 percent.
GSK hopes the website, which was designed by Havas New York, will spur patients to better coordinate their care following diagnosis.
“Patients with any chronic disease can be discouraged, but this can show through patient accounts that there is life after diagnosis,” Ruderman said, adding that patients should be encouraged to “take steps to best manage the disease.”
Other features included on the site allow people to learn about COPD basics, including symptoms, diagnosis and exacerbation; create a personalized page to track goals, action plans and articles of interest; identify the roles and responsibilities of the members of their care team and connect with support groups.
