With a few notable exceptions, such as the US, advertising of prescription products to the general public remains banned in most countries. However, regardless of advertising, both globally and nationally, direct-to-consumer (DTC) communications has been integral to many public relations programmes for a number of years - all within the boundaries of EU legislation and within local codes of practice. Santé has many years of experience in running consumer-focused programmes designed to create awareness and understanding of medical conditions and treatment options, empower patients, improve compliance and, ultimately, change attitudes.

Our highly successful work in areas including osteoporosis, asthma, oncology, hearing care, myocardial infarction and sleep-related disorders has ethically and, cleverly, secured a dialogue between the industry and its ultimate customer: the consumer.

With the advent of increased accessibility to information via the internet, heated debate over possible changes in European laws covering pharmaceutical communications, and the positive push from patients for more information about medicines, the likely impact of DTC communications on the future shape of the pharmaceutical market cannot be underplayed. Building on the strength of our existing foundations, Santé is now using the emergence of new media platforms to enable future DTC programmes to be even more strategic, bold, sophisticated and effective.