Networking with Pfizer
Online social networking sites are all the rage these days, so it was only a matter of time before there was one for doctors -- and that's what Sermo is aiming to be. The site decribes itself thusly:
Here, physicians aggregate observations from their daily practice and then - rapidly and in large numbers - challenge or corroborate each others opinions, accelerating the emergence of trends and new insights on medications, devices and treatments. You can then apply the collective knowledge to achieve better outcomes for your patients.
Sounds pretty good, right? Like Facebook meets evidence-based medicine. OK, so how does a site like this make money? Well, they could sell advertising like others are doing in this space. But Sermo has a different idea. Here's how they describe it:
Sermo's business model is one of information arbitrage, the opportunity that arises when breaking medical insights intersect with the demand for actionable, market-changing events in healthcare.
Translation: Companies such as Pfizer can pay their way into the conversation. The site is touting the partnership as an opportunity to improve care, but the deal has also generated criticism. Here's what Merrill Goozner told Marketplace, "We need, as patients and consumers, to see physicians talking among themselves about what's best for patients -- not having another space where every time they turn around, it's the equivalent of a drug rep with a pizza showing up to tell them 'Hey, here's the possible solution.'"
-Greg Dahlmann
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