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  • The addition of Elite PR brings more than 35 years of expertise in Taiwan’s healthcare sector with a focus on public relations, branding, innovation and policy communication
  • Strategic collaboration further strengthens GHMC’s footprint in the APAC region

NEW YORK and TAIPEI, June 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Global Health Marketing & Communications (GHMC), the largest and most robust network of independent healthcare agencies worldwide, today announced the addition of Elite PR, a Taiwan-based communications agency. The addition strengthens GHMC’s offerings in the Asia-Pacific region and expands the capabilities of the network.

Tim Goddard, GHMC President
Tim Goddard, GHMC President
Jason Chang, Elite PR Group General Manager
Jason Chang, Elite PR Group General Manager
Elite PR Group Logo
Elite PR Group Logo

Established in 1987, Elite PR employes 150 people and has 13 subsidiaries, among which  HealthCom, MediCom, and MediCom APAC focus on the healthcare sector. These entities provide healthcare clients with insightful communication services on a regional and global level. Over the past decade, the three healthcare teams have won 17 PR Awards Asia. With this partnership, Elite PR will gain insights and reach on a global scale while GHMC expands its APAC offerings.

“We are thrilled to add Elite PR and its vast array of healthcare communications capabilities to the Global Health Marketing & Communications network,” said GHMC President, Tim Goddard. “The Asia-Pacific region is becoming increasingly important for the commercial success of global life science companies. Having Elite’s deep in-market knowledge and expertise to help navigate the complexities and nuances in country, and across the region, further strengthens GHMC’s position in APAC and will add tremendous value to our clients around the world.”

For many years we have leaned on the Elite team to gain insights and expertise into the market in Taiwan, and to welcome the team as an official partner will be equally beneficial to current partners in the network and Elite PR themselves.”

Taiwan’s healthcare system has been widely praised, with the National Health Insurance (NHI) system significantly reducing the financial burden on the public for medical treatment and prescription medications. Medical product promotion in Taiwan is subject to strict regulatory limitations, creating the need for a variety of creative approaches in health marketing and communications in the market. These strategies, refined over the past decade, have helped Elite PR assist even more patients through their efforts.

“We are extremely excited to grow our global footprint and expand our local and regional healthcare services by joining the GHMC family,” said Elite PR Group General Manager, Jason Chang. “This partnership will generate more service models and business opportunities, enabling our healthcare teams to deliver for clients on a worldwide basis.”

As the exclusive partner in Taiwan, Elite will join three other APAC partner agencies including Spurwing in Singapore, VIVA! in Australia and Media Medic in India.

About Global Health Marketing & Communications (GHMC)
GHMC is the largest and most robust network of independent healthcare agencies worldwide, dedicated to improving outcomes through the delivery of dynamic, health-driven experiences that drive meaningful global change. With more than 700 health-specialist communications professionals spanning more than a dozen disciplines, from patient engagement to advertising to clinical trial recruitment, the agencies that make up the partnership share a belief in insights-driven strategies and a commitment to collaboration. Today, GHMC has capabilities and reach into more than 60 countries. For more information, visit GHMCNetwork.com or follow us on X/Twitter and LinkedIn.   

About Elite PR
For more than 35 years, Elite PR Group has established itself as a cornerstone of the Taiwan market.  With a collective of over 150 experienced PR professionals across 13 boutique agencies, Elite has developed a wide range of specialized expertise tailored to various industries and services. Over the years, Elite has served over 300 prominent international and domestic companies and organizations, achieving an impressive retention rate of over 80%. Recognized for excellence, Elite won the Silver Award in the Taiwan PR Agency of the Year 2020, along with more than 30 other esteemed international and regional PR accolades. For more information, visit eliteprgroup.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.   

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We’re living in an era of unprecedented access to information. Yet, this brings unprecedented challenges, particularly when it comes to health. The increase of false health information has eroded public trust, which is the bedrock of good relations and practices in healthcare. Health information needs to be authentic and trustworthy, with the source of the information clear. So how can we, as healthcare communicators, fight back against misinformation?

The Impact of Health Misinformation

Poorer Personal Health Outcomes: Misinformation can lead to delayed or avoided medical care. It can also lead to a misunderstanding of risk factors, encouraging harmful behaviours.

Risks to Public Health: Misinformation isn’t just a personal matter; it poses significant risks to wider communities. For instance, vaccine misinformation has fuelled the resurgence of preventable diseases like whooping cough and measles.

Financial Strain on Healthcare Systems: The ripple effect extends to healthcare systems, with misinformation driving up costs. Preventable conditions, complications from delayed treatments and managing public health crises all contribute to ballooning expenses.

Tackling Health Misinformation

Empowerment through Education: Improving health literacy is a cornerstone of tackling misinformation. By educating patients and the general public to discern credible health information, we can empower them to make informed decisions about their health.

Transparency is Key: Pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers must prioritise transparency. This means clearly communicating treatment benefits and risks, addressing concerns openly, and providing evidence-based information to rebuild trust.

Harnessing Technology: While technology can spread misinformation, it also holds the key combatting it. Digital tools can help to disseminate accurate information, and tech companies, including social media, can help to flag or remove false content.

Community Engagement: Trust-building within communities is vital. Engaging with leaders, influencers and organisations helps to share accurate information tailored to specific communities, fostering understanding and confidence. Tailoring messages to specific communities ensures they resonate and are more likely to be accepted.

Becoming a Trusted Information Creator

As proud health information creators and communicators, it’s our responsibility to ensure the information we produce is accurate, accessible, and evidence based. At Aurora, our rigorous approach to creating health information has earned recognition from the Patient Information Forum (PIF) through the PIF TICK – the UK’s only assessed quality mark for print and online health and care information.

The PIF launched the PIF TICK in May 2020. In July 2021, PIF launched the website www.piftick.org.uk to raise awareness of PIF TICK accredited members and help people find trusted health information. The site also includes guides on topics including spotting false health information and understanding evidence.

Aurora is one of the first healthcare communications agencies to receive accreditation with the PIF TICK, joining over 140 organizations including NHS trusts, patient advocacy groups, pharmaceutical companies, and individual health content creators. Our adherence to the 10 key criteria ensures that any health information we create on behalf of our clients can bear the PIF TICK, providing assurance to patients and the public that it meets the highest standards.

By fostering trust, transparency, and promoting health literacy, we empower individuals to make informed health decisions, leading to better outcomes for all.

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“Argentina has three major strengths when considering clinical research: it has the ANMAT[1], a pioneering entity that sets a solid regulatory framework for conducting high-quality research; it has excellent healthcare professionals and increasingly professionalized centers, and finally, amidst a health system in crisis, there is a significant increase in patients’ interest in participating in clinical trials, which allows them to receive excellent healthcare,” said Dr. Federico Pérez Manghi, a clinician specializing in Nutrition and Diabetes and president of theCINME (Center for Metabolic Research) in Buenos Aires.   

Clinical research has grown exponentially both in Argentina and throughout Latin America. According to data from the Argentine associations that connect clinical research organizations and multinational pharmaceutical companies (CAOIC and CAEME), between 2017 and 2021, the number of clinical trials conducted in the country increased by 79%. The specific improvements established by ANMAT for the approval processes, the digitalization of paperwork, and the prestige of the medical community are the main reasons for this growth in the international participation of medical trials. Clinical research encompasses all activities aimed at determining the efficacy, safety and quality of drugs, treatments, detection, diagnosis and prevention mechanisms. This has a profound impact not only on patients and the health system as a whole but also on the country’s economy.

In Argentina, as in the rest of the region and other countries around the world, the 2020 pandemic was a before-and-after moment for clinical research. The urgent need for a COVID-19 vaccine promoted information and awareness about clinical trials.

“Before 2020, when I invited a patient to participate in a clinical trial, I had to explain to them what it was about and debunk many misconceptions. Today, this has changed. I like telling my patients that at the beginning of the 20th century, life expectancy was only 40 years. Now, thanks to clinical research and the advancements made, the global average life expectancy has doubled,” Dr.Pérez Manghi said.

Dr. Georgina Sposetti, an Argentinian clinician and diabetologist, agrees with him. She is the founder of Un ensayo para mí (A Trial for Me), an innovative platform in Latin America, that connects doctors, researchers, and patients in a safe, reliable and controlled environment. The goal is to promote information about ongoing clinical trials and ensure access to them.

“The growth was exponential after 2020. The vaccine trials during the pandemic helped a lot. From 2021 on, the platform has grown by about 120-150% each year. When we post a clinical trial for a disease, the number of patients who enter and ask is incredible,” Dr.Sposetti said.

Dr. Sposetti created the platform based on her personal experience. In 2013, she was diagnosed with Lewis-Sumner syndrome, a rare nervous system disorder for which there was no treatment available at the time. Her first impulse was to go online and volunteer for a clinical trial.

“During my own pursuit, I realized that for anyone lacking technical knowledge or English, having a rare disease or cancer and wanting to know about ongoing research was a real mission impossible,” Sposetti added.Un ensayo para mí (A Trial for Me) was recognized in 2021 as a pioneer in the region by The Lancet Oncology, and is now active in eight Latin American countries, serving as a space for direct communication with people and working to democratize information.

The profile of Latin patients in particular is also key when considering clinical research. “Latin American patients like having regular contact with their doctor and want to attend the medical center. This leads to a significantly lower dropout rate in clinical trials compared to Anglo Saxon countries. They get more involved and there’s higher adherence,” noted Dr. Pérez Manghi.

Even so, there is still plenty to work on as less than 5% of the world’s total clinical research is conducted in Latin America. The main challenge is generating more data, a subject that is still pending in the region. “Argentina is already addressing this issue by investing heavily in technology. An example of this, is the development of Alpha Clinical Research, a platform of digital medical record that we are implementing in CINME”, concluded Pérez Manghi. 

[1] ANMAT: Administración Nacional de Medicamentos, Alimentos y Tecnología Médica – National Administration of Drugs, Food and Medical Devices.

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Paul Venturino, executive director Strategika -a GHMC partner-

Sebastián Goldsack, PhD, professor at the Faculty of Communications of Universidad de los Andes, Chile.

Although the concept of responsible investment has been used for approximately 60 years, only recently have standards been established. The climate crisis has accelerated the need for implementing new strategies to address rapid global and technological changes. We refer to these new standards as ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) principles.

There were two key milestones in the ESG evolution. The first was the creation of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index in 1999, a stock index focused on sustainable investments which allowed for broader financing options. The second, much more recent, was the UN Global Compact of the Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI, 2023).

One of the key elements of responsible investment is active incorporation of ESG criteria. This implies everyone in the chain (organization, shareholders, financiers, management) must adhere to rules and be proactive agents of mobilization.

ESG criteria is based on three pillars:

  • Environment: Refers to the environmental impact of an organization and the activities to reduce it, especially in areas such as emissions, waste or use of natural resources.
  • Social: Refers to the management of people in the workplace and the community in various aspects such as human rights, gender, inclusion.
  • Governance: The way in which corporations or institutions are organized. The key is respect for rules and transparency.

As with any regulatory change, responsible investment has also been strongly pressured by changes in production conditions, stricter regulations and strong activism. ESG criteria seeks to respond to scenarios with measures that allow us to face challenges while maintaining profitability (Shakil, 2021).

With this in mind, we interviewed key executives from Chilean and multinational corporations operating in Chile to learn the latest trends and challenges in responsible investment and ESG.

Key trends:

  1. Investors—especially investors in international companies—are driving the movement for responsible investment by pressuring these organizations to incorporate ESG criteria.
  2. ESG criteria are beginning to include the full value chain, transferring good practices to all steps of a company’s operation.
  3. Although incipient in Chile, there is pressure to achieve higher diversity on boards (gender, class, race/ethnicity, professional backgrounds).
  4. There is a movement toward clear and effective tools to guide compliance and measure accountability. Regulations can help ensure higher ethical standards across industries.
  5. A diverse, inclusive workforce with a safe workplace environment is positive for workers and business alike.
  6. Companies are now more motivated to seek new ways of doing business and transforming their forms of production, in order to maintain profitability.
  7. Climate change mitigation is seen as a strategic pillar of a company’s ways of doing business.
  8. The traditional way companies engage with interest groups (advocacy groups, etc.) is evolving to include new ways of working.

In addition to these positive trends, come challenges. The biggest challenges relate to the speed of adoption of these practices, and whether they can generate profitability.

Challenges to be addressed in the short term

  1. A move from tactical actions and rankings to a genuine modification of the ways of doing business and the governance structure at a high level.
  2. Convince executive boards of the importance of ESG trends and responsible investment criteria.
  3. Strengthen the ethics of executives.
  4. Raise standards in industries and ensure all companies adopt ESG.
  5. Improve the legislation applied and the bureaucracy of the authorities.

EXECUTIVES INTERVIEWED FOR THIS INVESTIGATION

  • Kelly, Conrod, Managing Director MSD Chile
  • Margozzini, José, Gerente general TEG Chile
  • Orrego, Carolina, gerente de asuntos corporativos y cumplimiento Empresas Melón
  • Pinto, Patricio, gerente de asuntos corporativos Minera Los Pelambres
  • Vergara, Ana Luisa, subgerenta de sostenibilidad corporativa Colbún
  • Vilches, Javier, gerente general Grupo Eulen Chile
  • Wood, Alejandra, directora Codelco

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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We can’t talk about health industry communications in Latin America without understanding the complex landscape in the region; the political, economic, and social scene is diverse and ever-changing. The region has seen a mix of stable democracies and periods of political instability. With new governments already installed and elections to come, the uncertainty still reigns. Reforms in the public and private health system are taking place in different countries and increasing regulation to the Pharma Industry being discussed.

The digital transformation of the industry is imminent; many have already taken steps to optimize their internal processes. Additionally, the pandemic accelerated the shift to a more “virtual” approach to communicate and connect with healthcare professionals, partners, and consumers. According to a market-research study conducted by the Mexico Internet Association on how doctors use the Internet, “93% do research on new products and diagnostics, 86% to received information on new product launches and 57% use internet to have virtual sales representative meetings”.[1]

In addition to these changes, the industry is facing the wipeout of third-party cookies (Google cookies). This presents a formidable challenge for companies operating in the region, necessitating a thoughtful reassessment of advertising and communication approaches, where innovation and adaptation will play a critical role.

Third-party cookies are small pieces of data that are created and stored by websites other than the one a user is currently visiting. These cookies are generated by third-party domains, such as Google, and often for the purpose of tracking and collecting information about the user’s online behavior and preferences. Unlike first-party cookies, which are created by the website the user directly interacts with.

In the article “Inside the Google media team’s cookieless measurement tool kit”, they point out: “For decades, third-party cookies have served as a one-stop shop for marketers to meet their measurement needs. These identifiers have multiple uses, such as conversion measurement and attribution, while helping us communicate the value and impact of our work. But consumer and regulatory privacy shifts have compelled the industry to seek new ways of measuring marketing success that don’t rely on third-party cookies.”[2]

Precision in Targeting

Third-party cookies have long been the linchpin of precision targeting, enabling communication and marketing specialists to tailor messages to specific user segments. Balancing the need for personalized communication with privacy and regulatory compliances becomes increasingly intricate, and implementing a strategy to collect first party data will be the key to building effective communications.

Transparency regarding what personal data is being collected and how is going to be used will help build trust with consumers. Cisco 2022 Consumers Privacy Survey found that “76% of respondents said they would not buy from a company who they do not trust with their data. In addition, 81% of respondents agreed that the way an organization treats personal data is indicative of how it views and respects its customers.”[3]

Navigating strict regulatory frameworks

One of the distinctive challenges for the healthcare industry lies in the strict regulatory frameworks that govern its promotional practices. Balancing the need for direct and personalized communication with consumer privacy and regulatory compliance becomes more difficult, striking the right chord between reaching the target audience and adhering to regulations will require an innovative approach and the reimagining of current strategies.

Embracing contextual relevance

As the industry bids farewell to cookies, contextual relevance, based on the content of webpages or the context of user interactions, can offer a way forward. Collaborating with platforms that understand regional distinctions and languages can facilitate the delivery of meaningful, contextually driven messages that resonate with diverse audiences.

AI-driven marketing segmentation

AI is a transformative tool, revolutionizing the way companies understand and engage with their target audiences. Through sophisticated data analysis and machine learning algorithms, AI enables healthcare marketers to identify consumer behaviors, preferences, and demographics. AI can assist in segmenting the market based on factors such as patient or health professionals’ demographics, treatment adherence patterns, and even social media trends. Having timely access to this information and being able to update it is crucial to be able to make strategic decisions and adjust accordingly.[4]

The challenges posed by the elimination of third-party cookies are undeniably substantial, yet the healthcare industry has a history of innovation in the face of adversity. Navigating these uncharted waters requires a combination of technological adaptation, respect for regulations, and a commitment to consumer privacy. As stakeholders in health and well-being, industry leaders must collaboratively explore new roads, ensuring that the critical dialogue between the sector and its consumers and professionals endures, in an era defined by privacy, access to information and digital transformation. Only through new solutions and joint efforts can the industry continue to communicate effectively and responsibly in the absence of the familiar tracking tool provided by third party cookies.

[1] https://irp.cdn-website.com/81280eda/files/uploaded/Estudio%20sobre%20los%20Ha%CC%81bitos%20de%20los%20Me%CC%81dicos%20en%20Internet%20en%20Me%CC%81xico%20AIMX%202021%20versio%CC%81n%20pu%CC%81blica.pdf

[2] https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/data-and-measurement/measuring-marketing-success/

[3] https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/about/doing_business/trust-center/docs/cisco-consumer-privacy-survey-2022.pdf?CCID=cc000160&DTID=esootr000875&OID=wprsc030156

[4] https://insights.axtria.com/blog/machine-learning-ml-driven-segmentation-and-targeting-of-physicians

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We asked our partners for their perspectives on healthcare communications trends and opportunities in 2024. Here’s a look at what’s unfolding in Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and Latin America. Check it out below!

2024-GHMC-Thought-Leadership-1-1Download