The main aim is to reduce costs and improve relationships with distributors, physicians and patients. Using the Internet to manage supplies and sell to wholesalers will save money and time for companies, as will putting much of the clinical trials data online. Pharmaceutical companies are also discovering the Internet opens up new ways to refine marketing strategies. The rise of healthcare dotcoms, such as online pharmacies and advice websites, has created a new and largely unrecognized risk. These startups may already be capturing the same patient and doctor relationships that pharmaceutical firms are working to maintain and build.
Companies also face many internal barriers.
The majority of executives continue to doubt that e-Business will amount to more than a new marketing channel and are reluctant to invest large sums of money into it. Online privacy and security is also a concern. The industry will need to address this if it is to convince patients to divulge personal medical information. Relationships realigning with technology While most do not expect to generate much in the way of revenue through online sales, most pharmaceutical firms believe that e-Business's greatest and most attainable benefits lie in improving relationships with both direct and indirect customers. They are focusing on doctors, patients and wholesalers.