Brenda Gavin, president of S.R. One, of West Conshohocken, said the fund had made the investment because of McCormick's experience in the rapidly developing online market. Concerns about online privacy and security are spurring other companies, including Intel Corp., to develop authentication tools for Internet users. With anything that's Internet-related, it's hard to get real numbers and market estimates. Pharmaceutical companies are seeking greater brand loyalty among physicians to prescribe their drugs, and Physician Verification Services' system could help. In our system of health care, it's tough to get that information.
Pharmaceutical companies have to buy the services to get the information to physicians.
But I don't think physicians in the days of managed care are going to spend money for information they can get for free. The migration of medical information to the Web has spawned complications for patients, doctors and the medical-products companies. Patients now can learn about drugs and treatments, and request them from doctors by name. Companies risk putting competitive intelligence in the waiting hands of rival drugmakers. And doctors are inundated by new products.