Good PR can play a key role in changing public policy. There are countless examples, but one primary area of major PR success is in tobacco control, where groups with modest advertising resources like Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the Cancer Council and various state-based advocates have won comprehensive victories by driving a constant barrage of editorial stories about the risks of second hand smoke and the public health benefits of tighter controls.

But what about at a more micro level? Say at the level of the level of the individual not-for-profit organisation? Or more commercially at the level of an individual pharmaceutical compound?
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The fact that the pharmaceutical sector is one of the most heavily regulated industries in Australia is just one reason why it is important for pharmaceutical marketers – and their agencies – to have a good solid working knowledge of the various marketing codes.

With the 16th Edition of the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct under review, I thought it timely to review the provisions that relate to direct to consumer communications and tease out the implications for PR.

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Seven reasons why it makes sense for Australian healthcare companies and medical not-for-profits (NFP's) to outsource their PR & media relations.

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How will we measure our success?   Read more

Seven things to ask a PR consultant before you contract them to handle your health-focused PR project.

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Like every speciality, healthcare PR has its own little quirks. You can bet that behind every "breakthrough" story on the TV news and every heart wrenching "miracle cure" in the Sunday Telegraph is a health-focused PR consultant who knows how it works.

Clients and peers sometimes ask what we think is the key to successful health-focused PR.  The short answer there is no one "key" to healthcare PR.  Here are our 7 top tips to healthcare PR.   Read more

Healthcare PR is about targeted communications with specific audiences on health-related issues to achieve agreed outcomes.

Some people think it is just "PR that targets doctors and pharmacists" which is not true. Of course healthcare professionals are important target audiences in many projects, but the element that defines healthcare PR is not the target audience - rather it is the subject matter.  Read more