Michelle Sieg

Erin here, back again with a Real Chemistry readout of the health policy discussion few are talking about from last night’s VP debate with Leslie Isenegger, MPP.   Over an hour into the debate, Senator JD Vance and Governor Tim Walz were asked about the cost of healthcare. The back and forth mostly focused on who has done more to strengthen the Affordable Care Act (Vance seemingly countering efforts by the Trump administration to weaken the law). But Vance echoed Trump’s vow to repeal the ACA and touted pre-ACA high risk pools, which led to a sharp rebuke from Walz.     On drug pricing, it’s no surprise that Gov. Walz highlighted the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program as key to VP Harris’s efforts to bring down costs. Vance claimed the average increase in drug prices under the Trump administration was 1.5% compared to a 7% increase under the Biden administration.     Vance appeared to be citing a HHS report tracking drug prices from 2017-2023. He may have conflated a 7% average price increase on single source drugs from 2022-2023, which was due to price increases on higher priced drugs, with a different statistic that showed 1.6% increase in the consumer price index from 2017-2018. Interestingly, neither candidate mentioned the $35 insulin cap despite both candidates taking credit for that measure.      This debate demonstrated that both candidates would plan to make drug prices a priority of their administrations, despite reports that Congressional Republicans are targeting Medicare price negotiation as a target for repeal in 2025.   https://lnkd.in/dHssXaPe

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This week, I'm assisting a client with a PAAB submission that includes real-world evidence (RWE). For pharma marketers planning to use RWE in advertising materials, here is a reminder of some of the criteria for acceptable sources: 1) Study must be published and peer-reviewed, except for non-comparative retention or adherence data from the sponsor’s Patient Support Program, 2) Comparative or non-comparative data from recognized market data providers (e.g., for market share), and 3) Studies not yet published but peer-reviewed and accepted for future publication. See the PAAB site for full details. Contact me if you would like assistance or coaching. #pharmamktg #pharmamarketing #healthcomms #healthcare #pharmaceutical #marketing4health #medical #advertising #paab #canada #regulatory

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My colleagues in healthcare PR may think I’m nuts, but one milestone I’ve always loved creating strategies for are FDA Advisory Committee Meetings. The Ad Com is up there with an approval, in terms of the number of media scenarios to plan and content assets to create, and how arduous the process is, but I love it. If you’ve ever sat in a room at the FDA watching an Ad Com, you’ve seen the real-time reaction to evolving conversation. It can change a thousand times and shift in a thousand directions, and PR pros like us are charged with deftly navigating one of the most unique intersections in communications. There aren’t many moments in time like an Ad Com - when science and data anchor a (sometimes contentious) discussion involving corporations, independent physicians, industry watchdogs, government regulators, and the voice of the people…and public health outcomes are at stake. What could possibly go wrong? Still, I love the opportunity to strategize ways to capitalize on this dialogue and contextualize the news with a compelling story that demonstrates how a company may solve a critical healthcare problem. Communications strategy is pivotal to anticipating how media could contextualize information and how external audiences may be influenced by the coverage they consume. At an Ad Com, reporters are poised to react almost instantly, making the job of the PR pro exponentially more challenging. Having sat in that room at the FDA many times, here are a couple of considerations for focusing your strategy planning and ensuring your company or client is set up to drive the conversation and incorporate their perspective into coverage throughout the news cycle. 1/ Map the Influencer Environment - Plan for stakeholder-specific scenarios; account for how each group needs to be engaged - Consider all audiences; media, analysts, patients, and KOLs are key, but advocacy groups, investors, payers, and internal colleagues should also be a focus  - Anticipate the public comment roster; plan for who may speak, so you know if any watchdogs, detractors, and citizen-journalists with social media followings might pose a threat 2/ Define the Story & Be Creative with How You Tell It  - Don’t just announce the vote. Calibrate understanding of why that was the outcome and plan to activate KOLs, patients, and advocates as supporters - Be willing to be non-traditional; partner with Medical/Legal/Regulatory and create a protocol for onsite material reviews, so you can issue near real-time responses via social channels that will add important context for reporters who are shaping their stories during the Ad Com  Are you also a PR pro who’s enjoyed time at FDA headquarters? Are you currently planning for an Ad Com and want to talk strategy? Or perhaps you’re someone who enjoys an aspect of your work that others tend to shy away from. I’m curious to hear what it is and why you find it exhilarating, while others find it terrifying. Let’s connect and talk PR. 

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✋Hands up if you’re an editor or writer that likes your company’s content management system? Now, hands up if you like it when your company changes its CMS? Whenever we ask these questions, it’s rare to find editorial staff who answer yes. It's a dilemma: the content industry is filled with people resentful of their CMS - but after years of use and knowing all its quirks, migrating to a new system seems even scarier. Part 2 of our three-part series on finding your perfect content publishing system focuses on editorial teams, and how to get a CMS that delivers better results for themselves and their readers. ➡ https://lnkd.in/gZXFWcw6

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The National Cancer Plan belongs to everyone, not just National Cancer Institute (NCI), per Peter Garrett. How can you tie your local stories to national goals? Especially when people complain about the amount of #CancerResearch funding with no cure? Start by showing research and care impact through: - Infographics detailing ongoing research - Patient testimonials of prevention and treatment - Blog and video descriptions of local, regional and national impact of Cancer research #NACCDOPAMN2024

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🚨👇𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐋𝐄: **CCOs are getting a seat at the C-suite table** Elevating the role of communicators is something many of us have been focused on for years. As Dustin Siggins shares in this article that has been happening more frequently, which is a very good thing. However, elevating the role of chief communication officers also comes with new expectations for how those leaders operate within an organization and deliver results. I added my perspective on this topic along with Stephanie Roberts, Jeremy Tunis, Jeff Berkowitz and Nick Lagalante, MPS. Check it out! #communications #pr

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Need a primer on the U.S. healthcare system, its policies and programs? KFF has you covered (yet again). This is an awesome, comprehensive overview of the big stuff. So thankful for KFF and the crucial healthcare information it gathers and shares. #KFF #healthcare101

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Are you struggling to balance your health PR firm's scientific expertise with the volume of PR work? You're not alone. Do you bring in more scientific expertise or train your account teams to better handle scientific asks? Maybe both? 🤔 Scientific expertise is most needed at specific stages of the marketing lifecycle: building the initial strategy, creating a scientific messaging platform, developing evidence-based claims, and aligning the overall strategy with the unmet needs of the therapeutic area. Yet many of the individual deliverables are handled by account teams with sporadic input from science and medical knowledge centers. Scientific resources within an agency are often in high demand, and pulling resources ad hoc for individual deliverables can distract from other projects where scientific support is more focused. Hiring another full-time scientist might not be the best use of resources. Having extra scientific support when you need it would be a more efficient solution. For this, we offer expert scientific strategy consultations. Another option is to equip your team with scientific literacy skills to independently draft accurate, compelling communications. We offer scientific literacy training for account teams to lighten the load on your scientific staff who can then be used more efficiently. Discover how we can transform your health PR strategy at www.quillscience.com. Let's connect and explore how to optimize your scientific resources today! 💬🔬 #LifeSciences #PharmaMarketing #ScientificStrategy #EfficientWorkflows #PR #HealthPR #ScienceCommunication

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What if my company’s spokesperson is a scientist or a physician; how can they most effectively tell our story to a layperson audience? This is a common question in healthcare communications. Being a great storyteller requires genuine connection, and those can be challenging to catalyze if the audience doesn’t perceive the speaker as relatable, or “someone like them”. The imperative for the scientist/speaker is to find balance in their language, so that the scientific rigor is preserved, but the meaning and context doesn’t go over the heads of the audience. Communications leaders can help spokespeople consider who the audience is, and importantly, what THEY expect to take away from the presentation, as meeting the needs of the audience is the primary objective. A layperson audience will require different context than the speaker’s peers, so an assessment of audience and purpose is a key first step in ensuring the speaker’s story resonates. 

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This is encouraging to see. More approved innovations advance public health, and biotechs functioning as commercial organizations advance industry. Also important: for folks who work in adjacent industries like communications and marketing, it means more opportunities to be creative and develop programs that amplify the really cool scientific value of these companies. There’s something inherently different about creating smart PR programs for a biotech versus a pharma. Not better. Not worse. Just different. And that chance to think boldly is an aspect of the job that I truly enjoy.

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This article struck a chord with me. It’s about moving purposely toward a long-term vision in a world where we’ve come to place more value on agility and being able to pivot quickly.   The tension between doing things fast and doing things well came to mind. To be clear – they aren’t always mutually exclusive. We’re side-by-side with our clients and the round-the-clock expectations and urgency they deal with every day. Business happens at speed and acting quickly is often a necessity. But there are times when “fast” can work against us.   More intellectual work – like foundational messaging, like deep thought leadership – requires time to ponder, analyze, self-critique, go away and return with fresher eyes and sharper minds. When you cut that out, the result is like fast-fashion – it looks passable on the surface, but it doesn’t hold up to scrutiny and doesn’t hold lasting value.   It’s always about striking a happy balance.   Definitely worth a read. #Healthcare #Messaging #BuiltToLast

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This may be an unpopular opinion among #comms / #pr folks but here it goes… I’ve seen a lot of people in the field say that not everything deserves to be pitched to the media on the heels of a press release especially when it comes from various departments in their business. Couldn’t agree more, except… Whatever you’re being informed about - whether it’s a new hire or product update, or whatever - it’s our job to make one helluva story out of it. Do some digging, find a great angle, and demolish the prototypical press release (which you still should write for historical and business purposes). Go get THAT story. The end. #storytelling #pressrelease #findanangle #dohardbetter

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Is #storytelling part of your #healthcare #PR and communications strategy? Patients and their families easily can be overwhelmed by overly clinical information and data. Bridge the gap between important medical information and data with a patient story. Give context with real-life scenarios. If you'd like help adding storytelling to your communications strategy, give me a shout!

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NEW - Dive into popularity trends, differences in online attitudes between Harris and Trump supporters, and general drivers of appeal for US voters in our Race for the White House 2024 report. 🇺🇸 Full version of the social listening report including insights on VP candidates J.D. Vance and Tim Walz will be available later this week. ✌ #sociallistening #politics #raceforthewhitehouse2024 #2024presidentialelection #data #analytics #audienceinsights #donaldtrump #kamalaharris #timwalz #jdvance

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Should you publish your book independently or traditionally? It’s a great question and one I hear from a lot of authors-to-be. Here’s how I break down certain differences, with the caveat that not all indie or traditional publishing is created equal: Indie Publishing: ✅ Full creative control & faster to market. ✅ Higher percentage of sales in your pocket. ❌ You handle (or hire out) all aspects & upfront costs. ❌ Harder to land in bookstores. The indie route is empowering, teaching you the ropes of the industry, offering direct earnings, and tight-knit community support. It’s about taking charge and learning on the go. Traditional Publishing: ✅ Professional editing, design, and marketing support. ✅ Little to zero upfront costs & broader bookstore distribution. ❌ Less creative control & longer time to publication. ❌ Smaller slice of the sales pie (unless you’re publishing with Authors Equity – excited to see what’s to come with their model!). Traditional offers a support system that takes on the heavy lifting, but requires patience and flexibility with your vision. Ask yourself: Why are you publishing? What does success look like to you? Whether it's creative freedom, financial gain, or market reach, understanding your priorities is key. Remember, there's a spectrum between indie and traditional publishing, with hybrid options offering a middle ground. These can vary in the level of control and support provided, so exploring these avenues is worthwhile. Ultimately, the choice between indie and traditional publishing is deeply personal and should align with your goals, values, and vision for your book. Whether you carve your own path or follow the trodden road, each journey offers its own rewards and lessons. #marketing #publishing #author #marketingstrategy

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As RFK Jr. takes the reins at HHS, 2025 could mark a pivotal year for health communications. In an era where public health narratives are shaped often by platforms like TikTok rather than by the CDC, the need for science-backed education has never been greater. Patients are increasingly using social media to self-educate, which makes clear, compelling, and evidence-driven storytelling critical. And yes, some of this will be from corporations/brands but at the end of the day we will have to lean on trusted voices. I see certified physicians and patient-led communities playing hero roles in bridging the gap between credible data and accessible communication. Companies like MedFluencers and Savvy Cooperative are already leading the charge, proving that health literacy and authenticity can coexist on these platforms. With rare disease communities already demonstrating how empowered, knowledgeable patients can drive better outcomes, could this become the evolving model for all healthcare communications?

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There is a new website dedicated to "fighting pharma" (it's right in the URL). So the newsletter today has some thinking on the destructiveness of that framing. Sure, you can object to some of the industry's approaches, but framing those objections as "us vs. pharma" encourages all-or-nothing thinking that obscures the fact that "pharma" also means the quest for cures. We can have a smarter dialogue. https://lnkd.in/gyezVTHV

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