Consumers Researching Drug Treatment Information Online Turn First to General Health-Focused Sites, Followed by Sites Dedicated to Specific Ailments -- Prospectiv Survey Reveals.

Findings indicate opportunities for pharmaceutical companies to create interest in brand-specific sites by building greater consumer trust and awareness

WOBURN, Mass. -- An abundance of data shows that consumers are going online to learn more about their health and drug treatment needs. But what are consumers doing when they get there? Prospectiv's 2007 Pharmaceutical Online Resources CPI poll conducted this month sheds some light on that question.

Prospectiv (http://www.prospectiv.com), a provider of online customer acquisition solutions to leading consumer brands, is the owner of the online properties Healthier.com and Eversave.com, and operates a lead generation platform used by publishers across the Web.

Consumers Go Online for Health Info

According to the survey, 79 percent of respondents have used the Internet to research ailment or drug treatment information.

Where are consumers going?

When respondents were asked where they conduct the majority of their online research:

* 50 percent said they used general health-focused Web sites

* 35 percent conduct research on specific ailment-focused sites

* Only 13 percent go to branded drug sites operated by pharmaceutical companies

Why?

Looking more deeply into consumer preferences, respondents were asked additional questions to find out why they favored general health-focused Web sites.

Of the 87 percent of consumers who do not prefer branded pharmaceutical company sites:

* 57 percent said that they didn't know about such sites

* 31 percent reported a lack of trust in the company-run sites

The 13 percent of consumers who choose to visit branded drug sites operated by pharmaceutical companies were asked why they favor these sites:

* 65 percent said the branded sites were very informative

* 28 percent responded that pharmaceutical sites gave the most accurate information on the available drug treatment

"As does the data in this new poll, a previous Prospectiv poll conducted in July of this year revealed the vast majority of consumers prefer general health-focused Web sites over sites run by pharmaceutical companies as their most trusted resource for drug treatment and ailment research," said Jere Doyle, President and CEO of Prospectiv.

"Through our latest survey, we wanted to find out why, and learn even more about specific consumer preferences for online resources. These new results show that pharmaceutical companies can benefit from branded Web sites, provided they effectively promote these sites so that consumers know where to find them - and they build consumer trust by offering valuable information prospective patients can use."

What are consumers looking for?

Consumers are flocking online for information regarding their health needs. But, what are they doing when they get there?

* 55 percent of consumers seek information about symptoms for a specific ailment or condition

* 27 percent look for tips for managing ailments and health conditions

* 18 percent research information on specific drug treatments for their own specific aliments 

How do consumers want to access online health info?

Prospectiv's poll revealed consumer preferences for how they want to receive health information online. The majority of respondents said they want email newsletters and more health-related online forums. In fact, 68 percent said they would join an email newsletter to learn more about drug treatments or how to treat a specific ailment.

The survey data also showed that although social networking may be growing in popularity in other consumer markets, 88 percent of consumers polled don't belong to or use any health-focused online forums or communities. However, pharmaceutical marketers should take note that 60 percent of respondents said they would take advantage of interactive resources (i.e. email groups, forums and communities) to share ailment and drug info tips with other patients if more were available.

About Prospectiv's Consumer Preference Index (CPI):

Prospectiv has access to millions of consumers through its online Web communities, Eversave.com and Healthier.com, as well as from its broad network of publishers. Prospectiv is able to compile insightful survey data from a diverse panel of consumers on a wide variety of topics relevant to advertisers and marketers. Prospectiv compiles this data using its advanced polling and survey technology across the Web.

About Prospectiv:

Prospectiv is a pioneer in the lead generation industry and provides customer acquisition and email marketing solutions to leading consumer brands. The company specializes in finding, engaging and acquiring consumers interested in leading advertiser's brands and products and converting them to long-term profitable customers. Prospectiv generates more than 50 million pre-qualified leads per year on a pay-for-results basis for clients, including many Fortune 1000 companies such as Procter and Gamble, Wal-Mart, Pfizer, Disney, Nestle and Schering-Plough. Prospectiv operates several Web properties, including Eversave.com, and Healthier.com, and also provides leading publishers with a lead generation platform that creates a significant incremental revenue stream from their Web site traffic. Founded in 1999, Prospectiv is privately-held and is based in Woburn, Ma. For more information, please visit http://www.prospectiv.com