iScribe and Johnson and Johnson have formed an ePrescribing joint-marketing deal.
Eli Lilly has already sponsored the ePocrates Network, another provider of handheld ePrescribing devices. Recognizing the future potential of ePrescribing, Johnson and Johnson (J and J) has agreed with iScribe that its salesforce will promote iScribe’s ePrescribing system to doctors, in exchange for advertising rights and access to prescription data.
Entering into exclusive marketing agreements with ePrescribing device manufacturers is an important tool for pharmaceutical companies, as it gives them the opportunity to provide physicians with daily reminders to use their products. Some platforms allow the sales representatives to enter their products into the devices, so that the product names pop up immediately when the physician enters in the diagnosis. This is a valuable asset to pharmaceutical companies, as their sales representatives can program the devices with preferred products at the point of training the physician.
J and J has done well to get in early. Once exclusive agreements are made with the main handheld manufacturers, the opportunity will be lost to others and they will lose a valuable marketing opportunity.
