Thomson PDR Partners With PhRMA to Inform Physicians About Partnership for Prescription Assistance
MONTVALE, N.J., Nov 14, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; Toronto: TOC), known throughout the medical industry as the publisher of the Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR), is partnering with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) on a new campaign to reach thousands of physicians with information about the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA). The campaign will be the first to leverage PDR's new Xpert Alerts, as well as the PDR's electronic and print channels to reach the largest audience of prescribers.
The PPA, sponsored by America's pharmaceutical research companies, is the largest private-sector effort to help low-income, uninsured or underinsured patients access their medicines through patient assistance programs, many of which provide free or nearly free prescription drugs. The PPA has helped more than three million patients, but many more stand to benefit. In 2005 alone, PhRMA member companies provided more than 36 million free prescriptions to patients in need, worth an estimated $5.1 billion wholesale.
Thomson's Xpert Alerts program delivers advisories about breaking medical and pharmaceutical news and information to more than 240,000 prescribers who are part of the PDR's electronic audience. Xpert Alerts are delivered to subscribers' PDAs via Thomson Clinical Xpert, a recently launched mobile medical reference and decision-support tool, and via e-mail and PDR.net.
The PPA campaign includes space advertisements in the 2007 Physicians' Desk Reference print volume, as well as Xpert Alerts messages broadcast to all prescribers in PDR's electronic audience. The effort will reach over half a million prescribers.
"The Partnership for Prescription Assistance is making unparalleled strides to reach the millions of Americans who desperately need help accessing their prescription medicines," said Billy Tauzin, President and CEO of PhRMA. "Our partnership with Thomson PDR is an ideal way for us to reach physicians and other healthcare providers across the country and inform them that the PPA can help their patients access the medicines they prescribe. PDR is a trusted name in prescription drug information, and we are pleased to partner with Thomson to mobilize a concerted campaign to spread the word about the PPA."
Kevin Sanborn, executive vice president of Thomson Healthcare, said the company's integrated online and print channels provide a powerful and effective means to reach broad or targeted physician and other prescribing audiences. "Thomson is committed to providing the pharmaceutical industry with comprehensive, measurable and cost-effective channels for communicating information about their products, clinical trials and drug updates to prescribing physicians," he said. "We're particularly pleased to partner with America's pharmaceutical research companies to advance the cause of the PPA, which is so important to improving the overall health of Americans."
The launch of Xpert Alerts follows the recent release of Thomson Clinical Xpert. A powerful new mobile medical reference and decision-support tool, Thomson Clinical Xpert puts authoritative drug, disease and other clinical information instantly into the hands of physicians and other prescribers via their PDA, helping them to make important decisions at the point of care. Thomson Clinical Xpert is a free application, and can be downloaded at www.thomsonclinicalxpert.com.
About The Thomson Corporation
The Thomson Corporation (www.thomson.com), with 2005 revenues of approximately $8.40 billion, is a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and applications to more than 20 million users in the fields of law, tax, accounting, financial services, higher education, reference information, corporate e-learning and assessment, scientific research and healthcare. With operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn., Thomson has approximately 40,500 employees and provides services in approximately 130 countries. The Corporation's common shares are listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges (NYSE: TOC; Toronto: TOC).
SOURCE The Thomson Corporation
Kyle Christensen of The Thomson Corporation, +1-201-358-2219, Kyle.christensen@thomson.com; or Ed Belkin, +1-202-835-3460, ebelkin@phrma.org
http://www.thomson.com