Cracking the Consumer Market 3870

Originally Published MX September/October 2005

ADVERTISING, DISTRIBUTION, & SALES

Retail channels and direct-to-consumer marketing offer a tempting target for some medtech manufacturers, but knowing the rules of the game is critical.

Debra Kurtz

Manufacturers and distributors in medical technology are increasingly looking at direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels for selling medical devices. A visit to the local retail pharmacy or chain store shows a variety of medical products for sale to consumers, including monitors, over-the-counter medications, nutritional supplements, thermometers, diabetes products, wound-care products, diagnostic tests, and more.

Pharmaceutical companies have been the visible leaders in marketing products directly to the consumer, especially since FDA's late-1997 decision to make it easier to tailor drug advertisements for consumer audiences. Prime-time television and the print media are filled with ads for cholesterol-lowering products and medications to treat impotence, allergies, depression, and so on. It's no surprise that the medical device industry is following the pharmaceutical companies in looking at DTC channels.