Inbox Insider: Pharmaceutical e-mail gains reputation among consumers

Pharmaceutical e-mail has come a long way. While the sector has experienced challenges in the past with spammers sending e-mails offering deals on pharmaceuticals such as Viagra, it seems that legitimate pharma marketers are beginning to take back their name.

Receiving permission-based e-mail from a pharmaceutical company can be a positive experience, according to a new survey by Epsilon. Among respondents, 42% said the permission-based e-mail they receive from pharmaceutical companies has a direct impact on offline activities, such as taking medication as instructed by a doctor and filling prescriptions.

In addition, 44% of the respondents said they're more likely to stay on a drug from a pharmaceutical company that sends them permission-based e-mail. This is a long way from the bad reputation that the pharma industry has faced in e-mail.

And, e-mail from a pharma company that you have opted into receive makes sense. E-mail has the benefits of connecting with consumers in such a personal way, and health care professionals and pharma companies can have a very intimate relationship with a consumer's health. So it is no surprise that the industry is looking to be able to speak to patients directly through e-mail.

It helps build the relationship. The study found that 60% of respondents have a more favorable opinion of pharmaceutical companies that send them permission-based e-mail, and 53% said they're more loyal to pharmaceutical companies that send them permission-based e-mail.

It seems like there could be a new way to look at pharma e-mails.