Pfizer
In focus: Rheumatism
About people, myths and modern therapy options
According to the widespread myth, carrying horse chestnut seeds in your pocket wards off rheumatism. This rumour is just as dated and persistent as the frequent misconception that the disease only affects the elderly and that those affected are helplessly exposed to the disease.
A communication campaign for Pfizer aims to put an end to this and other rheumatism myths once and for all, instead highlighting the success of modern treatment options and drawing attention to the current medical need in the care of inflammatory rheumatic diseases.
Rheumatism communication campaign – close to reality
A survey conducted amongst treating physicians as well as interviews with experts depicts the care reality of rheumatism patients: long waiting times to see rheumatologists, drug treatment that is often started too late and a lack of new drugs explain why not all rheumatism patients receive optimal care and some of those affected have no choice but to suffer the known symptoms (joint stiffness and deformation, amongst others). Additional press materials such as a digital storyboard, patient portraits, brochures on living and working with rheumatoid arthritis and a press trip to a production plant for modern biological drugs have been created to provide information to daily newspapers and scientific media about the everyday care of rheumatism patients. They have also formed the basis for high-quality articles in decision-maker media formats.
