The importance of LinkedIn for professionals and companies
LinkedIn has established itself as the world's leading professional networking platform, specifically geared towards the needs of professionals and companies. With over 800 million members worldwide, LinkedIn offers a unique opportunity for professional networking, career development and knowledge sharing. In Germany, around 18 million people use LinkedIn, making the platform an important channel for professional interactions and the exchange of expertise. 【1】
Over the last three years, LinkedIn has grown significantly in importance in Germany. More and more professionals and companies are using the platform to network, follow industry news and discover business opportunities. LinkedIn has developed from a simple network for professional contacts into a comprehensive platform that is also used as a news source and for the exchange of specialist articles and opinions. This makes LinkedIn particularly attractive for the field of pharmacovigilance, as it has a high proportion of professionals who share well-founded discussions and reports.
Interaction possibilities and pharmacovigilance
Even though LinkedIn is not technically operated directly by the pharmaceutical industry, the good pharmacovigilance practices (GVP) The EU requires monitoring of digital media if they are financed by a pharmaceutical company or are under its responsibility.
Since the interaction options on LinkedIn are diverse and offer numerous approaches for pharmacovigilance monitoring, it is important to look at the structure of the platform in detail. Particularly noteworthy are:
Articles and contributions:
LinkedIn users regularly publish scientific articles and posts that may contain detailed information and personal experiences. These posts are particularly valuable for pharmacovigilance as they can provide specific data on adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and their circumstances. Monitoring such content can provide important insights into the safety and effectiveness of medications.
Comments:
Comments on posts and articles often provide in-depth insights and expert opinions. Users who leave comments are often experts or affected parties who can share relevant information about ADRs. A systematic approach to monitoring and analyzing comments is crucial to identify and report potential ADR events at an early stage and to ensure that your own LinkedIn pages operate in compliance with the rules.
Groups:
LinkedIn groups that focus on specific specialist areas are another important element for the pharmaceutical industry and pharmacovigilance. These groups provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experiences among professionals. Posts and discussions in such groups may contain references to ADRs and must therefore be carefully monitored. In fact, with an appropriately adapted setup, these groups represent an option for the pharmaceutical industry to communicate branded content or information that falls under the Medicines Advertising Act.
Direct messages:
Direct messages allow direct communication between professionals and companies. Although these are often used for professional networking and conversations, they can also contain relevant information about ADRs. Companies must ensure they have an effective system for monitoring and documenting such messages to avoid missing important information.
Special features of the LinkedIn platform for PV monitoring
LinkedIn provides a very reliable interface for retrieving comments on LinkedIn pages, advertising accounts and focus pages.
However, this API does not cover the entire scope of the platform. For example, comments within groups cannot currently be accessed via the API. Therefore, in this case it is crucial to establish an alternative process for monitoring.
Due to the rapid growth of the platform and the associated technological developments, new features and formats are regularly available to LinkedIn users. Only by closely monitoring these additions can it be ensured that no gaps arise in PV monitoring.
Monitoring with evalii®
LinkedIn is a significant platform for pharmacovigilance as it attracts a wide range of professionals and experts who share valuable information. Systematic monitoring of peer-reviewed articles, comments, groups and direct messages allows for early detection and reporting of potential PV events as required by regulatory requirements.
evalii® offers you the opportunity to efficiently monitor your LinkedIn projects & campaigns and ensure that no relevant information is overlooked. With evalii® you can take advantage of modern technologies to optimize your professional communication and ensure the security of your products.
Source: 【1】 [Statista: Number of LinkedIn users in Germany](https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/221041/umfrage/anzahl-der-linkedin-nutzer-in-deutschland/)
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