Pamela Lewis Dolan reports:
Four privacy advocacy groups have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, asking it to investigate the online marketing practices of pharmaceutical companies.
The Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Watchdog, the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups and the World Privacy Forum filed a 144-page complaint in late November alleging that certain websites allow pharmaceutical companies to collect patient information and information on physicians’ prescribing and treatment patterns to market health-related services or drugs directly to the consumers or physicians.
Among the sites the complaint targeted are Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, which operate data and advertising exchanges. The complaint also mentions by name Sermo, the social media site for physicians that has a partnership with Pfizer, DoctorDirectory.com, Everyday Health, Health Central, QualityHealth and WebMD, among others.
Read more on American Medical News.