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As business owners, we all know the value of networking. You make contacts, meet potential clients, and generally expand your sphere of influence. The great thing about this day and age is that networking is no longer confined to physical spac

According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product

e. With online networking, you can connect with people around the world easily and quickly.

What can you get from online networking?

A sense of community

Small business owners sometimes feel isolated. With an online group,

; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.

Examples of combination products may in

you can visit any time.

Partnerships

Just like with face-to-face networking, online networking brings you a wealth of potential partners.

Referrals

As you get to know your network, you can share referral

lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.

s, thus expanding your potential client base.

Clients

People who see your profile online may hire you, especially if they've gotten a good sense for who you are and feel they can trust you.

Answers to questions
here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe
ong>

Have a question about something? Just ask your online network. You'll get lots of answers and opinions.

Tips

Members of several of the networking sites we belong to share business tips regularly.

In our experience,
d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.

Combination pro
introverts especially appreciate online networking as it frees them from social anxiety and gives them the time they prefer to think through what they say—or write—first. Extroverts, too, like it as it gives them a 24/7 source of contacts in a
ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc
potentially lonely or boring one-person office.

There are several online networking sites available. Some offer forums or groups so members can participate in group discussions. Others provide links or connections between members so you can
easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi
explore your connections' contacts and thereby expand your own network.

To utilize—yes, utilize—online networking, it's important that you know the rules for being a good net
nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically
zen. And you won't be utilizing the online world if you're working at sites or in communities that aren't giving you what you need: A dynamic place where you can be a contributing member of a positive community. That's the ideal, so how do you
and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ
get there? We're glad you asked!

1. Lurk first

Aaron read once that for every person on a networking board who posts, there are upwards of ten people who never post. Those people are lurking, and if that conjures
ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi
images of someone skulking about in the shadows trying not to be seen, it should.

But unlike lurking in real life, board lurking is a good thing. By lurking you can find out all kinds of useful information. You can find out: who posts the mos
ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

Following aspects would a
t; when the board generates the most traffic; how people speak to each other; who the posters are. If you spend some time lurking, you'll get a feel for the community and posters that frequent that board.

2. Know who you are
dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod
As you're getting ready to start posting on your new boards, keep in mind the old internet rule of thumb: Don't say anything you wouldn't want your grandmother to hear. Remember that you're constructing a professional appearance for the online
cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin
world, so keep all of your posts positive and professional.

3. Don't be afraid to share

Once you've gotten the pulse of the board, feel free to post! Remember, you're an expert in your field, so speak confidently. Tone is i
tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen
mportant online, so be careful that your confidence doesn't sound like inflexible pride. Forums and boards tend to be informal, so your writing doesn't need to be perfect—but it should always be good.

4. Don't be discouraged
t?

As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel

If you post a thread or a reply, and no one speaks to you, don't be discouraged. Remember that there are many lurkers out there who've read what you've written. And just as you've been lurking, your fellow board members will want to see who y
ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust
u are and what you have to say. Over time, you'll get more and more responses from people.

5. Spend your energy well

If you find that a board has an extremely high turnover rate, or is more negative than positive, don't stay
y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products
on it! With the first point, you're looking for a community, not a commuting board. If the board is negative, you'll be putting in too much energy for not enough return, and the temptation to join in the flame wars might get to be too much. Y
.

As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de
ou don't want to be part of that! (If you think it couldn't happen on your fun, friendly board, ask Aaron about the soda/pop flame war that he saw destroy a community…)

A good networking board can be a real gift. You'll find that you look for
elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

Companies that provide selfless information through particip
ward to what your colleagues have to say, you'll get many returns and referrals out of it, and you'll find that the online community can be friendly and supportive. With just a little work and a little practice, you'll be part of it in no time

tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products

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Digg It - Online Networking: 5 Steps to 24/7 Connections

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