by Krissy Goelz (@krisgoelz)

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the healthiest one of all?

Imagine if looking in the mirror could reveal more than just the lines on your face or the state of your hair. What if the mirror was magic and could know what medications you needed to take or whether your blood sugar might be low? Wouldn’t it be great if we could improve our health just by looking in the mirror? While that may sound like a scene straight from The Jetsons, that vision could soon become a reality thanks to Magic Mirror technology.

Created by researchers from the New York Times R&D lab, the Magic Mirror combines voice recognition and motion sensing technology with an RFID tag reader. The technology is actually a computer with a reflective surface, creating an interactive information center in the privacy of an individual’s restroom.

How can the Magic Mirror improve health care?

It can keep patients on track– Forget missing doctor appointments or failing to remember to schedule your next mammogram. A calendaring application is available via a touch screen right on the mirror (watch out for finger smudges!) and can help people remember to keep their scheduled appointments, set up a visit with their health care practitioner or take their medication as prescribed.

It puts detailed information about prescriptions at a patient’s fingertips – Forget late night calls to the neighborhood pharmacy to determine drug interactions or to ask if your medication needs to be taken with food. Putting a prescription bottle or OTC medication tagged with an RFID chip on the mirror’s small ledge displays information about the drug such as when and how it should be taken, potential side effects, the prescribing physician’s name and other pertinent details.

It can encourage healthy choices – Not only can virtual technology help users “try on” clothes or visualize different hair colors and style, it can also point to other body issues such as weight gain. Unlike a regular mirror that just reveals your problem areas, the Magic Mirror can pinpoint where weight gain occurred and connect it to potential health concerns. The mirror can also be used by marketers to deliver healthy tips or coupons to inspire purchase.

It helps people stay current with news and events – Most people don’t talk about reading in the bathroom, but it often is a sanctuary for interrupted time used to educate or entertain. With the Magic Mirror, they can get alerts about drug recalls or access breaking news about health trends, prescriptions and more. The NY Times API enables it to deliver its own content such as blog posts, articles and videos, perpetuating anywhere, anytime access to information.

While the technology is still in prototype phase and its general availability has yet to be announced, it’s likely to be affordable with it hits the stores. Reflecting on the way technology has advanced, it’s only a matter of time until the Magic Mirror shows itself on the home front.

Today’s guest post comes from Ken Thorlton, SVP, Creative Director, of HealthEd. Ken has been with HealthEd since 2004, now serving as senior vice president, creative services. In this role, he manages design teams and oversees all aspects of creative development—interpreting clients’ communication strategies, visually capturing patient insights and needs, and unifying that vision into a strategic creative concept. He is also proficient in the field of educational design and health literacy principles as they pertain to the creation of patient education materials.

Throughout his career, Ken has delivered creative solutions to pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, health benefit providers, and retail healthcare companies. His designs have garnered many industry awards.

by Ken Thorlton (@HE_KenT)

Ever think about how pictures affect what you do in your daily life? Have you ever tipped a waiter a little more because he drew a smiley face on the bottom of your check? Or donated money to a local humane society when you saw pictures of puppies in its literature? Studies have shown that the frequency and size of a waiter’s tips were greater when the smiley face was present. And that more money was donated when puppy pictures were shown, versus text-only materials.

A recent paper I came across highlights the importance of pictures in all communications, and especially in health education.

The Fry formula, the Flesch-Kincaid system, the SMOG. These are all health literacy assessment tools that help estimate the grade reading level of written words on a page. According to experts, some of these tools are better than others.

HealthEd applies health literacy guidelines to all of its patient materials, not just the written parts. We understand that the grade reading level of written health education plays a major role in helping patients comprehend and apply positive behaviors to their treatment. And in light of the fact that 50 percent of all Americans read below the eighth-grade level, the written word (and its associated grade level) becomes even more important.

But the grade reading level of health education materials alone is only one guideline of many that help to produce effective patient education. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, we must “use measures of reading grade level only in combination with other factors to judge ease of reading.” As a creative director, and one who speaks frequently on the role of design in creating health literate materials, pictures and visuals are those “other factors.”

Do pictures really affect comprehension of health education materials? A recent study assessed the effects of incorporating pictures on understanding medication instructions among 60 low-literate respondents. Of those who received a leaflet with pictures, 93% responded correctly to the question “How must you take this medicine?” versus 47% for those that received text-only instructions. And when asked, “What are the actual times?”, 73% answered correctly who had been given the text plus pictures versus only 3% that received the text-only version.

There are many other health education studies that seem to have the same conclusion. Incorporating pictures into health education materials will help patients better understand the information. But, as health educators, we know it’s not just about a patient’s ability to comprehend the information. We want them to act on the information as well.

Do pictures influence people’s intentions and behavior in response to medical instructions? According to a study of 234 emergency room patients, those who were given instructions for managing lacerations with pictures were 77% were more likely to do what was recommended versus only 54% for those who received text-only instructions. And another study of 78 non-literate women showed that, on average, women who received picture instructions took 90% of the pills prescribed for the affected time period versus 78% for the women who received only spoken instructions.

So, it seems logical to assume that incorporating pictures into health education can not only enhance a reader’s comprehension, but also help them accept the message as something they should act on. With that in mind, here are some recommendations for using pictures in health education:

• Look for ways to include pictures
  • Think from a visual perspective and ask, “where can I use pictures to support key points”
• Try and use the most basic drawings or photographs
  • This helps viewers with low literacy skills to understand the intended message and not become distracted by unimportant details
• Visually guide how pictures are interpreted by the viewer
  • Use captions that describe what is happening in the picture and link to text through proximity
• Be sensitive to the culture of the intended audience
  • Readers want to see themselves and their concerns related in the piece. If they don’t, chances are they are not fully understanding the information
• Evaluate the effect of including pictures
  • If possible, try to conduct follow-up interviews that assess attention, understanding, remembrance, and adherence as it pertains to the inclusion of pictures in the piece

We understand the grade-reading level of health education materials can be a “make it or break it” point for patient comprehension. Writing at a lower level can certainly help readers understand the information better. But words alone won’t do the trick.  As referenced above, pictures along with copy allow for more comprehension, better recall, and ongoing adherence to treatment regimes than just plain text with no visuals.

And can also lead to better tips. Just ask the waiter with the smiley face.

Citations

Houts PS, Doak CC, Doak LG, Loscalzo MJ. The role of pictures in improving health communication: a review of research on attention, comprehension, recall, and adherence. Patient Educ Couns. 2006 Dec; 64(1-3:393-4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16122896. Accessed October 3, 2011.

Guegun N, Logeherel P. Effect on tipping of barman drawing a sun on the bottom of customers’ checks. Psychol Rep 2000;87:223-6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11026416. Accessed October 3, 2011.

Perrine RM, Heather S. Effects of picture and even-a-penny-will-help appeals on anonymous donations to charity. Psychol Rep 2000;86:551-9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Perrine%20donations. Accessed October 3, 2011.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Writing and Designing Print Materials for Beneficiaries: A Guide for State Medicaid Agencies. Washington, DC: US Dept of Health and Human Services; 1999. Publication 10145.

Mansoor LE, Dowse R. Effect of pictograms on readability of patient information materials. Ann Pharmacother 2003;37:1003-9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12841808. Accessed October 3, 2001.

Delp C, Jones J. Communicating information to patients: the use of cartoon illustrations to improve comprehension of instructions. Acad Emerg Med 1996;3:264-70. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Delp%20cartoon. Accessed October 3, 2011.

Ngoh LN, Shepard MD. Design development, and evaluation of visual aids for communicating prescription drug instructions to non-literate patients in rural Cameroon. Patient Educ Counsel 1997;31:245-61. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9104382. Accessed October 3, 2011.

We’re excited to be participating in another UnNiched(micro) breakfast at the CUNY Graduate Center in October.

This one, however, will prove to be a little different from other events that UnNiched has hosted in the past. This one is a grown up show and tell, or, as they are calling it “Scratch, Sniff and Learn.”

That’s right. Your friends at UnNiched are asking you to submit your innovations in the world of pharma and healthcare.

From their website:

We’re launching what we hope are the first of many of what we’re calling “Scratch, Sniff and Learn” unNiched(micro) events.  This event is designed to highlight innovative programs, products and campaigns in the health marketing communications arena.  Attendees will not only get to hear about these innovations from presenters, but get hands-on experience “playing” with each innovation at specially prepared exhibits during the event.

We’re looking to showcase Web applications, innovative campaigns with real-world or virtual elements, mobile apps, designs and much, much more.  For example, we’ve already signed up the folks from Zemoga who will be showcasing the Teach Shirts they developed to aid public health communication in developing countries.

Submissions from any area of health marketing communications are encouraged, including social marketing, mobile communications, pharma communications, public relations and advertising. What’s more, the work of individuals, organizations and others showcased at the event will be promoted in other ways:

1. Case studies about featured innovations will be published on our popular wiki for health marketing communications pros, Living the Path
2. Innovations will be featured on our podcast, fyi: healthmarcomms
3. We’re planning other ways to showcase innovations, stay tuned for more

If you have an innovation you’d like to submit for consideration please fill out the application form by clicking here (Submission Deadline:September 26, 2011).

Pixels & Pills will, of course, be there with cameras rolling. We’ll talk to the hosts and the innovators and post the most interesting submissions on the blog.

We know you can’t wait!

unNiched(micro) Event: October 25, 2011, New York City
Innovation Submission Deadline: September 26, 2011
Event Registration Opens: September 15, 2011
Innovation Submission Form: Click Here

This post is part of a series of point/counterpoint arguments proposed by different members of the Pixels & Pills staff. We’re strong believers that healthy arguments can yield the best solutions, and we hope that you enjoy our series. Feel free to add your own arguments in the comments section below!

By Kimberly Reyes (@CommDuCoeur)

Here on Pixels & Pills, we get excited about writing the Point/Counterpoint series. It gives us a chance to flex those forensic muscles we learned on the debate team in high school. The counterpoint to my post in defense of Flash yesterday was supposed to be written by Sven Larsen. But then I read something…and simply had to write the counterpoint argument.

In April 2010, Steve Jobs published his Thoughts on Flash. If you are a designer, web developer, or have any opinion on the subject whatsoever, Jobs’ statement is a must-read. First, he established the historical relationship between Adobe and Apple: “The two companies worked closely together to pioneer desktop publishing and there were many good times.” He also established the contemporary relationship between Adobe and Apple, pointing to the fact that “Mac users buy around half of Adobe’s Creative Suite products.” Then he goes into open versus closed systems, and that’s where Jobs gets a little too political for my taste.

Apple, Google, and many others, are huge proponents of HTML5, CSS and JavaScript – the current darlings of web standards. Among Jobs’ most compelling argument (in my opinion the most compelling of them all) is the fact that Flash was built for mouse computing, and not Apple’s touch-based devices. Say what you want about user friction, security, etc. but the idea that it’s pretty tough to click on some Flash elements may be a deal breaker for a lot of technology users.

But let’s go back to my point about friction. Yesterday, I defended the fact that Flash is a plugin. That was great for running that game demo without an Internet connection, but not so great when you haven’t installed Adobe Flash onto your device yet. Another point that Jobs brought up in his statement is the issue of battery life. As more and more people adopt mobile technologies, power-efficient software is going to become a major factor.

A number of blog posts and articles have been making a strong case against Flash. Among them is Jeff Hendricks’ aptly-named Case Against Flash. There are some flawed arguments here, such as “Flash doesn’t let you right-click,” to which I respond: neither does Apple – in fact, Steve Jobs would prefer it if we didn’t click at all. But a great point that Jeff does bring up is the fact that Flash is not SEO-friendly. To that same point, you can’t track user activity on an entirely Flash-based website. You can’t return to specific pages or areas within the site without re-tracing your steps. Dennis Portello, our VP of Technology, favors HTML5 over Flash “because it isn’t proprietary,” among other reasons.

So after exploring both sides of the argument, here’s my conclusion: Try as you might, Steve Jobs, you can’t make Flash go away. Popular video players, apps, etc. still rely on Flash to deliver a rich media experience to their users. Flash, with all its faults, isn’t meant to be the entire online experience; it’s supposed to enhance and supplement it.

You can make up your own mind by clicking over to http://html5vsflash.tumblr.com.

Check out other installments from this series:

POINT/COUNTERPOINT: The Great Flash Debate, Part I
POINT: Is Social Media Better than Face-to-Face Interaction?
COUNTERPOINT: Is Social Media Better than Face-to-Face Interaction?
POINT: Social Media Helps Patients Make Better Health Decisions
COUNTERPOINT: Social Media Hurts Patients’ Health Decisions

(Video credited to Milk and Cookies)

This post is part of a series of point/counterpoint arguments proposed by different members of the Pixels & Pills staff. We’re strong believers that healthy arguments can yield the best solutions, and we hope that you enjoy our series. Feel free to add your own arguments in the comments section below!

By Kimberly Reyes (@CommDuCoeur)

In the beginning, Al Gore created the Internet, and it was good.

Well, sort of.

I mean, it was sort of good.

The World Wide Web in the mid-90s wasn’t exactly visually engaging. It was a black screen with a blinking prompt.

One of the biggest changes that the Internet has seen in its less than two decades of existence has been a significant departure from these origins. While a good online destination is still – and always will be – determined by the quality and usefulness of the content that it provides to its audience, the experience of interacting with that content is entirely different than it was 15 years ago.

Page elements that show off for the sake of it were annoying from the moment that a person first added blinking GIF files to a Prodigy website. Those furbelows didn’t last, because they didn’t do their job: they didn’t improve the interaction the user was having with the content. Just the opposite: They detracted from it, distracting the eye with the equivalent of neon signs written in gibberish.

It breaks my heart that the Flash animation platform gets a bad rap these days. Before it became Adobe Flash, it was Macromedia Flash, and it was the canvas that I used to give my online art portfolio in high school an edge over the competition. I foundly remember my first Flash animation: a static picture of the Beatles – which I for some reason believed summed up my entire aesthetic – gliding onto a splash page and spinning out of it, to the tune of “Here Comes The Sun.” True story.

Despite fond memories, I do understand why there are opponents to one of the first web enrichment tools ever created. Most designers, coders, content writers – and Flash developers – would probably agree that Flash isn’t (at least not always) the right platform on which to build a website. It isn’t necessarily meant to be. It was designed to create moving, interactive spaces within a website. But what Flash can do – and do brilliantly – is provide the useful type of dazzling capability, not just the annoying blinky kind, to truly amplify a user’s information experience. Making the words in an introduction move, explaining something by taking the viewer on a journey, or, best yet, making information into a game – making learning into an activity that involves choice and motion.

Also, Flash is a plugin. I know what you’re thinking, “user friction” and all that jazz, but hear me out: A few months back, I was writing up some marketing collateral on a Flash-based game that my company built. To get an accurate feel for the game, I was playing it on the host site. That afternoon, I was on an NJ Transit train hoping to finish my write-up, but realized that I forgot to bring my wi-fi hotspot. Fortunately, I was still able to demo the game, which was loaded onto my work laptop. That’s because Flash can run independently from a web browser; I don’t need to have a web connection to have a rich multimedia experience. What’s more, many of our commonly used applications run on Flash (Tweetdeck, for instance).

For great examples of these, check out this collection of 65 Excellent Flash Designs. You won’t see pharma examples. But you will see phenomenally interesting ideas. To just use one as an example, here’s an “about us” capabilities tour, laid out as an actual virtual tour of the office.

Consider the applications for pharma. How about a disease website made to look like a specialist’s office? Or an Investor Relations site that mimics the layout of the actual company headquarters?

Your project this weekend is to think about this: How are you using the capabilities that Flash manipulation can provide in your online offerings?

Check out other installments from this series:

POINT: Is Social Media Better than Face-to-Face Interaction?
COUNTERPOINT: Is Social Media Better than Face-to-Face Interaction?
POINT: Social Media Helps Patients Make Better Health Decisions
COUNTERPOINT: Social Media Hurts Patients’ Health Decisions

This post continues our new series on Generation Y and their relationship with their health. From challenges to epidemics, this series attempts to expose how these digital natives are managing health-related issues, both individually and together.

By Kimberly Reyes (@CommDuCoeur)

In my last installment in this series on the Millennial doctor, I mentioned the innovative Dr. Jay Parkinson, dubbed by Fast Company as The Doctor of the Future. The video above is from L2’s Generation Next Forum back in May 2010. In his presentation, Dr. Parkinson listed the specific attributes of Generation Y that influence how we view our healthcare system, both where it’s been & where it’s headed. Here they are:

We’re not used to inefficiencies.
We expect conversation.
We’re collaborators.
We’re socially conscious.
We want value & transparency.
We see the value in sharing.
We want health and happiness.
We’re tinkerers.
We’re creative problem solvers.
We expect design.

Does any of this sound familiar? That’s because it’s not just Generation Y. All generations share some or all of the same requirements from our healthcare system. Don’t we all want an efficient healthcare system that’s honest and transparent, and facilitates open communication among all stakeholders and participants? In the coming years, the industry will soon have to cater to these demands from Generation Y. As Dr. Parkinson says in his presentation:

“Healthcare needs a revolution. And Gen Y will lead this revolution.”

As a new demographic of patients flood the healthcare system, a number of important factors will come into play. For instance, we’re more civic-minded; we care about the well-being of others in addition to our own. We’re also more diverse than previous generations; many of us are multi-racial. Also, we’re not just interested in fixing emergency health problems; we want advice on a more holistic approach to healthy living. So what are the changes that medical institutions need to make in order to cater to these, and other defining characteristics of Generation Y? Here are my Top 3 suggestions for small changes that will have huge impact:

1. Set up several portals for quick and instant communication, such as Skype and e-mail
2. Update your technology by doing things like implementing iPad tablets for faster paperwork processing
3. Be able to recommend reliable sites and sources for us to independently obtain medical information

With that, I wanted to leave you with a few links to some of the tools and services that Dr. Parkinson mentioned in his presentation. Bear in mind, these were not created exclusively by or exclusively for Generation Y. But you can expect to see higher adoption of these high-tech methods for managing our health as Generation Y begins to dominate the patient population.

• Hello Health, for web-based patient communication, practice management and EHR
• ZocDoc, to find dentists or doctors and book instantly online
• Withings, a wi-fi connected scale & blood pressure monitor
• PatientsLikeMe, to share stories and symptoms with an online patient community

What are you doing to avoid being left behind in in the Healthcare Revolution? Share some applications/portals/gadgets that you’ve created or seen in the comments section below!

Also, check out previous installments from this series:

The Making of the Millennial Doctor
Dealing With Depression

Thomas Goetz, Executive Editor of WIRED Magazine, discusses how technology can help people make better decisions about their health, and explains the concept of Information with Feeling, or I.W.F., as a way to communicate messages more efficiently through good design.

By Kimberly Reyes (@CommDuCoeur)

It’s the low-brow reality show that’s captivated audiences across the country, earning record-high ratings among 12- to 34-year-olds. MTV’s Jersey Shore follows the (often drunken) antics of eight Italian-American housemates vacationing in a summer share at Seaside Heights, NJ. Among them are Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, a womanizer with rock-hard abs dedicated to a routine of gym, tan, & laundry – referred to as “GTL” – and Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, best known for her short stature, artificial skin color, and the unfortunate luck of being punched, both intentionally and unintentionally, every few episodes.

Believe it or not, this quirky cast of characters have not only taken pop culture by storm, but provide exemplary insight into how we can all become better marketers. The blockbuster program, which averages 6.9 million viewers in their key demographic, seems to have discovered a perfect potion for success, which I will attempt to outline here:

“After I have sex with a guy, I will rip their heads off.”

These famous words, from the show’s opening sequence, are uttered by Jenni “JWoww” Farley, the busty, abrasive party girl with a penchant for dangerously low-cut tops. There’s also Vincent “Vinny” Guadagnino, the relatable mama’s boy looking for love, and Paul “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio, the resident comedian with the heavily-gelled coif. Although often stereotyped, each of Jersey Shore’s cast members possess unique characteristics that distinguish them from each other. Re-examine your brands. Do each of your brands have distinct “personalities” that your consumers can easily recognize?

“I invented the poof.”

One needn’t resort to extensive research to come to the conclusion that Snooki Polizzi did not, in fact, invent her signature hairstyle. However, if a woman passed by sporting a half-updo teased about six inches high, chances are, Snooki is the first thing that comes to mind. Synecdoche is a powerful technique that allows for a partial image to symbolize a whole – whether or not it is associated with your brand. Think about the strength of your logo, or the art on your website. Would your consumers be able to identify your brand if you remove any of its components?

“New Shore. Same Crazy.”

So goes the tagline for promos of MTV’s Jersey Shore Season 2…which actually took place in Miami. After returning to Seaside for Season 3, MTV confirmed rumors that the upcoming fourth season is scheduled to be taped in Italy. Despite the changing locales, viewers and fans can count on one thing: the same excessive drinking, fighting, tanning, and “smooshing” as in previous seasons. Every now and then, brands reinvent their image: new logos, new spokespeople, new campaigns. But it’s important that despite the changing environments, we still remain true to our brand philosophy.

“Tan, guido, juicehead, gorilla, big sense of humor, likes to party, fist-pumps, frolics, isn’t a jerkoff, a dork at heart, smells good, pays for meals, nympho, likes pickles, takes on interest into my hobbies, very protective, not so serious, likes to sleep in.”

This is Snooki’s list of qualities that she looks for in an ideal mate. Do I have to stress the importance of having clear strategic marketing objectives?

By Sven Larsen (@zemoga)

It may come as no surprise to many who read this blog that in the design world, Pharma work is often seen as the “red headed stepchild”. Pharma and (to a lesser degree Finance) are seen as unfriendly to creativity because of the strict regulatory environments both fields operate under and the nature of the core business (many designers got in to design to stay as far away from math and science as they could). We’ve written before about this perception and how many in our industry play in to those misconceptions. Is it possible to change the negative image Pharma has among design types? is it even worth trying?

For those who answered no to the above questions, there’s some interesting news that came out of the Mozilla Foundation (makers of Firefox and a Zemoga client) last week. Mashable reports that Aza Raskin, the Foundations renowned Creative Director is leaving to found his own company. And what is one of the most gifted designers in the digital space choosing to work on? A healthcare startup called Massive Health.

What’s Raskin’s motivation for joining us here in the “design ghetto” of Healthcare and Pharma. Here’s what he has to say about it on his blog:

“Each of us has a unique ability. I want to use mine—the knowledge to make products which are disruptively easier and more enjoyable to use—to change people’s lives. Life-changing not in the sense of a new social website or better email, but in making people’s lives materially better by helping them get and stay healthy. Anyone that’s been sick, overweight, or had to deal with a doctor knows that health is a field in dire need of humane design.”

Given the recent Pew research that indicates searching for Healthcare info is one of the top three things all age groups use the Internet for, he couldn’t have picked a better time.

Here at Pixels and Pills we’ve often said that the industry needs a design guru to show others what can be accomplished. Someone respected enough to make people stand up and pay attention to Pharma and Healthcare work and show that there’s more to our industry than blue and white logos and little brown bottles. Raskin may be just the guy to do it.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on Massive Health and how they impact on the industry. And we’re happy to see another champion added to the group of us fighting for humane design in the healthcare industry.

Let’s all do our part to make sure 2011 ends up being the year that Pharma breaks out of the ghetto once and for all.

Image courtesy of Pierce Mattie Public Relations

By Christina Brodie

What do pharma and fashion have in common? Both are multi-billion dollar a year industries that influence how people look and feel. Pharma marketers should take note that fashion’s influence is becoming more prevalent in the industry as our culture becomes increasingly obsessed with physical appearance and beauty. These cultural shifts give marketers cause to rethink everything from a product’s packaging and design to how medical devices and procedures are marketed. It’s not new, either: As early as 1927, adman Ernest Elmo Calkins opined about “Beauty the New Business Tool” in the Atlantic.

Obsession with a youthful appearance is an evergreen quest. Although recent economic woes have put a deep wrinkle on most consumer finances, spending in anti-aging skin care is growing. According to this report from Medical Insight, Inc., projected growth of this segment is up to 17.1% per year as physicians continue adding skincare lines to augment their aesthetic treatment services. Botox, facial lasers and many surgical procedures are also gaining popularity. Fashion magazines such as Elle routinely test out new techniques, educating readers of the newest spring in the pharmaceutical fountain of youth. While controversial, even young people are turning to the cosmetic enhancement offered through Botox. This 18-year-old pop star created controversy after undergoing treatment in an effort to “look fresh on camera”.

Fun and fashionable bling removes the social sting. Medical alert bracelets have gotten a much needed makeover. For individuals who may have drug or food allergies, diabetes, heart disease or any other medical condition that needs to be brought to the attention of medical personnel in emergency situations, medical alert bracelets can be lifesaving. And, those who need them no longer need to sacrifice style for necessity. New medical alert symbols can also be found on necklaces, charms for a charm bracelet, tie pin or watch, even military-style dog tags and money clips. Tiffany & Co. sells an 18K gold medical alert bracelet for $2,250, but for those that don’t want to break the budget, other companies have more affordable options adorned with letter beads, Swarovski crystals, pearls and gemstones. These more stylish medical alert accessories may encourage more people to wear them and ensure they get the care they need in the face of an emergency situation.

Functionality meets fashion-flair. It’s not just medical alert jewelry that has received a fashion makeover. There’s a plethora of attractive medical alarm watches on the market to remind patients to take medication. Although designed for medical purposes, these watches provide this functionality but can also be used as an everyday wristwatch. Ugly neck and back braces are also a thing of the past. Today’s support devices are also easy on the eye. For young adults with scoliosis, some of the newer braces are as attractive as a corset and incorporate lace, leather, and even colorful patterns.

The convergence of pharma and Seventh Avenue opens the door for innovation and inspiration. While the next great life-saving drug doesn’t need to come in next season’s hottest colors, the long, constant march of western marketing – with products moving beyond their functional forms to more aspirational design – continues apace, even in a down economy. In a time when beauty and style are found everywhere, it’s a trend that even pharma marketers need to be aware of as they go to market with new products.