Imagine a medical condition that affects 100% of a population and impacts all aspects of health, from mental health and dental health to cardiovascular health and beyond. Now imagine that medical condition is rarely studied, to the point that most healthcare professionals cannot guide their patients on how it might affect them nor treatment options. While this scenario may sound unbelievable, it is unfortunately a reality in the case of menopause, which impacts every woman who lives long enough to be of age, as young as age 35.

Perimenopause and menopause symptoms can last well over a decade and vary dramatically. Physicians in nearly all specialities report health impacts of menopause on their patients. Some startling points: the drop in oestrogen levels can even cause gum disease and tooth loss.

And while this is impacting women in many ways, healthcare professionals are often not in a position to offer adequate support. A report from University College London shared that “in the UK in 2021, only 59% of medical schools included mandatory menopause education in their curriculum.” As well, UCL noted that “58% of analysed medical textbooks used around the world had no reference to menopause and 12% dedicated less than a paragraph to the topic.”

CMI Media Group recently published an international edition of its Media Vitals study, which looks at the preferences and habits of healthcare professionals. The study covered healthcare professionals across multiple therapy areas in six countries; Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom and found that less than 60% of healthcare professionals across those countries were confident their patients had enough information to make educated decisions. Providing that information, both to patients and the healthcare professionals who treat them, is a key task that marketers focusing on women’s health must accomplish.

This dire situation presents opportunities for healthcare brands to support healthcare professionals and ultimately their patients by providing valuable, trustworthy information and education. Menopause is essentially a comorbidity to nearly every medical condition in women. This means it is an opportunity for healthcare brands in every disease state category to explore how menopause impacts their universe and how they could help.

Any help would be met with gratitude and engagement from healthcare audiences. In a study by the British Journal of General Practice, 59% of women surveyed wanted information about menopause, saying the main reason for information needed was “I want to know how to help myself.”

And, healthcare marketers who choose to support menopause education would be joining a groundswell of initiatives. For example, numerous “menopause in the workplace” initiatives have kicked off over the past few years to aim to stem the tide of women leaving the workforce due to unmanaged symptoms. “The Mayo Clinic estimates that American companies lose $1.8 billion annually due to lost working time related to menopause,” according to Time. The World Economic Forum notes: “In the UK alone, 14 million working days are estimated to be lost each year due to menopause and perimenopause, with 1 in 10 women experiencing menopausal symptoms having left their role in 2022.” Our agency, CMI Media Group, and our parent company, WPP, are among those to have instituted a menopause in the workplace initiative that offers resources to employees.

However, support is most needed from healthcare providers. There are many ways that healthcare marketers can step in to provide that support. We know that healthcare professionals are looking for more support and facing burnout across the globe, meaning that helpful resources provided by pharma brands are welcome and appreciated. This can include:

• Educational content – content that illustrates how menopause impacts that doctor’s speciality will be particularly helpful, given the dearth of available information. Pharma brands can become trusted resources by showcasing their expertise in the area and offering solutions that healthcare professionals can share with their patients. Going a big step further by conducting research into the impact of menopause will show the brand’s commitment to female patients.
• Personalisation and representation – use digital tools to personalise content, so that messages are representational of what healthcare professionals’ patients need at various stages. This should include carefully paying attention to underrepresented groups such as ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ patients, who are often left without resources relevant to them. This can include partnering with key opinion leaders within the medical profession to deliver credible information on complex health topics.
• Omnichannel approach – We know from our research that healthcare professionals are using a wide range of resources for medical information, so it’s wise to expand beyond the medical journal when reaching them. Social media, podcasts and connected TV are all underused but highly effective ways to make real connections with healthcare professionals. An omnichannel approach can ensure you’re reaching healthcare professionals when and where they are consuming media, so those important resources are being seen.

Providing the resource of trustworthy information to healthcare professionals and patients in dire need allows pharma marketers to be in a position of incredible value. We know that healthcare providers are looking for more information and that patients are looking for answers.

This situation has resulted in a huge opportunity for marketers to develop campaigns that help long suffering women, though to do so their messaging must be authentic and never pandering. But if done well, will have a lasting impact for a huge audience around the world