A new Facebook policy removes ad targeting options for health topics. This policy will likely make already tough trial recruitment even more challenging.
By Darcy Grabenstein While religion and politics are topics often avoided at dinner parties, they also are the subject of a new, restrictive Facebook ad policy. As of Jan. 19, Facebook’s parent company Meta has removed detailed targeting ad options relating to topics people may perceive as sensitive, such as those referencing causes, organizations, or public figures that relate to health, race or ethnicity, political affiliation, religion, or sexual orientation. Examples of health causes include “lung cancer awareness,” “World Diabetes Day” and “chemotherapy.” This new policy is expected to make an already difficult trial recruitment process even more challenging. According to a Nov. 9 announcement from Graham Mudd, Facebook vice president of product marketing, experts advised that targeting options such as these could “lead to negative experiences for people in underrepresented groups.” This change will apply to all Meta-owned platforms: Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp, along with the Facebook Audience Network of other websites and apps using Facebook ad-targeting tools. Regardless of the ban, Facebook's own news feed algorithms will still play a role in determining who sees what content on the platform. Advertisers will still be able to target individuals who have interacted with their brand on Facebook (and deliver ads to people with similar characteristics to those users), visited their website or, for brick-and-mortar locations, people within a given geographic area. This means that
Example of a page post, exempt from the rule
organic content, such as posts on an organization’s own Facebook page, are still permissible.
On the contrary, sponsored posts such as the one shown below, could be restricted based on targeting parameters:
Facebook’s latest move to block patient recruitment campaigns on their platform is a wakeup call....
Thanks to HIPAA laws, protecting patient privacy is a priority within the healthcare industry. Under the EU’s consumer data protection laws (GDPR), which are more rigorous than their US counterparts, Facebook technically can’t legally target users based on the parameters listed above without explicit, individual consent. Social media platforms like Facebook are a natural channel for clinical trial recruitment. In a 2020 survey conducted by Informa Pharma Intelligence and Rare Patient Voice (RPV), 19% of participants said they found out about the study via social media. A 2019 Transcelerate survey revealed that 43% of patients use a general internet search to look for clinical study information.
According to a 2019 Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) Perceptions & Insights Study, among non-participants:
Mike Wenger, Vice President of Patient Engagement for Informa Pharma Intelligence, said the new Facebook limitations underscore the importance of a multi-pronged, multi-channel approach to clinical trial recruitment. “Consistent forecasting and successful execution with clinical trials requires a diversified approach. You never want to put all of your eggs in one basket. Facebook’s latest move to block patient recruitment campaigns on their platform is a wakeup call to sponsors that have not yet expanded their channels and tactics."
"While I understand the intent behind Facebook's policy change on ad targeting, I am concerned that it might result in fewer patients with various diseases, especially rare diseases, learning about important clinical trials that might save their lives,” said Wes Michael, CEO of Rare Patient Voice, a leading patient recruitment firm and part of the Citeline Connect referral network. “I would support an exception being made for clinical trials.
At Rare Patient Voice, we have a vibrant Facebook presence....
"At Rare Patient Voice, we have a vibrant Facebook presence, with over 26,000 followers of our page, where we post study opportunities. We also work directly with more than 2,200 patient advocacy groups to spread the word to their members about study opportunities." Wenger acknowledged that Facebook’s move appears to be an effort to increase protection of users’ privacy. “In the healthcare industry in particular, it’s extremely important — not to mention legally required — to guard patient data. At Informa Pharma Intelligence, we not only take great care to do so but also protect the intellectual property of our clients.
“And at Citeline Connect, we take a holistic approach to recruitment with our vetted network of partners,” he said. “Just as sponsors should not rely on a single social media platform, neither should they rely on a single recruitment partner. Being able to work simultaneously with a large network of organizations drastically expands reach, de-risks setbacks, and accelerates timelines.”
“Facebook is probably the largest ad platform we’re on,” said Dan Brenner, CEO of 1nHealth, a direct-to-patient, digital-only recruitment provider and also part of the Citeline Connect referral network. Brenner echoes Wenger’s take on the Facebook changes, saying that diversification of advertising channels is extremely important. 1nHealth uses its own targeting platform for online advertising, which connects sponsors with “the non-obvious people,” according to Brenner, increasing their reach. That also means it does not rely on one specific ad platform, such as Facebook, for recruiting. He said sponsors should ask themselves what targeting tools they are using for their studies. “If the answer is just the targeting tools within each ad platform, it’s the wrong answer.”
Brenner said it is key for marketers to create steady content that resonates with their core segment. In this case, that would be patients, and Brenner prides himself on the patient-centric focus of 1nHealth. “I want sponsors to feel the patient journey,” said Brenner. “It’s not just about getting patients to click.”
"It’s not just about getting patients to click."
While platforms such as Facebook cast a wide net for clinical trial participants, digital outreach may be missing key demographic targets, such as older individuals less comfortable with technology and members of minority groups for whom English may not be their first language. Successful patient recruitment combines a variety of methods, both online and offline, with messaging that is easily understood and resonates with the intended audience.
