Development and Implementation of a Drug Information Web Site for Health Care Professionals

Technical product information found on the Web sites of most pharmaceutical companies is limited to the package insert. In an effort to give health care professionals expanded access to technical information, the Professional Product Information department at Roche Laboratories Inc. created a Web site that provides a broad variety of drug information, including on- and off-label information on products marketed by Roche. The Professional Product Information Web site is designed to provide clinicians with the same information that would otherwise be provided in response to a telephone call or a written inquiry. The development of this Web site required the collaboration of several departments including law, regulatory affairs, technology management, business information systems, and media design management. This article reviews the many considerations in creating such a Web site.