Now medical device companies are directly contacting consumers, but not necessarily through the traditional television airways. Companies such as Medtronic and Boston Scientific have patient education websites advertised on social media to deliver information about their products and the conditions these products treat in a less direct approach to engage patients. All Medtronic medical products are not advertised on TV, they are advertised using ads online or on the educational websites.
Medtronic’s back.com features patient stories about back pain and managing chronic pain issues. The website has a “doctor discussion guide” to optimize appointments and a tool to connect with back pain specialists. The website also features information about specific treatments, such as spinal cord stimulation, with physicians and patients talking about the technology; on those pages, consumers find the product names. Otherwise, the Medtronic brand only appears in the website’s copyright at the bottom of the page.