New drugs that create even small amounts of online discussion among consumers before they're approved by federal regulators often enjoy greater awareness and online "buzz" after they have been released to the market, according to an analysis by Nielsen BuzzMetrics.

By tracking pre- and post-approval buzz of four new drugs, Nielsen BuzzMetrics' Healthcare Practice found that new drug therapies that generated even small amounts of pre-approval buzz enjoyed a comparatively large and sustained increase in discussion among relevant communities once the drugs were approved for use among the general population.

In the cases examined, this phenomenon held true for drugs whose therapeutic value is not considered a great improvement over existing drugs for the same illnesses.

"Brands that achieve preliminary buzz in relevant online communities tend to achieve greater momentum once the drug is approved," said Lydia Worthington, Vice President of Client Services and Healthcare Practice Leader for Nielsen BuzzMetrics, and chief author of the study. "While there are many factors that ultimately influence overall buzz and engagement, pharmaceutical marketers would be wise to consider investing in pre-launch initiatives that get patients talking and consequently primed for post-approval launch and marketing activities."