Clinical History

When does clinical data reach the point of relevancy? You probably know that we invest a lot in studying our products, and we also welcome new data from third-party studies.  But I want to know how important this data is to you, and how much you look for when you’re making purchasing decisions. What is a relevant product data source in your mind?

A growing source of data on many e-commerce sites is the user-generated review. Research on how much credibility people give these reviews is startling—one study found that the amount of trust people put in them is second only to a recommendation they receive from someone they know.[1] Another survey found that 99% of online consumers found these reviews to be credible.[2] So it seems that in addition to clinical data, many customers look to reports of other users’ up-close-and-personal experiences with products.   

Some of our products such as RelyX Cements, have lengthy, almost overwhelming amounts of clinical study data backing them. Is there a point where more data is a waste of time and money, or do you view it as “the more, the better”? And how much data is needed for a good baseline in your eyes?  Would an online review that contradicted or supported published data influence your opinion?

Can “marketing” always trump “data”? In my mind there is a significant blur between the two and it’s a trend that I don’t like. What do you think?

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[1] Bernoff, Josh. “Time to Rethink Your Corporate Blogging Ideas.” Forrester Research, 2008.  

[2] “Credibility of Consumer-Generated Online Reviews according to US Internet Users, August-September 2007.” Deloitte & Touche, October 1, 2007.