The Challenge
EDAP TMS is a global enterprise that makes medical devices and ultrasound technology to treat urological diseases, including localized prostate cancer. The company is headquartered in Lyon, France, with US operations in Austin, TX. EDAP wanted to use PR in the U.S. to promote its high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) device as a superior treatment for localized prostate cancer to patients, urologists and hospitals across the U.S.
While the HIFU device was available in Europe, Asia and South America, and had received FDA clearance for the ablation of prostate tissue in the U.S. it was not yet FDA approved for treating prostate cancer. Until then, EDAP was prohibited from communicating about the device as an effective treatment for prostate cancer. Yet the company still needed to make its mark with HIFU in the US market.
Strategy
G2 Comm had to develop strategies for educating the market about HIFU through the voice of the few urologists who were willing to take a bet on the device, and their patients who had the procedure. Rather than focus specifically on the EDAP brand, the G2 Comm team mobilized a small army of urologists and patients, and hospital administrators as advocates for HIFU. G2 Comm targeted the local and regional media that would reach patients where HIFU was available and used by EDAP customers.
G2 Comm developed patient stories and articles ghostwritten for the urologists. Both patients and urologists were interviewed on local TV, radio and newspapers, medical journals and industry newsletters, nationally renowned prostate cancer advocacy organizations, and as speakers at medical conferences. G2 Comm also engaged the spouses and partners of men receiving the HIFU treatment to hear their perspective and those stories were featured in several women’s magazines. African American men, who are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer as Caucasian men and who received HIFU treatment, were also featured in African American media outlets. Through G2 Comm’s strong relationships with HIFU patients, the team was able to mobilize a patient delegation to lobby Congress about accelerating approvals for HIFU as a legitimate treatment for prostate cancer.
G2 Comm also developed business angles targeting hospital executives by presenting a strong business case for acquiring the HIFU technology prior to FDA approval as a prostate cancer treatment. These ghostwritten articles were picked up by several healthcare executive magazines.
The Results
Altogether the G2 team generated over 100 media placements in 24 months (and continuing). The widespread coverage, according to EDAP executives, contributed to the unprecedented number of sales of the company’s second generation HIFU device – one device per month in the first six months.
