Writing Technical Documents for the Global Pharmaceutical Industry
http://www.attw.org/TCQarticles/7.3/7-3Bonk.pdf
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  peer-reviewed

Bonk, Robert J.
Technical Communication Quarterly
1998

Abstract:

Technical writers in the global pharmaceutical industry write for two major audiences: regulatory agencies and healthcare practitioners. These audiences differ in their information needs and expectations. Therefore, information products that address these audiences must balance the competing forces of business interests, market penetration, and the cultural variables of products so tied to people's beliefs. Pharmaceutical writers may carry an extra burden because the topics of their documents have such a potential for social benefit or serious harm. Electronic technology can greatly enhancing writers' abilities to meet these document needs, but system incompatibilities must first be overcome. Audience analysis still remains the key to crafting effective pharmaceutical documents.