Pregnancy and Cancer Top the List Of the Most Commonly Searched Health Conditions

RESTON, Va., April 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released a listing of the 20 most commonly searched health conditions as well as the 15 most commonly searched prescription brands in February 2008. The results, from comScore's custom search capability, revealed that the terms "pregnancy" and "cancer" were the two most frequently searched conditions, garnering 8.8 million and 7.7 million search queries respectively. That five of the 20 conditions (herpes, HIV, HPV, menopause and pregnancy) relate to sexual or reproductive health may be a function of these conditions' highly personal nature and the anonymity the Internet provides.

"It's not too surprising that some of the most common health conditions, such as diabetes, depression and flu, have made the list, but it's interesting that these terms generate fewer searches than significantly less prevalent conditions like cancer and pregnancy. A reason for this may be due to life-changing nature of a cancer diagnosis or a pregnancy," said Carolina Petrini, comScore senior vice president. "When facing a serious illness like cancer or after becoming pregnant or considering pregnancy, consumers often turn to the Internet to search for information and educate themselves in a private setting. comScore's findings, along with information about the search popularity of branded terms provide meaningful insights into the ways consumers use search to find health information online."

Chantix Reigns as the Most Frequently Searched Brand but Depression Drugs Dominate List.

The study also looked at the top 15 most commonly searched prescription brand name treatments and found that Pfizer's Chantix, a smoking cessation treatment, topped the list, generating more than 500,000 search queries in February 2008. Adderall (a commonly prescribed ADHD treatment) and Viagra (a popular erectile dysfunction treatment) came in a close second and third on the list, respectively.

Additionally, four of the fifteen most frequently searched prescription brands -- Cymbalta, Effexor, Lexapro, and Prozac -- are depression treatments. For patients seeking information about this highly personal condition, the Internet provides an ideal channel.

About comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions

comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions delivers in-depth information needed to understand the impact that brand, condition-specific, and health portal Web sites have on consumers' brand awareness, conversion, and patient compliance. comScore's products deliver actionable insight to help refine consumer profiles, identify key alliances, optimize interactive marketing initiatives, benchmark against the competition and accurately measure the ROI of Web site and online marketing programs.

To learn more about comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions, please visit http://www.comscore.com/solutions/pharma.asp.

About comScore

comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world. For more information, please visit http://www.comscore.com/boilerplate.

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SOURCE comScore, Inc.