Just a follow up. My Dad was a pharmaceutical
rep for what is now Glaxo Smith Kline. He did that job for over 30 years
based in Rochester before his death in 1987. In those days each drug
company had 1 rep per company. That person had to know the entire product
line and be able to educate the health care professionals about each and every
drug. There was no advertising. Samples were common and the drug rep had
the time to educate the doctor about the drug. Sure there was some sales
pitch but not nearly like it is today.
As an example Merck has now fewer that
10 reps in this area alone. Several companies are promoting the same drug.
Many mergers have taken place and there are getting to be fewer companies.
Direct to consumer advertising does have a major impact on both physicians and
pharmacists. Hardly a day goes by that a patient doesn't ask for a drug
that they saw on TV. Most of the time they fail to understand that they
need a prescription.
Sometime when you are at the clinic,
watch and see how many drug reps come to the counter loaded with samples and
literature. It will amaze you . Many doctors are getting to the point that they
refuse to see drug reps because they take time away from their real job of
diagnosing patients.
The solutions? Have the drug reps
limited in numbers and appointments. Minnesota has a law that prohibits drug
companies from spending over a certain amount per year per practioner.
That includes lunches, trips, and other perks. Some companies abide by
that rule and others circumvent it by making their lunches educational seminars.
Another solution that has been suggested and used in a limited fashion is to
eliminate samples from the office. The practioner instead gives out
vouchers that can be redeemed at the pharmacy. This helps everyone by
eliminating the high cost of sample and by allowing the pharmacists to offer
addiotnal counseling and information to the patient.
Yes, there needs to be reform in the
pharmaceutical industry. Pharmacies are not "ripping you off".
The pharmacy with the lower prices is basing his costs and prices using a
different base than most pharmacies. I don't know his 3rd party insurance
mix, but I assume most of his business is cash and not insurance. It is very
difficult if not impossible for pharmacies today to make a profit, We
don't see very many independent pharmacies opening and many closing because
of this. "Back in the day" a pharmacy could make a gross margin for
30-40%, Now it is very difficult to even make 20% gross
margin.
Sorry for the long post, but I hope
this helps inform everyone about the pharmacy business.
Dick Gaffron R.Ph
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 5:07
AM
Subject: Re: [Winona] NY Times Pharm reps
article
[Winona Online Democracy]
That article didn't say all pharm reps were
cheerleaders. It says that drug companies actively recruit cheerleaders
to be pharm reps - regardless of their actual degree - because of the
personality traits they bring to the job. I believe a very related
matter is how much money is spent on prescription drug advertising. I
believe it should be illegal in this country to advertise prescription
drugs. We all pay for those ads when we buy the medicine. The
decision on what drug to use should be a medical decision and not based on how
convincing the ads are. Doctors must be overwhelmed with patients
pressuring them to prescribe the drug their patient is enamored with due to
ads even though they recommend a different one. If pharm reps do their
job like those ads -- trying to push a certain drug rather than just selling
what the doctors want -- I consider it no more than highlighting the
cheerleader as pect of the job and downplaying the professional health care
aspects. What drug I take is NOT the same as what car I buy or what
computer I buy. It is very different and should not be treated the same
because it is bad for my health and bad for the country's economy. It is
one of the reasons for our sky rocketing health care costs in this
country. It needs to stop and I believe one necessary place is to outlaw
prescription drug advertising. Craig Brooks "C. E. Woodford"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
[Winona
Online Democracy]
I find the NY Times piece interesting( although I don't
have time to read the full article which I believe may say a bit more than
the few paragraphs lifted here). I have a neighbor and another friend whom
both happen to be Pharm reps for different companie s. I have to disagree
with the characterization of pharm reps as "cheerleaders" and such. I
believe that to be a VERY broad generalization of the profession. My
neighbor, for example, deals with orthapedic surgeons, he actually sits in
on surgery procedures from time to time to assist/watch/whatever(I don't
have a med background nor am I going to pretend to). He is HIGHLY schooled
and most certainly would take offense to this broad sweeping
characterization( I must keep in mind here that I am dealing with the NY
times, one of the most leftist newspapers in the nation...Good offbeat
articles if you stay away from the political hacks who run it however) of
the Pharm rep industry. My other friend who is a re p for Merck(sp?) isn't
overly attractive (no offense if you are reading this Julie) and works her
butt off traveling on the road. Does she glad hand people and buy
lunches/dinners? Sure, no more than a sales rep from TRW does to a buyer for
GM or Chrysler. I certai nly believe that health care should be overhauled,
do we however have the right to tell drug companies what they should profit?
Don't they rely on profits from the western world to fund the development of
future drugs?( yes they do) Don't they also use that profit so that they may
also sell it to third world countries at a deeply discounted price?(again,
yes) and do they have PACs in Washington? of course, every major industry
that does business in this country has people spending ungodly amounts of
cash on pols in Washington, That, unfortunately, is how things get done
there whether we like it or not. I think we should take a good look at
the pharm industry from a different angle before we chastise them for making
pr ofits here in the USA, this is after all a free-market economy is it not?
Yahoo!
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