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Pharma sales to physicians: emotions beat evidence
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So much for peer-reviewed journal articles. According to the results of the national Physician Engagement study by PeopleMetrics Rx, "emotional components such as friendship with the reps are the strongest indicators of fully engaged physicians." In this context, the phrase "fully engaged" is one that means "very likely to prescribe."
The study included pharma companies AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Janssen, Eli Lilly and Pfizer and included 500 psychiatrists and primary care physicians who regularly prescribe atypical antipsychotic medications.
The study identified physicians as "fully engaged," "engaged," "on the fence," and "disengaged."
While over half of physicians were "on the fence," the report suggested that sales representatives "develop personal relationships with their physicians to achieve the highest levels of engagement," stating further that relationship building "has a positive impact on the duration and frequency of meetings and physician prescribing patterns."
A spokesperson for the company suggested that drug companies use the information on physician engagement as an alternative to traditional sales force effectiveness evaluations to truly influence physician prescribing patterns. However, most would say sticking to safety and efficacy studies rather than relying on emotional sales strategies is a more ethical option.
- see the PharmaLive blog post
- read the GoozNews article
Related Articles:
Docs like hearing from reps, survey says
Pharma sales undergoes major shift
Docs prefer virtual reps to living ones
Ranks of sales reps thinning
No freebies? No entry for pharma reps
Comments
By Anonymous | Posted 5:36pm | August 13, 2008
I am forever amazed at how little respect is given physicians prescribing of pharmaceuticals. These men and women have given their lives to help people suffering from every ailment imaginable and all the idiotic reporters that have nothing better to write about than how easily these men and women can be influenced by a salesperson. I have never met a Physician, PA, NP that was willing to not prescribe the medically appropriate medicine to their patient because a sales rep came in smiling and said "please prescribe my drug." This nonsense that medical professionals can be manipulated by pens, note pads, lunch or other means is absurd. The shots ought to be directed at the managed care companies that deny appropriate medications to patients because that haven't cut certain monetary deals with pharmaceutical companies. Also denying medically appropriate test because they know that the aveage patient switches plans every other year so why approve and pay for necessary tests when they will lose the premium in 2 years. Stop the absurdity and let Physicians practice medicine. Very few professionals have committed their lives to the education and training that Physicians have so, unless your willing to do so-stop the noise.
By maureen | Posted 10:46am | August 14, 2008
I'd like to point out that it's not reporters who assume doctors can be influenced by pharma gifts. It was PhRMA that set out the new rule about what gifts reps would be allowed to hand out, and many noted research institutions have banned pharma gifts because of the possibility that it may influence docs. If anyone should be blamed for the current focus on gifts, it's those who assume doctors are easily influenced--not those reporting the news.
By Anonymous | Posted 11:19am | August 14, 2008
Remember, PhRMA is a response to the country's uneasy feeling s towards the industry. If PhRMA wasn't created, the gov't would have the OIG managing everyting, especially in an industry that the OIG doesn't understand, it can't begin to regulate.
Push the blame onto ourselves for putting forth the notion that all a pharmaceutical rep is good for is being a glorified food carrier of giver of gifts. You hear nobody complain about all of the gifts that are thrown around in other industries. It is competitive and one must do whatever it take to get the client's attention. Sorry if that offends people, that is just everyday business.
All for air time. Hell, fire all of the reps and let's web-cast and e-detail, that'll work just dandy, not.......
By Anonymous | Posted 10:45pm | August 13, 2008
If the politicians (especially Democrats) want to stop promotions in offices then they should also ban the lobbyists that influence Washington.
By Anonymous | Posted 11:46am | August 14, 2008
Republican's aren't much better. They all suck wind. We will survive as we have always, a little less glitter and glitz, but we as an industry will survive, less of us than ever, but we will survuve.
By Anonymous | Posted 1:40pm | September 26, 2008
Lets not get into the blame game here, but both parties are friends of Pharmaceutical Lobbyists. This is what is wrong with our country, when a problem comes up one side points the blame to the other. Who's watch is this all happening under?
FYI, Joe Biden's son Beau Biden who is the Attorney General of Delaware is also the counsel for representing Pharmaceutical Lobbyists.
You will find if you do your research both parties follow the $upport,
You should see the Alcohol and beverage lobbyists lining the pockets of McCain (his wife's family owns one of the largest beverage distributorships in the SW) Not to mention, McCain's closests advisors are all lobbyists. Don't forget McCain was a part of the Keating 5, the first financial disaster that hit this country. Do you really THINK that rich millionaires whether they are Republican or Democrat care anything about the average Joe?
By Anonymous | Posted 2:40pm | December 9, 2008
The last comment proves: 1) that the author probably did not take their medication today / either the Rx or the sample, 2) that if I had the time to read this rambling discourse I proably had time to listen to a rep for 1 minute to see if their is any new information about their product, and 3)that if anyone questions whether a pharma company desire to sell the drugs they manufacture as the motivation for why they institute sales policy - they should spend less time claiming "conspiracy" and more time filtering the marketing science from the real information.
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