L2L Group

The role of the pharmaceutical sales representative has often been challenged from a public relations perspective. There are some who believe that the pharmaceutical company, through their representative, retains more than the appropriate share of influence over the healthcare practitioner’s decision-making process. From time to time, populist media points out that far more is spent on pharmaceutical marketing than research associated with the development of the products. Nevertheless, pharmaceutical marketing techniques are essential in disseminating the information necessary for the practitioner to make a final deliberation as to whether the product should be prescribed or not. The sales force plays a critical role in bringing the product to the market as efficiently and effectively as possible.

In most recent times there has been a move in certain markets to restrict the giving of gifts, including drug samples, by pharmaceutical sales people to practitioners. In particular, Partners Healthcare, the largest hospital and physician network in the state of Massachusetts has implemented guidelines, specifically prohibiting their physicians and researchers from accepting gifts or drug samples from pharmaceutical manufacturers. Now, sales representatives must get written permission before they are allowed to interact with the network’s employees and if any drug samples are provided, the samples must be forwarded to a centralised system, so that they are distributed anonymously and for the use of the entire network. The president of the Association of American Medical Colleges determined that these new guidelines represent "a serious and comprehensive step forward in the rapidly evolving arena of medicine and its relationship with industry."

According to the originators of this policy, the recommendations came from an internal review, where potential conflicts of interest were analysed over the preceding two years. At that time it was recognised that the relationship between the pharmaceutical company and the health care professional was fundamental to enable scientific advantages and advances to propagate to the patient, but the body did question whether some techniques used could compromise the integrity of the system.

Some have suggested that gifts or drug samples may adversely affect the healthcare professional’s neutrality and may promote them to issue or prescribe the associated drugs more favourably than any others.

It remains to be seen how the developments in Massachusetts pan out, or whether similar proposals are adopted within other networks or jurisdictions. This does represent another example of how the pharmaceutical marketing industry is changing and moving with the times. It is yet another reason why pharmaceutical companies should devote their resources to pharmaceutical consultants, so that the consultant can ensure that the team is up-to-date and ahead of the competitive game. Pharmaceutical sales training will take on even more importance as new methods of communication are combined with changes in healthcare legislation to redefine the marketplace. The significance of primary accounts will increase in the market, as there is more reliance on two-way communication and information exchange. Key account management training is a role that the competent pharmaceutical marketing company is best placed to undertake under the overall mantra of pharma training.