Do pharma reps target you??

allnurses Guide · Dec 18, 2015

That's kind of a naive statement to make... Do you that these people track your prescribing practice?

I'm not quite sure what you mean by either of these statements. Self-reflective practice is an important tool for prescribers and as such each provider should have a good idea if they are being influenced by external factors that are unethical. I have more concerns about inexperienced providers/students being exposed to this kind of treatment as I do think they are at higher risk.

Pharmaceutical companies maintain detailed databases about prescriptions, including who prescribed them, who filled them, how often refills are requested, and in some cases their efficacy. Like may prescribers I have issues with that information being available to the pharmaceutical companies, but that is a federal issue to address. Sure they can compare prescriber practices just like they can compare patient usage and compliance.

synaptic · Dec 18, 2015

I always found the younger women ones with low cut shirts to be annoying. I am a guy and id rather see a male pharm rep, bc on average they had a better idea what they were talking about.

allnurses Guide · Dec 18, 2015

I always found the younger women ones with low cut shirts to be annoying. I am a guy and id rather see a male pharm rep, bc on average they had a better idea what they were talking about.

That's a pretty sexist thing to say. You really think the women don't know what they're talking about? What century are you living in?

AndersRN · Dec 18, 2015

I'm not quite sure what you mean by either of these statements. Self-reflective practice is an important tool for prescribers and as such each provider should have a good idea if they are being influenced by external factors that are unethical. I have more concerns about inexperienced providers/students being exposed to this kind of treatment as I do think they are at higher risk.
Pharmaceutical companies maintain detailed databases about prescriptions, including who prescribed them, who filled them, how often refills are requested, and in some cases their efficacy. Like may prescribers I have issues with that information being available to the pharmaceutical companies, but that is a federal issue to address. Sure they can compare prescriber practices just like they can compare patient usage and compliance.

I was just saying that you give people too much credit when you said people should be able self reflect and make a judgement to see if they are being influenced by these pharma tactics... But in reality most people can't, especially people in position of power. They need people to tell them how special they are, and big pharma make sure they hire people to feed these people's ego.

I was curious and checked the 'open payment CMS' database and saw a couple of physicians i know that got over $4000 worth of meals last year... This is crazy! Are these physicians getting breakfast/lunch/dinner from big pharma everyday?

allnurses Guide · Dec 18, 2015

I was just saying that you give people too much credit when you said people should be able self reflect and make a judgement to see if they are being influenced by these pharma tactics... But in reality most people can't, especially people in position of power. They need people to tell them how special they are, and big pharma make sure they hire people to feed these people's ego.
I was curious and checked the 'open payment CMS' database and saw a couple of physicians i know that got over $4000 worth of meals last year... This is crazy! Are these physicians getting breakfast/lunch/dinner from big pharma everyday?

If the pharmaceutical companies are influencing them with their tactics, their patients are probably influencing them even worse.

$4000/year is a lot. My office has two lunches a week and we are well under $1000/yr.

Dranger · Dec 19, 2015

That's a pretty sexist thing to say. You really think the women don't know what they're talking about? What century are you living in?

Not saying they don't but you would be remiss to ignore the fact that pharm companies hire attractive females purely for the rep roles. Sex sells.

anh06005, MSN, APRN, NP · Dec 19, 2015

I have worked at 3 clinics under the same hospital and each are VERY different. At one - I am there with 5 docs. They often get lunch but I could usually sneak in and out for food without hearing the reps speech.

Another I am there with a PA and a MD. They sometimes chit chat for a minute with me but usually wait for the MD. I am here temporarily so I don't think the reps know who I am really and I'm fine that it stays that way.

At the third clinic when I'm there I am the sole provider. They have a quick chat, leave their coupons and go. There's only been a handful of catered lunches since I've been there the past year.

I'm not really targeted but I try to keep with myself because I don't like getting side tracked from my job. I appreciate coupons but most of my patients are Medicare or Medicaid so they don't help.

I typically go with what's cheap because it's what's covered or within reach of patients without coverage. I only pull out the name brand and newer meds if nothing else seems to work. Even if there's a coupon for 6 months free if it's something a patient needs you'll be in the same boat 6 months later when the coupon runs out.

carachel2 · Dec 19, 2015

Pharmacy reps will target anyone who has the authority to use a prescription pad. When I first started in our family practice we had pharm rep lunches every.single.day. I found it horrendously boring to sit there while the reps flirted and chatted and kissed up and then we had to sit and listen to someone with a BS in business or whatever tell me the pharmacology of their drug. I always had ONE question for them: can our patients afford it without that stupid little 'coupon card" that expires after six months to a year? The answer was always always no (after they hemmed and hawed and flubbed all over themselves for 10 minutes.) Probably 80% or more of the drugs I prescribe are generic and can do the SAME THING as their $$$$ drugs. I am never ever going to choose a brand name drug first for a patient.

I got to the point where I would walk into the break room, see there was a pharm rep and pretty much grab my lunch and go eat somewhere else in the office. After four hours of talking and listening for work, I did NOT need another hour of talking and listening. I wanted to eat my lunch in PEACE and get some of my morning work done.

During my five years in family practice I can name exactly two female reps who did not dress in a revealing flirtatious way. The tight skirts, heavy makeup, low cut blouses===seems to be their uniform. It makes me ill. I actually did give favor towards the ones who dressed in a business like professional manner an would actually pick them out of the waiting room first to hear the schpiel! I know that's horrible but I think it says volumes about the industry in general when they feel they have to dress that way to make sales. Oh...and if you brag about the trip you won for being "top sales rep" then NO, no I am not going to prescribe your drug.

Over the years I did end up meeting a handful who were professional, non-annoying and overall great people. I did take the time to listen and understand their product. Some of them are really smart intelligent people who feel they have a great product. But those are few and far between.

lhflanurseNP, APRN · Dec 20, 2015

I wish I had the luxury of SEEING a rep! I could care or less about the meal...I miss having them come in and keep us updated. When I call the company, I am told the area I'm in is in "flux" and they really don't have reps assigned as of yet. Sheesh!

allnurses Guide · Dec 20, 2015

We've had the same reps for years. There's been a few newbies that drift in and out, but the core group has remained stable. Maybe that's why I don't see a lot of the same tactics others have reported. Most (male and female) are over 40 and know their stuff. We did have one newbie that dressed provocatively, but our office manager told her she was inappropriate and not to come back unless she was professionally attired. Haven't seen her in a while....lol.

PG2018 · Dec 21, 2015

Not saying they don't but you would be remiss to ignore the fact that pharm companies hire attractive females purely for the rep roles. Sex sells.

Yeah, the men usually bring up football and other male-related topics to effect rapport. The women are usually young, fit, and around here outfitted with stilettos and tight skirts. The only "non sexy" woman I ever ran into selling to docs was pushing sleep apnea gear.

I feel bad for them and others in sales. I went shopping for a new table/chair set for the breakfast nook with my wife and couldn't help but think how much it's got to suck having to sale stuff. We were shopping for a new SUV last weekend. I pity those guys. Granted, they hack me off, but they feed their families based on pushing their crap. Sales is an application of social psychology. Read some volumes on that, and their tactics are even more obvious. You can even surprise them and say something like what you're telling me right now is based on attribution theory, cognitive dissonance, approach-avoidance conflicts, et al.

xenogenetic · Dec 21, 2015

Yeah, the men usually bring up football and other male-related topics to effect rapport. The women are usually young, fit, and around here outfitted with stilettos and tight skirts. The only "non sexy" woman I ever ran into selling to docs was pushing sleep apnea gear.
I feel bad for them and others in sales. I went shopping for a new table/chair set for the breakfast nook with my wife and couldn't help but think how much it's got to suck having to sale stuff. We were shopping for a new SUV last weekend. I pity those guys. Granted, they hack me off, but they feed their families based on pushing their crap. Sales is an application of social psychology. Read some volumes on that, and their tactics are even more obvious. You can even surprise them and say something like what you're telling me right now is based on attribution theory, cognitive dissonance, approach-avoidance conflicts, et al.

It depends on what you are selling. Selling low priced, low ticket items makes for a meager and grinding career in sales, for sure. But, sales actually can be one of the highest paying professions if you sell the right product. I know real estate sales agents in Greenwich, CT who make almost a million per year. I know another salesman who sells boilers to huge, 1,000+ unit, apartment building owners and he earns over $300k per year (I saw his pay stub with my own eyes). Some financial product sales people also earn a great living due to residual commissions.