My father practiced family medicine until he was 79..... All he ever got was a bunch of pens with drug names on them and penlights . As kids, we thought it was "cool".
I could easily imagine the rep. bringing donuts etc..... Dad never went on any trips and the town we lived in was too small to make going out to the local diner much fun.

There is a Pharma rep, a woman and her husband who is laid off, who bought the two lots behind my sons house. It is in a really nice neighborhood and the lots are expensive.

They just built a huge house, all brick. The pool comes next summer. The Reps must still make good money.

If you are intelligent, have good social skills, and sales ability you can make six figures. Sales goals have to be met of course.

They are the best dressed folks in the waiting room.

They have these Sunshine rules part of which says it is illegal for doctors to be compensated or incentivized for giving out prescriptions. And doctors who do receive compensation for anything from the pharmaceuticals like giving a speech, etc. have to be documented and available for review by the public.

I know because even though I don't deal with healthcare providers I still have to sign off on training regarding what you can or cannot do as far as providing benefits and relationships with doctors and such.

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Originally posted by Aquabird:
There is a Pharma rep, a woman and her husband who is laid off, who bought the two lots behind my sons house. It is in a really nice neighborhood and the lots are expensive.

They just built a huge house, all brick. The pool comes next summer. The Reps must still make good money.

Yes, they do make very good money. They're often the cheerleaders with brains. And they have to know how to build and maintain relationships.

No kickbacks. I'm in an academic position and our university has it's own strict policy in place in addition to the previously mentioned federal laws. Reps are allowed to help provide educational experiences for students and residents which occasionally include meals. There are physicians that are paid speakers for companies that provide lectures over meals for small to medium groups. We rarely use their speakers though as they utilize company prepared presentations that are often slanted toward the product. Typically a few of the residents present articles and I act as a moderator. We give the reps a few minutes to discuss their product and thankfully most have been professional in doing so. I'm not old enough to remember the "good ol days" as some have mentioned but I've heard some unique stories to say the least.

This Dr has a different perspective than most.
https://youtu.be/XdLyMhNdcSc

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Based on what I've seen from patients in private practice, as opposed to our physician group model HMO, doctors often do prescribe the "latest and greatest" drugs, that is more expensive ones than equivalent generic drugs, and I attribute that to advertising and visits by drug reps, along with third party payment of pharmaceuticals. Changes in insurance with higher co-pays and drug formularies (lists of drugs the insurance company will pay for) have decreased these issues a lot.

This absolutely. Pharma spends its marketing dollars on the newer, expensive drugs; insurance typically now has a formulary listing of the generic and other drugs they will cover under the "plan". Trust me, the "plan" is designed to make/save insurance money by limiting outlays on expensive drugs that one sees on the television.

Generics get no marketing love as most are off-patent and make no money for pharma.

RMD

Just like what has been said. In the old days it was different. When I married my first wife (who worked at a psychiatric hospital), I flushed 10's of free samples of Quaaludes & similar drugs. Also, her grandfather was a regional manager for Merck Sharp & Dohme & I heard about all the free Bermuda golf vacations given to doctors. Now many medical sales people make more than most doctors. Usually medical software & equipment sales persons will average $150,000 to $500,000 per year. I know, I do the tax returns!

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Originally posted by RAMIUS:

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Originally posted by V-Tail:

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Originally posted by MNSIG:
They might pick up lunch once a year, but that's about it.

I have personal knowledge of a practice in which pharmaceutical reps buy lunch for the entire office, both practitioners and clerical staff, at least once a week.

This is not hearsay or rumor; as I said, this is personal knowledge.

I do that all the time...having a lunch with the office is the only real way I can inform the entire office about the med I'm repping. It's called an educational in-service. It's not like the rep just called and sent lunch there...there are rules to how these things go and severe consequences for the drug rep, the company, and the doctor if it's not properly documented.

The general rule is that you can only spend $15-$20 per person in the office. They're not getting filet mignon, they're getting chik-FIL a...

I have around 20 breakfasts and lunches with doctors each and every week. Getting food for an office does not win scripts...trust me. Docs write what they feel is the best for their patients, which is how it should be.

Being a drug rep is fun btw, and you gotta watch what you eat...

Lunch and Learn

How does everyone feel about the anti-kickback laws?

Good - consumer protection.

Bad - anti free market.

You might have noticed once the sales reps were restricted in how they could interact with medical providers the direct to consumer marketing machine with tv ads and ads in mainstream magazines went into high gear.

Latest thing to go is free samples. Less and less is being left in doctors' offices. Most office reps are good guys but can't say the same for their employers. Because the office lunches are about the only thing left, the reps sre being turned into caterers.

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Originally posted by NK402:
Latest thing to go is free samples. Less and less is being left in doctors' offices. Most office reps are good guys but can't say the same for their employers. Because the office lunches are about the only thing left, the reps sre being turned into caterers.

Ha! Exactly. Btw, I'm renown in my territory for my catering skills. All about finding the best caterer to work with. No way will my offices get boring chicken wraps.

Whether the docs write my stuff or not, it's a big deal to be let into a busy office weekly and to be allowed to walk into the back into a sample closet, as well as speak to the staff. I'm basically a resource for the office when it comes to the meds. I don't always need to see the doctor, the Medical Assistants and Nurses are just as important. It's all fine that the doc writes for me, but it's the MA's and all the other office workers that have to deal with issues in regards to managed care coverage, and insurance, etc...I help them navigate that stuff as well.

I own a medical practice...my wife is the lead doctor


If there are kickbacks, can someone please share how to get them?

I could use some


(The best we get is a free lunch occasionally when they come to talk to us about their product)

quote:

Originally posted by Kevbo:
I own a medical practice...my wife is the lead doctor


If there are kickbacks, can someone please share how to get them?

I could use some


(The best we get is a free lunch occasionally when they come to talk to us about their product)

If you accept payment in the form of munchkins from Dunkin Donuts, maybe we can work something out.

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You might have noticed once the sales reps were restricted in how they could interact with medical providers the direct to consumer marketing machine with tv ads and ads in mainstream magazines went into high gear.

In most countries direct consumer marketing is illegal. The United States and New Zealand are the only two developed countries that allow this. It works to sell more drugs to consumers and presents treatment challenges as most patients want the drug on TV that they think is the best for them. Ads used to appear in journals only. I sometimes wish the visuals would show the side effects of the drugs rather than the the strolls through the park or happy Seniors jumping into a pool.

I don't think those ads are effective at all. I actually think it's a huge waste of money.

I never met a doc that was swayed by something that a patient saw from an ad in the waiting room.

Sure, those ads might highlight new drugs and formulations...but ultimately it's up to the doctor to decide what's best for a particular patient's well-being.

The only time I think that sort of ad would ever work, is for something like viagra or levitra...where the end result is simple for people to understand.

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I don't think those ads are effective at all. I actually think it's a huge waste of money.

Great. Lobby your company to get rid of that crap, and while you are at it get rid of the attorney commercials suing Big Pharma in class action. Thanks for your help

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Originally posted by RAMIUS:
I'm a pharmaceutical rep. I can assure you that doctors do not get kick backs for writing meds.

The old days were different though, they got trips, golf outings, fancy dinners.

Hell, I can't even give the doctor a pen with our company name on it without breaking compliance laws.

The "bribiest" things get are lunches/education In Services that I can hold with doctors and their offices to talk about our drug...I must be in attendence, no more than $15/$20 can be spent per person, and all names must be written down, receipts kept and disclosed to the government to remain in adherence of the Sunshine Act.

As a pharma rep also RAMIUS has been precise in our interactions with Healthcare Professionals. Because we report in adherence to the Sunshine Act, doctors have backed off from attending educational dinners.