14 May 20 08 VIEW on Sales EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS F or years, the relationship between pharmaceutical sales repre sentatives and physicians has been considered one of mutual trust and value. But an increasingly organized movement toward restricting pharmaceutical sales and marketing activities is creat ing the unfounded impression that more and more practicing physicians and other providers see no value in interacting with sales rep resentatives. A few examples of this movement: . The SafeRx Act requires the licensing of pharmaceutical sales repre sentatives in Washington, D.C . . Legislators in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont are considering laws to restrict sales and marketing efforts. . The recently formed Massachusetts Prescription Reform Coalition seeks to eliminate the “inappropriate marketing practices” it says are raising healthcare costs. . The Prescription Project wants to curb “aggressive marketing to physi cians” and “practices that compromise patient care…and erode public confidence in the medical profession.” Even though sales representatives are still the primary source of phar maceutical information for physicians, some doctors say representatives often lack the depth of scientific knowledge they need. New research highlights this concern. Recently, CMR Institute con ducted a nationwide survey that shows physicians value a highly educat ed sales representative whose knowledge goes beyond product informa tion to include disease management, regulatory and patient qualityoflife issues, and healthcare business acumen.The Institute found that all but 4% of the physicians surveyed viewed sales representatives as part of their practices. This same research shows that representatives who have enhanced their education beyond what is required by their companies and completed indepth requirements for cer tification say they are able to spend more quality time with physicians and have more substantive, credible discussions. The Challenges are Complex Physicians deal with constantly evolving issues and their time is limit ed, so it should be no surprise that they want to interact with people who are wellinformed and have a strong understanding of the complex healthcare environment. It’s a conundrum. Physicians want and need more indepth information about the growing volume of today’s more sophisti cated pharmaceutical and biotech products.Yet, some companies are cut ting back their sales forces in lieu of other ways to have their voices heard. Pharmaceutical marketing practices are coming under attack. And a num ber of states are eyeing legislation to further regulate an industry that some say has undue influence over physicians and therefore patients. Clearly, there’s been a steady erosion of public confidence in the phar maceutical industry, and the doors of access to healthcare professionals are beginning to close. Fielding a WellInformed Force Dedicated knowledgeable pharmaceutical representatives understand the critical role they can play in the advancement of healthcare.They know they can be a valuable resource and can readily provide the latest clinical data on new and existing products to ensure physicians have the informa tion they need to make appropriate prescribing decisions. According to CMR Institute’s research, physicians placed very high value on representa tives’ knowledge of drug actions and interactions, evidencebased clinical studies and drug resistance trends, among other skills and knowledge. Never before has there been a greater opportunity to stem the flow of criticism of our industry and demonstrate to the public and to providers that there is real value in the exchange of information between clinicians and representatives. A voluntary industrywide learning standard would negate the need for local, state or federal legislation. More important, if the pharmaceutical industry acts quickly and proactively toward a voluntary educational stan dard, it will ensure that representatives who call on clinicians are welledu cated and adhere to a strict code of ethics. Such a standard already exists in Europe, where sales representatives must follow Codes of Practice, which require “adequate training and suffi cient scientific knowledge.” When pharmaceutical companies require their representatives to have advanced, indepth diseasestate knowledge and an understanding of health care issues, not only can they instill a renewed sense of pride in the phar maceutical industry, they can enable their sales teams to make an even more valuable contribution to the physician and, ultimately, to patient care. # CMR Institute CMR INSTITUTE is an independent, notforprofit educational organization founded in 1966 to provide healthcare professionals with continuing education, professional development and certification. For more information, visit www.cmrinstitute.org. Time for a New Educational Standard Never before has there been a greater opportunity to stem the flow of criticism of our industry and demonstrate to the public and to providers that there is real value in the exchange of information between clinicians and representatives. James A. Dutton President 0508 pvv VIEWs FINAL tg 4/25/08 5:53 PM Page 14 Advancing Knowledge for Greater Success Knowledge means power — the power to become more effective and more valued. Increase your proficiency and leverage greater success with the ONLY nationally respected certification programs. Knowledge means power — the power to become more effective and more valued. CMR Institute has long been the industry leader in education solutions by providing an unprecedented learning experience using the most accurate, comprehensive curriculum, and a continuum of development opportunity for sales and management teams. Why our certification programs set the education
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