[Ip-health] doctors give drug reps less time

[Benjamin Krohmal]

good news, if true


Doctors give drug reps less time
Changes in the industry put limits on pharmaceutical company employees
http://www.newsobserver.com/706/story/523818.html
Dec. 21, 2006

<snip>
Drug reps haven't become any less attractive, intelligent or
persuasive. But over the past five to 10 years, a changing health-
care industry has disrupted the way they do their jobs.

That's good news for critics who contend that any freebies from drug
reps, no matter how small, affect the way doctors write prescriptions
and potentially drive up the nation's health-care costs.
<snip>
  Relief could be coming. Pfizer is cutting one-fifth of its 11,000-
person sales force, or about 2,200 people, and Wall Street analysts
hope the about-face will influence other large drug companies.

"This kind of seems like the end of the arms race," said Joe
Schachle, senior vice president of marketing and sales at Inspire
Pharmaceuticals in Durham, which has 64 reps.
<snip>



Benjamin Krohmal
Consumer Project on Technology
Tel: +1-202-332-2670 ex. 14
Fax: +1-202-332-2673
ben.krohmal@cptech.org