Healthy Skepticism Library item: 1896

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Gaedeke RM, Tootelian DH, Sanders EE.
Value of services provided by pharmaceutical companies: perceptions of physicians and pharmaceutical sales representatives.
Health Mark Q 1999; 17:(1):23-31

Abstract:

Pharmaceutical sales representatives (PSRs) are a key component of pharmaceutical companies’ marketing strategies in that they are the link between the pharmaceutical company and the physician. PSRs provide various services in order to increase the physician’s prescribing activity of their companies’ products. Given the high cost of recruiting, training, and supporting a PSR, it is important for PSRs to understand the relative significance physicians ascribe to services provided. This study examined whether there is a gap in the perceptions of physicians and PSRs regarding the value of specific services provided by PSRs. Physicians and PSRs who attended medical meetings were surveyed. Results of the study indicated that there were significant differences in the perceived value between PSRs and physicians. Services which were perceived to be less important to physicians than to PSRs were new product detailing, old product detailing, providing product studies and research findings, PSRs serving as expert consultants, and recruiting physicians to participate in FDA approval drug studies. Services for which there were no significant differences of perceived value between the groups included free product samples and promotional luncheons and dinners.

Keywords:
Advertising Attitude of Health Personnel* Consultants Cost-Benefit Analysis Data Collection Drug Approval Drug Industry/economics* Drug Information Services/standards Drug Information Services/statistics & numerical data* Humans Marketing of Health Services/statistics & numerical data* Persuasive Communication Physicians/psychology* Physicians/statistics & numerical data United States