I found it odd to stumble upon what is apparently a running column in the Lakeland (FL) Ledger called “Bartender Spotlight.” That’s right — it’s a series of profiles of local bartenders.
I also found it interesting that the bartender the Ledger profiled on Thursday was 21-year-old Ashley Von Heal from “Hooters at 3400 US 98 North.”
What I found highly predictable, however, is what Ashley wants to do for a living. Here’s the relevant excerpt:
A marketing and sales major, she’d eventually like to become a pharmaceutical sales rep. Why pharmaceutical sales?
“I can make pretty good money, plus I want to be able to travel while I’m still young.”
Look, we’ll say it again — we have absolutely nothing against attractive young women like Ashley. But as long as the pharma cheerleader trend continues unabated, we feel the need to point these things out.
BusinessWeek has a very good story on efforts to limit or force disclosure of Big Pharma’s gifts to doctors – which are estimated to be about $19 billion each year.
As New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram poses the problem: “Patients should be getting prescription and device recommendations based on what’s best for them, not based on financial incentives doctors receive from companies.”
And that $19 billion figure doesn’t even include the other incentives provided by pharmaceutical companies.
eDrugSearch.com is very, very proud to have established itself as a go-to site for those interested in the topic of cheerleader pharma reps and beauty queen pharma reps.
And so now we present our Top 10 list of pharma girls from reality TV:
1. April Lewis, Big Brother 6
2. Heather Basciano, U8TV: The Lofters
3. Stephenie LaGrossa, Survivor: Palau and Survivor: Guatemala
4. Aisha Krump, The Rebel Billionaire
5. Ranji, Identity
6. Maria Hoidas, Fear Factor Couples 2005
7. Penny Ramsey, Survivor: Thailand
8. Tijuana Bradley, Survivor: Pearl Islands
9. Cristina C., The Bachelor #3
10. Kristina Grimes, The Apprentice (U.K.)
Honorable mention:
Andrea Baptiste, The Biggest Loser
We stumbled across a kind of soap opera/game show called “Moral Dilemmas” on a site called BustedHalo.com and thought we’d share it, since it involves a pharma rep.
Basically, the idea is to tell a story that sets up a moral dilemma, and then let visitors to the site debate what the character should do in the situation described. Here’s an excerpt from the episode, “The Drummer and the Drug Rep”:
Kara landed a good job as a drug representative for a large pharmaceutical company … recently much of Kara’s job has involved educating doctors on a new anti-depressant her company has developed called Serotonix. The drug is very similar to existing medications like Prozac and Zoloft in that it is effective in treating depression and anxiety and it is not addictive … Of course, like most of the drugs it is similar to, Serotonix is expensive, costing up to $3 per 50mg pill.
The drug has begun to make a huge splash in the marketplace and nearly every doctor she visits asks questions about it and requests samples. The company she works for is more than happy to oblige and reps like Kara are always sent out with more than enough promotional packages of Serotonix to give out to physicians as they see fit.
On a recent January afternoon, Kara … saw a familiar face sitting in a booth in the smoking section and recognized that it was Robert, an old acquaintance whom she hadn’t seen since high school … He told her that he’d dropped out of college after two years to play drums for a Seattle band that seemed poised for big things. They had had some small success but failed to really take off. After the band had broken up two years ago, Robert moved back to their hometown. He had been trying to find another group to latch onto and was working at a Starbucks in the strip mall down the road to make ends meet…
Over the next two weeks she visited Robert three more times, but while she loved spending time with him it was also becoming clear to her that he had some real struggles in his life… The last time she saw him, Robert confided that he had struggled with depression for the past few years and had even tried to commit suicide a few times…
The next day Kara picked up the phone and heard Robert crying on the other end. He told her that he felt hopeless and didn’t believe his life would ever get better … After a few moments he gathered himself and asked “Do you think those samples you carry in your trunk would do me any good?”
OK, pharma and medical bloggers: What’s the right thing for Kara to do?
Here are your voting options:
1. Tell Robert that she could get fired for giving him samples of a prescription medication?
2. Go be with him to make sure he doesn’t try to hurt himself?
3. Offer to drive him to a nearby emergency room and try to get him some help?
4. Cross professional boundaries and ask a doctor she calls on in her job to see Robert for free and perhaps prescribe some medication?
5. Give Robert a few weeks worth of Serotonix samples and see how he reacts?
Current voting results show No. 1 with a big lead — followed by No. 5.
Of course, we might have recommended option 6: Go to the doctor and then fill your prescription online through eDrugSearch.com to save money.
The most interesting thing about BustedHalo.com is that it’s actually a Catholic ministry for people in their 20s and 30s. Here’s the background.
Whenever I stop by the CafePharma message boards, I always regret that I don’t have more time to spend there. I learn so much every time.
Consider this series of exchanges in the “Just for Women” section:
How much cleavage do you ladies like to show the doctors? And if they’re fake, or extra big, do you like to show them off?…
I show as much as it takes to get the business and it works…
sensitive subject. wear camisoles under my suits in the summer because it’s hot. cleavage w/out the jacket? sure. but minimal to nothing with it on…
I am proud of what I have (natural). I always dress (pleasure and work) tastefully, so I have no problem if some cleavage shows. My boss is in his 40′s and has never brought it up to me and I dress no different when he is with me than I do when I am alone. Office girls have even told me they wish they had my figure, so does not seem to be a problem. It is not as if I am trying to sleep with any of my slimy physicians. They have hit on me, but I get hit on all the time, so no big thing. I am a “big” girl and I can deal with it. If I meet a guy physician or not and I am into him, I will let “what happens, happen” No big thing. I am not one to ___ and tell on anyone.
In a related thread, the following hypothetical is posed:
Which is better for docs? Nice [T&A], or good teeth. Trying to figure out which to do first with my bonus. Any ideas girls…
Some of the responses:
good teeth 1st! People hate to see messed up teeth…
I got breast implants and they have really helped! I spent extra money to get silicone because they feel like real ones and they are back on the market…
Fix the teeth, whiten them professionally, dress professionally, know your stuff and give a good presentation…
Definitely the teeth! I have small breasts but great teeth and have never had a problem. If you have giant breasts, do you think they will pay any attention to what you are saying? I would love to have larger breasts, but in our profession they should be covered. Everyone sees your lovely smile!…
Go for broke and spend the money on a set of implants – don’t listen to the overweight cows who post here and are jealous.
Well, there you have it. We hope you found it educational.
The picture above, by the way, is of an actual drug rep — although we can’t verify that she wears that outfit to work.
PharmaGossip posted today about a Which? survey of 200 UK general practitioners that collected data on the frequency of promotional contacts and mailings they received.
The BBC and PharmaTimes have both carried this story. The survey found that, on average, the sample group could expect 4 representative visits per month and five mailings per week. One respondent revealed that, in one month, they received nine visits, 34 mailings and were also invited to attend several conferences or meals.
It was also apparent that the respondents did not trust the information they received with only 7% reporting that they trust the information as much as they trust independent sources. Additionally, almost half (48%) of respondents agreed that more trusted independent sources are needed.
It might not be as far-fetched as it sounds. According to Jim Edwards at BrandWeek.com:
[Johnson & Johnson] will launch a promotion this month, in which churches, charities and nonprofit groups—such as the Girl Scouts—will be encouraged to sell J&J’s painkillers and cough medicine to their friends and neighbors. For every purchase of a J&J brand, including Tylenol, Sudafed, BenGay and Motrin, J&J will donate 8% of the sale to the community group…
Here’s how it works: The volunteer persuades a neighbor to buy their regular over-the-counter medicine from J&J as part of the fund-raiser. The consumer then goes to Ucareorg.com to punch in the code for their specific fundraising group. After that, any product they buy will benefit the community group.
Based on Big Pharma’s demonstrated predilections when it comes to hiring drug reps, we can only imagine where this latest initiative might lead.
(Note: At the moment, the Ucareorg.com site appears to be down.)
