If the people who pay the money think it is a bribe, is it a bribe?
Not necessarily. But the effect may be the same. Here are two opinions from Novartis sales reps.
WARNING: The language does not adhere to Brandweek standards, however, we have chosen not to censor the original wording. (If you can't stand it, don't read it):
REP 1:
I paid out about $40,000 in honorariums this year. There are 8, well 7 people in my pod, each doing about the same amount of programs (payoffs). That's about $280,000 just in "speaker" honorariums (payoffs) in my territory. Not to mention, probably another 100,000 just in meal costs. Fucking ridiculous. This company is raping reps left and right with bonuses and goals, and still pushing for more programs (payoffs). What a waste of money. I heard this new company managing the programs gets 15% of the cost we pay for each program. Are you kidding me? This company is doing everything wrong. I would feel better about this company if we just left pharma code or whatever organization we joined, and just let us pay off the docs. At least this way it is what it is a payoff, not a program with 3 of the docs gp friends. Everyone in the medical community knows these programs are just a way to line the docs pockets...that's part of the reason why so many docs come out. They know that the speaker is getting paid, and don't trust their judgement or opinion on the drugs. Out of the $40,000 I paid out in honorariums for programs, I definitely did not get any return on investment. How can the company justify doing this? It is a waste of time and money. No one and I mean no one in the field cares about these programs. Docs don't care about these programs. 1 a month / pod would be just fine. We might actually be able to get a lot out to one program /month if all 7 of us weren't begging docs everyday to come to this program mon, that program tues, her program wed, his program thurs. every week of the month. How's this for my sales calls this year. Doc here's an invite to my program tues, her program tomorrow night, this one is for m, that for next wed, etc, oh yeah sign here. No medical discussion, no selling, no begging even for a script. This company sucks, has it priorities up someone's ass, does not have a grip on reality, and instead of figuring out ways to save money in areas that that really need to be addressed ("payoffs" aka speaker programs), they steal from reps bonuses, and triple goals to steal from reps future bonues). Fuck this company, I hope every Novartis drug goes generic 10 years before it is supposed to. I hope no Novartis drug makes it to market for safety reasons. I hope the fda pulls more Novartis approved drugs off the market for safety concerns, I hope employees continue to start class action law suits. I hope the companies stock price gets even shittier than it is. Fuck you Novartis, Have a shitty new year. You ended my year shitty, by fudging my bonus, tripling my goals, so I can't obtain a t3 bonus next year, and I'll be sure to be reminded of that everytime I leave my house to go to work next year. My plan is to do as little of nothing for as long as possible. Fuck you Fuck you Fuck you Fuck you Fuck you Fuck you Fuck you Fuck you Fuck you Fuck You
REP2:
Hey I feel your pain but remember someone is benefiting from these programs, the docs that are paid off. They prescribe the drugs , novartis makes its profit. Docs don't lose out if our goals are quadrupled. You are training these Docs to get a check which is another benefit to Novartis , you get bumped & the next rep continues the payoff tradition.
These strategies are all aimed at marginalizing the rep & his/her relationships & getting the prescribers used to a system. In this case you're just a money delivery system.
As for these 3rd party vendors , don't think for a minute some high level muckity muck at corporate isn't getting their palm MAJOR greased by these, for lack of a better term, useless added expenses aka Genesis &/or Alliance HC.
Save your documentation , Novartis may be walking a legal tightrope with these payoffs/programs but they would NEVER win in the court of public opinion & heads would seriously roll if the magnitude & scope of this flagrant bribery scheme ever gets publicized.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.
PS- Notice how you no longer get Honararium Forms ?
REP 3:
And then there is the program in the St. Louis area last year in which a doctor attendee brought his priest friend who brought 8-10 high-school aged kids that were part of the church youth group. Managers were present for the speaker program. The kids were disruptive and eating and drinking on Novartis' dime, and the whole thing was swept under the rug. Absolutely nothing was done by the manager attending the program, and she knew they were teenagers and not medical. Of course nothing was done to the manager either for letting it go on. The investigative journalists should dig into this one.
Source: CP Novartis
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Posted by: Drug store without prescription | May 06, 2008 at 02:01 PM