Lie #1: "In all reality, I can say with 100% certainty, that no one in the entire organization uses that call." Absolute B.S. because you haven't been on sales calls with every rep in your company.
Lie #2: "The actions of a few employees do not define a company." Sure they do - those actions set the tone for the culture of the company, especially a sales organization."
Lie #3: "You may not like the "video game" as the editorialist put it, but what is Sanofi doing to educate young people about the misconceptions associated with insulin therapy?" Sanofi does a lot in this area - corporate/marketing support of Diabetes Camps with specific resources allocated to support camps across the nation. Locally, Sanofi does a lot to support camps and other activities to educate kids. You obviously haven't heard of Team Type 1, our corporate sponsored cycling team of diabetic cyclists that rides in ADA Tour de Cure events across the country. Every one of those events includes visits with kids to inspire them on treating their diabetes and living life to one's full potential. Each summer, I participate in a local support group event for kids with diabetes - Novo is NEVER there.
Lie #4: "Did we threaten to pull out of Greece--of course we did. And Sanofi thanked us for it afterwards--" Sanofi NEVER thanked Novo - show me the press release. A great leader would have negotiated a reasonable agreement to continue providing insulin while dealing with a government and country on the brink of collapse. Novo could have easily treated each country individually. Making a deal with one country doesn't mean you have to make the same deal with other countries. Germany wouldn't need a price break like Greece.
Lie #5: "I could look at your company's actions around Multaq and Accomplia and say all sorts nasty things, couldn't I?" You don't have to say anything, you are nasty by default because you're arrogant. Accomplia was simply a product that didn't get approved. Sanofi was very ethical because we could have figured out a way to make the clinical trials produce favorable adverse event outcomes by changing the psychological patient survey measures. Sanofi didn't do that because there was a risk to patients - our company took a pass on continuing to try to bring that product to market. Multaq? Every post-marketing adverse event was monitored and reported to the FDA. Label was changed working with the FDA in every instance. Look at the Sanofi board on CP when anything changed with Multaq. Every rep that posted comments talked about staying true to their customers and acting with integrity no matter what the cost in sales.
I'm not loyal to Sanofi - I choose to work where I work. I can say that Sanofi has always treated me very well. I'm fortunate to have had great managers - very proud to have worked for every one of them. None perfect, but all great people that looked out for my interests and theirs to the best of their ability.
Sure, Sanofi has down sized and laid off reps over the past 5 years. There was a time when Sanofi's growth and financial performance looked the same as Novo if not better. Sanofi bought Aventis when it was outperforming most pharmaceutical companies. Sanofi had blockbuster after blockbuster product. The only reason Sanofi down sized because patents on those products expired. In an ideal, perfect world we would have had enough products to prevent that from happening.
Go ahead, keep bragging about the perfection of Novo. If you were so confident and satisfied with your company you wouldn't find the need to continue boasting. If you were truly happy you would simply go about your business without the need to grand stand.
Pfizer was once the greatest and could say all the things you're saying about Novo. Lilly was once the leader in the diabetes market. Keep on believing that you're immune from anything bad ever happening. Good for your arrogant ass if Novo gives you a lifetime of employment. I would never wish any company to have bad times and lay off employees.
Oh, we're in point/counterpoint mode, are we? OK, here's goes.
Point #1: YOU were the one that said those were our sales calls. So, by your definition, I assume you've been riding with our reps and copying down, word for word what they say? No? Ok. Then, by your own definition, you were lying.
Point #2: So, the minority of employees define who a company is? So, when 2-3 employees do something wrong/illegal, it defines the company culture? Really? Is that seriously your argument? We have 2500 sales reps. The actions of 2497 define who we are, not the actions of 3. Nice try, though. Just poor logic.
Point #3: You use your local diabetes camp as your example. NNI invests more in R&D into diabetes than any other organization in the world, except the US government. We started the World Diabetes Foundation. We're the platinum sponsor for the ADA, AACE, AADE, and JDRF. We run the Hagedorn Research Institute that is actually trying to find a CURE for diabetes. We run free clinics throughout the world to provide diabetes care in impoverished nations. I'm glad Sanofi supports your local diabetes camps. Congrats.
Point #4: You apparently don't understand the situation in Greece nor do you understand the EU. Study up and try a new argument if you think what you do in Greece won't bleed over to Germany and other countries. And, of course, Sanofi didn't issue a press release as a thank you to Novo Nordisk. They're too arrogant to publicly admit that they need NNI strength in Europe to accomplish anything. The thanks were delivered in private.
Point #5: Yeah, keeping products on the market and trying to squeeze more money out of them until the authorities FORCE you to pull them off really is the beacon of responsibility isn't it? You guys were wonderful with Ketek as well, weren't you? What steps did Sanofi take that the government didn't MAKE them take? I'm glad your reps posted comments saying they would maintain their integrity. Unfortunately, the people who run your company didn't act in the same manner. Too bad.
I see our disconnect here. I use facts and logic to back up my arguments, where you use conjecture and anectdotal stories to back up yours. I'm sure we won't agree on these points either. However, I am done. I will hand your boards back to you, and you can go back to bitching about your managers and the difference between the Sanofi legacy and Aventis legacy people, as those seem to be extremely important topics that you guys need to tacke on here. Good luck with that. I think Sanofi is planning another extra special Christmas present for you again this year......
