Email about getting doctors to write Medicaid for Onglyza is leaked

[Anonymous]

Ditto. I don't see the problem. We did this on Abilify. I can see how it might not look great but it's not like we are loved out there. Some bad press. Get over it. I think the concerns with dapa are way more important. It is interesting to see all this conflict in Jennifer's region. You would think with a few years of global marketing experience she would have been better prepared. For sure that seems to be the experience you need to be a good region business director.

It is legal, but looks bad, we are not loved, but this helps that bad vibe to the public. It could also impact the very end she wanted if these state Medicaid people see this. This is proof that global marketing experience really means nothing, so don't be so goo goo eyed by it. Dapa is not a concern, it will not be approved. Start living with that reality.

 

[Anonymous]

check it out

http://www.pharmalot.com/2012/04/when-is-lobbying-not-lobbying-ask-bristol-myers/

I don't care if this is within compliance, it stinks. It makes me sorry to work for this company, how far we have fallen.

 

[Anonymous]

Jennifer is the worst RBD in CVMET ask anyone on her leadership team. They don't Trust her, they don't Respect her and obviously they are not loyal to her. She SUCKs in her role. RK is afraid to admit his fourth hiring mistake and he has HR aka IP wrapped around his finger. There have been many compliants about her performance as a leader and the lack of knowledge/experience. It amazes me that the leaders of this organization can wreck havoc with no recourse. Do we know if she be moved to another area in the company?....maybe Marketing where she came from? I'm sure the PA region will be happy to see her go! Happy Trails Jennifer...KICK ROCKS!

PS....your DBM's are more qualified to do your job!

 

[Anonymous]

Jennifer and anyone else should be fired! I guarantee you that if a rep initiated this, they would have their head on a stake within 24 hours! Such hypocrisy! Unethical bastards!

 

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry - I don't see anything unethical about it. So we ask our customers to write a letter to the state medicaid to request our product be made available - duh? I could see if the RBD or DBM's wrote the letters and forged the docs signatures.

Maybe if we had some sort of orchestrated inducement like cash, kickbacks, meals, etc. Or if we tried to cover up adverse events or promote Onglyza off-label. But, asking a doctor to write a letter - looks like somebody is just out to get this region manager.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry - I don't see anything unethical about it. So we ask our customers to write a letter to the state medicaid to request our product be made available - duh? I could see if the RBD or DBM's wrote the letters and forged the docs signatures.

Maybe if we had some sort of orchestrated inducement like cash, kickbacks, meals, etc. Or if we tried to cover up adverse events or promote Onglyza off-label. But, asking a doctor to write a letter - looks like somebody is just out to get this region manager.

Really? Aren't you just a little sipper. If you were to analyze the doctors that are asked to write these letters, it is a given that they are BMS friendly, high volume writers. Which means, on average they receive more lunches that feed them and their entire staff on a regular basis, they receive more samples, they get invited to more dinner programs, etc. You know how this "business" works, docs don't typically write because of the reps great skill, there are more often than not, subtle and not so subtle rewards for their Rxs. Not outright cash as in the old days, but rewards nevertheless. This effort to deliberately deceive may very well be legal - but it looks horrible. The fact that you see nothing unethical is your opinion and you are entitled to it - by he way, what is your cubicle number in Plainsboro?

 

[Anonymous]

As previously posted I.P. is RK's buttgirl and will make sure they JF and RK are OK. You can count on HR to be ethical!! Wonder if Holly ever pays attention.

 

[Anonymous]

HR is a joke with this company. After 15 years here I've learned two things 1. Don't trust anyone above you, and 2. Print out everything and document everything. Lil K is as trustworthy as a Cuban govt official.

But this email is pathetic. I thought we paid AEs to get on formulary.

 

[Anonymous]

HR is a joke with this company. After 15 years here I've learned two things 1. Don't trust anyone above you, and 2. Print out everything and document everything. Lil K is as trustworthy as a Cuban govt official.

But this email is pathetic. I thought we paid AEs to get on formulary.

This post is tremendous.....really sums it up quite well

 

[Anonymous]

HR is a joke with this company. After 15 years here I've learned two things 1. Don't trust anyone above you, and 2. Print out everything and document everything. Lil K is as trustworthy as a Cuban govt official.

But this email is pathetic. I thought we paid AEs to get on formulary.

Yea, where is all that increased accountability for the AE that was cc'd on this email? If he can't do his damn job, fire him and get an AE who can. His lack of effectiveness is partly the reason for this deceptive tactic.

Increased accountability, what a joke!

 

[Anonymous]

Really? Aren't you just a little sipper. If you were to analyze the doctors that are asked to write these letters, it is a given that they are BMS friendly, high volume writers. Which means, on average they receive more lunches that feed them and their entire staff on a regular basis, they receive more samples, they get invited to more dinner programs, etc. You know how this "business" works, docs don't typically write because of the reps great skill, there are more often than not, subtle and not so subtle rewards for their Rxs. Not outright cash as in the old days, but rewards nevertheless. This effort to deliberately deceive may very well be legal - but it looks horrible. The fact that you see nothing unethical is your opinion and you are entitled to it - by he way, what is your cubicle number in Plainsboro?

That's pretty funny! I'm a long-tenured rep and maybe I'm just missing something here, but I don't see anything wrong in a lobbying effort to get docs to ask for Onglyza availability. State Medicaid officials aren't stupid, they know these letters are solicited, every formulary decision I have ever seen has some sort of pressure from advocates for either side. I honestly don't think they have much bearing on the decision.

As for why docs write, of course there are rewards for their behavior - why does anybody buy anything? - they are rewarded with good patient outcomes, they are rewarded with fewer pharmacy callbacks, they want to make their good looking rep happy! whatever.... they do it because there are benefits, they are consumers like anybody else.

Somebody just wants to get this RBD. You can't tell me one of the DBM's leaked it because they were so ashamed that they were asked to have our customers write a letter!

 

[Anonymous]

That's pretty funny! I'm a long-tenured rep and maybe I'm just missing something here, but I don't see anything wrong in a lobbying effort to get docs to ask for Onglyza availability. State Medicaid officials aren't stupid, they know these letters are solicited, every formulary decision I have ever seen has some sort of pressure from advocates for either side. I honestly don't think they have much bearing on the decision.

As for why docs write, of course there are rewards for their behavior - why does anybody buy anything? - they are rewarded with good patient outcomes, they are rewarded with fewer pharmacy callbacks, they want to make their good looking rep happy! whatever.... they do it because there are benefits, they are consumers like anybody else.

Somebody just wants to get this RBD. You can't tell me one of the DBM's leaked it because they were so ashamed that they were asked to have our customers write a letter!

Yes you are a long-tenured rep, that is obvious by your complete defense of an obviously, self described deceitful approach to lobbying. The email makes it clear that deception is PART OF this effort. Sure it is ok to lobby, but if you think this looks ok or even neutral, you are part of the problem.

Thinking more about your post, you most likely are from Plainsboro and BMS has put you to post here in order to try and blunt the impact of this email.

What we are talking about here is intent, there is obvious intent here to deceive. If you think that is ok, ask your spouse if they think it is ok for you to intentionally deceive them.

The email stands on its own, each can decide whether it seems inappropriate.

 

[Anonymous]

That's pretty funny! I'm a long-tenured rep and maybe I'm just missing something here, but I don't see anything wrong in a lobbying effort to get docs to ask for Onglyza availability. State Medicaid officials aren't stupid, they know these letters are solicited, every formulary decision I have ever seen has some sort of pressure from advocates for either side. I honestly don't think they have much bearing on the decision.

As for why docs write, of course there are rewards for their behavior - why does anybody buy anything? - they are rewarded with good patient outcomes, they are rewarded with fewer pharmacy callbacks, they want to make their good looking rep happy! whatever.... they do it because there are benefits, they are consumers like anybody else.

Somebody just wants to get this RBD. You can't tell me one of the DBM's leaked it because they were so ashamed that they were asked to have our customers write a letter!

This either from Jennifer Fritch, Ron P or Richard Kim. No rep would ever write this!

 

[Anonymous]

HR is a joke with this company. After 15 years here I've learned two things 1. Don't trust anyone above you, and 2. Print out everything and document everything. Lil K is as trustworthy as a Cuban govt official.

But this email is pathetic. I thought we paid AEs to get on formulary.

Very true. Over the last 5 years or so, I think most of us have learned that your job can end at any moment when some manager wants you out. And when it happens it's immediate. You can be cut off from your email on the spot. So I started printing and keeping copies of everything a long time ago. And I keep very detailed notes of voicemails and meetings. When my manager says things like Mark W or Richark K wants this or expects that I write it down. And I think Richard K and Jennifer F should think about some of the prior emails that have been sent. Before this week, I never even heard of Pharmalot. This one email ended up there, and I wish that it hadn't because I do want BMS to be successful. I think we all would like long term careers for a very successful company. But this one email was not the worst thing that Jennifer has done, not even close. Those emails voicemails and notes that people have could end up somewhere. And supposedly the company has a CIA that requires managers to act appropriately.

 

[Anonymous]

That's pretty funny! I'm a long-tenured rep and maybe I'm just missing something here, but I don't see anything wrong in a lobbying effort to get docs to ask for Onglyza availability. State Medicaid officials aren't stupid, they know these letters are solicited, every formulary decision I have ever seen has some sort of pressure from advocates for either side. I honestly don't think they have much bearing on the decision.

As for why docs write, of course there are rewards for their behavior - why does anybody buy anything? - they are rewarded with good patient outcomes, they are rewarded with fewer pharmacy callbacks, they want to make their good looking rep happy! whatever.... they do it because there are benefits, they are consumers like anybody else.

Somebody just wants to get this RBD. You can't tell me one of the DBM's leaked it because they were so ashamed that they were asked to have our customers write a letter!

I disagree, the email was not to get a specific RBD, because she has legal's approval on these tactics. The email goes to a much bigger problem than any one RBD. It speaks to the corporation's intent to deliberately deceive the P&T committees to get business. If it were to target Jennifer, it would be clear cut. The company gave the direction so now they must back her. She is not going anywhere, I believe she will get a promotion from this.

 

[Anonymous]

Very true. Over the last 5 years or so, I think most of us have learned that your job can end at any moment when some manager wants you out. And when it happens it's immediate. You can be cut off from your email on the spot. So I started printing and keeping copies of everything a long time ago. And I keep very detailed notes of voicemails and meetings. When my manager says things like Mark W or Richark K wants this or expects that I write it down. And I think Richard K and Jennifer F should think about some of the prior emails that have been sent. Before this week, I never even heard of Pharmalot. This one email ended up there, and I wish that it hadn't because I do want BMS to be successful. I think we all would like long term careers for a very successful company. But this one email was not the worst thing that Jennifer has done, not even close. Those emails voicemails and notes that people have could end up somewhere. And supposedly the company has a CIA that requires managers to act appropriately.

Most people I know with BMS do the same thing, print hard copy of everything even remotely important from a compliance standpoint, take copious notes of every teleconference and meeting. I know several that record every conversation with DBM and above. They live in states where 1 sided recording is legal. If you trust the higher ups here, don't ask for understanding or mercy when they take you down, you were warned.

 

[Anonymous]

Jennifer and anyone else should be fired! I guarantee you that if a rep initiated this, they would have their head on a stake within 24 hours! Such hypocrisy! Unethical bastards!

I'm in another division, is this person really a RBD in CV? Who do you hire over there?

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, this person is an RBD in CV.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm in onc and my customers are asking me about this email. What the hell are you doing in CV? I told them that CV is the side that cost us a half billion dollar fine years back, they operate differently than onc.

 

[Anonymous]

I've waited days to read all the comments on this before making my comment. The email is very clear that it is important to be deceptive in this effort. Call it whatever you want, but business should not be conducted this way.