MSL's are overpaid and unnecessary

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Re: MSL\'s are overpaid and unnecessary

Anonymous said:
Sorry MSL's. There was a time when you guys were useful. Not anymore. You can barely talk out of label, and don't provide the value you once did. Since you are generally paid more than reps, your role is becoming more scrutinized, and likely becoming more dispensable.
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You are right. I was an MSL for Upjohn and Pharmacia for many years. It WAS the best field job bar none. Now...the field segment of Pharma is handcuffed. It's tough to do business and enjoy it with your hands tied behind you back.

Whatever happened to freedom of speech?
 






The job is still good, just need to be more careful.

Beats having to work in "pods", with other sample droppers, playing pretend.

Repbots, time to wake up. You are USELESS!!!
 






I think what I'd like about being a MSL over a rep. is not having to sample drop and less time spent on lunches where physician don't show, and more time educating. Are physicians more open to going to medical education events (dinners) with MSL than the sales rep.?

I'd like to spend more time educating than kissing butt and working on relationships which is what seems to work with reps. Do many physicians respect the MSL role and offer appointment times?

I know most companies require the MSL to be a MD, PhD, or PharmD, but do some still except advanced level practioners, PA or NP, with a graduate degree at masters level, MPH or MMS?
 






























At least I can still meet with the MD anywhere and anytime, to discuss anything....did today for an hour while you picking up the snack tray and having the AA sign for the samples. I was the reason the doctor could not see you today....in fact he almost let me sign for the samples myself...joked he was going to sign Elmer Fudd on the line today. Thanks for chips a dip girls and boys. By the way, I bet you will look good in Home Depot orange, your next job.
 






Anonymous said:
At least I can still meet with the MD anywhere and anytime, to discuss anything....did today for an hour while you picking up the snack tray and having the AA sign for the samples. I was the reason the doctor could not see you today....in fact he almost let me sign for the samples myself...joked he was going to sign Elmer Fudd on the line today. Thanks for chips a dip girls and boys. By the way, I bet you will look good in Home Depot orange, your next job.
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Wow I can only imagine what specialty you were calling if the physician was signing for samples! What, out of curiosity, therapeutic area and drug to you “support”? I’m guessing something very basic. I’ve been an oncology rep for 12 years and have better access to 99% of the thought leaders at key academic institutions than any MSL I’ve ever worked with, and most of the time they need us reps to get them in and help establish the relationship. Not to mention that unless they worked in a cancer center they know very little about cancer therapies other than classes of each, and we end up having to show them the ropes…
 






Sorry to be so grumpy, but whether MSLs or plain reps, all are going to disappear.
With tightening regulation, and a discrepancy between "what do you earn?" and "what do you make?", with many other sales channels, models, and points of call, and not to forget, with the great public image the rep (I admit, this goes less for the MSL) has, the industry will change. Actually, it already does.

So keep on squabbling about who is best: it is not your call. The only thing you can do is what is possible now and what you are allowed to. If the rules or the weather change, so does your life. Nobody is irreplaceable, or essential.
And to the OP: so tell me, how are you going to defend paying a rep hanging around for 2-3 hrs trying to speak a doc for 2 mins on a $100.000? That is why they have call centers making those appointments for you nowadays, dickhead.
 












Anonymous said:
MSLs can be an amazing resource to both our customer base and our internal team. The position, however is not a homogeneous one. The MSL role ranges from glorified sales rep to ivory towered technocrat, and everything in between. For my money, give me someone with an advanced degree and a gift for interpersonal connection OR and a fantastic relationship builder with a passion for science and patient care. I have seen both of these types become incredible resources and effective agents for the companies they work for.
On the other hand, there is no greater waste of funds and people's time than some idiot with an advanced degree that thinks the letters behind his/her name means instant respect is due them. Or some small minded naive bookworm who thinks sales is the "dark side" and doesn't comprehend the correlation between company revenue, and the health/stability of their very own positon. Throw in the dolt from sales that complains about bloated MSL salaries and wonders why their MSL won't sway their key target for them, and you have a rift that develops between MSLs and Sales. What a pointless and wasteful debate! In the end, it's all about putting the right people in positions that suit their backgrounds AND personalities, in my humble but accurate opinion.
Signed,
BS Pharmacist, former MSL, current Sales guy
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Well said.

And how dare you make sense. This is CP!! LOL
 






MSLs are useful at a certain stage of a product lifecycle. I used to manage a small team in a post launch when we had lots of off-label enquiries and docs wanting to do their own bits of research. Everyone had a great time and the reps were very happy that someone else was taking care of these time consuming calls whle they were busy with establishing the drug in its indication. However I moved on and my successor has 'built' a huge team of MSLs - more now than reps!- with specific roles and layers of management. The drug has extended its label and these MSL are creating 'programmes of education' which they have to persuade docs to attend cos its not news anymore. Sound familiar? So yes, MSLs can be great contributors in the right situation but creating these armies will just lead to the authorities seeing them as super-reps and more legislation will follow and a valuable resource will be lost.
BTW this nonsense about peer-to-peer relations - if you are worthy of respect, know your stuff, bring stuff to the table that genuinely interests your customer and meets THEIR needs and not just yours - you will get all the time in the world. If you are badly informed, 'on a mission' or assuming that letters after your name makes you special - forget it. Docs and KOLs in particular soon see through the smokescreen and deal with the folks they value
 






The original poster is half right.... MSL's and sales reps are not necessarily both necessary. But he really should be careful what he wishes for. Any MSL wcan do a sales reps job, but the vast majority of sales reps are not willing to go get a Ph.D/M.D. or even take the time to purchase a Pharm.D from an online gumball machine.

Sooooooo.... more likely path for the industry is to have the MSL folks take over the rep jobs and get the benefits of both rather than maintain a sales rep with no science grad degree.
 












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