Why is Pfizer hiring contract reps to sell Tofa??

[Anonymous]

so publicis is advertising for contract positions all over the country to sell/launch an RA drug to rheums...hmm guess what it is? So Pfizer is going to do a BIG layoff and then hire contract reps to sell a drug that they already have an ENTIRE sales force calling on. Cluster 1 calls on Rheums already and could easily sell Tofa, especially with Celebrex going generic - but no - they will be laid off AND THEN contract reps will come on board to be managed by the very same people, pfizer managers who did the lay offs. Can someone PLEASE call a lawyer!!

 

[Anonymous]

shhhhhh....nobody is suppose to know, yet. Yes, the long term plan is to hire contract reps (those who have had experienced launching) to promote and put focus on new drugs.

 

[Anonymous]

former Pfizer exec is the cco of publicis. MK. AP is over there too.

 

[Anonymous]

she's the one who got caught effin someone who worked for her and then falsifying expense reports, right?

 

[Anonymous]

but isn't there something fishy about not using the sales force you ALREADY have to sell to doctors they are already calling on? Instead they are going to hire contract reps BEFORE the drug is approved, then lay off some of the reps calling on those docs and THEN put the contract reps out there virtually eliminating the opportunity for anyone laid off to try to get a job they would be perfect for. Isn't there some type of employment lawyer out there who could tell us if this is legal?

 

[Anonymous]

but isn't there something fishy about not using the sales force you ALREADY have to sell to doctors they are already calling on? Instead they are going to hire contract reps BEFORE the drug is approved, then lay off some of the reps calling on those docs and THEN put the contract reps out there virtually eliminating the opportunity for anyone laid off to try to get a job they would be perfect for. Isn't there some type of employment lawyer out there who could tell us if this is legal?

It's perfectly legal. They can layoff who ever they want, when they want and how many they want. Replacing with a contract sales force is efficient and cost effective. Most of the contract reps are well experienced and have relationships with the Drs. in the community.

 

[Anonymous]

I get that it is cost effective but there is NO WAY it is effective. There is nothing to be gained other than a cost savings - the contract reps just don't have skin in the game and you know it - they make a minimum amount of calls to meet requirements and that is it - nothing wrong with it - I would do the same thing but don't act like it is the same thing an employee of Pfizer selling for Pfizer

 

[Anonymous]

so publicis is advertising for contract positions all over the country to sell/launch an RA drug to rheums...hmm guess what it is? So Pfizer is going to do a BIG layoff and then hire contract reps to sell a drug that they already have an ENTIRE sales force calling on. Cluster 1 calls on Rheums already and could easily sell Tofa, especially with Celebrex going generic - but no - they will be laid off AND THEN contract reps will come on board to be managed by the very same people, pfizer managers who did the lay offs. Can someone PLEASE call a lawyer!!

relax and quit being so paranoid

 

[Anonymous]

why would you say paranoid? you think he is wrong?

 

[Anonymous]

why would you say paranoid? you think he is wrong?

yep i do

 

[Anonymous]

I get that it is cost effective but there is NO WAY it is effective. There is nothing to be gained other than a cost savings - the contract reps just don't have skin in the game and you know it - they make a minimum amount of calls to meet requirements and that is it - nothing wrong with it - I would do the same thing but don't act like it is the same thing an employee of Pfizer selling for Pfizer

I wish that you people would read something other than company emails and print out from Town halls. Let me say it slowly, so it can sink in

The wave of the future is contract sales. Shoot, it's HERE! We are simply the last big Pharma co to adopt it. Why the heck would Pfizer pay a rep with, say, 10 years of experience all that money when they can hire two contract reps that average 15 years experience for the same money, or less? Aint like we get tons of time with the docs any more (thank you Mick Mosebrook and Hank McRorie for approving the LAT system), and we don't have a lot of new drugs coming out. So, by the way of most companies thinking, if our big drugs have been out for a long time and we get so little time with our docs, why NOT cost major costs and get some contract reps in there to give the silly little marketing messages?

As for the asinine comment that contract reps don't have any skin in the game, I say your ignorance is showing. Every single contract DM and rep I know busts their ass, because they were on the street looking for full-time pharma work and found out that some of us will see. The glory days of getting paid big money to "sell" our docs by giving those canned presentation are over, and then having 2-3 others follow behind with the same canned message are over. Companies found out that they could get away with far fewer of us without losing sales impact.

Back to the contract reps: they know that if their company can prove that they're out there collecting sigs and detailing, they can avoid going back to the streets looking for work. Most of the folks I know contributed in a major way (either the primary wage earner, or a significant portion) to the family bottom line. And so, they bust their ass in a way that most of the people I see here have never done.

Really, I think that its odd that everyone here doesn't know this.

 

[Anonymous]

I wish that you people would read something other than company emails and print out from Town halls. Let me say it slowly, so it can sink in

The wave of the future is contract sales. Shoot, it's HERE! We are simply the last big Pharma co to adopt it. Why the heck would Pfizer pay a rep with, say, 10 years of experience all that money when they can hire two contract reps that average 15 years experience for the same money, or less? Aint like we get tons of time with the docs any more (thank you Mick Mosebrook and Hank McRorie for approving the LAT system), and we don't have a lot of new drugs coming out. So, by the way of most companies thinking, if our big drugs have been out for a long time and we get so little time with our docs, why NOT cost major costs and get some contract reps in there to give the silly little marketing messages?

As for the asinine comment that contract reps don't have any skin in the game, I say your ignorance is showing. Every single contract DM and rep I know busts their ass, because they were on the street looking for full-time pharma work and found out that some of us will see. The glory days of getting paid big money to "sell" our docs by giving those canned presentation are over, and then having 2-3 others follow behind with the same canned message are over. Companies found out that they could get away with far fewer of us without losing sales impact.

Back to the contract reps: they know that if their company can prove that they're out there collecting sigs and detailing, they can avoid going back to the streets looking for work. Most of the folks I know contributed in a major way (either the primary wage earner, or a significant portion) to the family bottom line. And so, they bust their ass in a way that most of the people I see here have never done.

Really, I think that its odd that everyone here doesn't know this.

Really? Have you worked with contract reps? No arguing that many of them want and need the jobs, but none of the ones I worked with had extensive relationships, esp. compared to my Pfizer colleagues (the majority of which are very tenured), and ALL of them were on the lookout to get out of contract sales as they knew they could/would be replaced at any time. I'm not saying that many of them weren't good people, but the nature of the contract relationship precludes any deep commitment to what is being sold or who is employing them, and you can't blame the reps! Even the managers at the contract companies were gone as soon as a pharma opportunity opened...

 

[Anonymous]

Relationships sell products. Drs dont trust Phama. Formularies and definitely not a new rep with Similac on his/her breath/ #fail.

However

It will be too late, damage will be done and tenured reps will be goooonnnne.

 

[Anonymous]

but isn't there something fishy about not using the sales force you ALREADY have to sell to doctors they are already calling on? Instead they are going to hire contract reps BEFORE the drug is approved, then lay off some of the reps calling on those docs and THEN put the contract reps out there virtually eliminating the opportunity for anyone laid off to try to get a job they would be perfect for. Isn't there some type of employment lawyer out there who could tell us if this is legal?

Legal, yes. Moral, ethical, and smart business, no. They are continuing to make a number by gutting and cutting. Shedding pensions and getting rid of big salaries. But as one poster pointed out, at the cost of relationships that get you formularies, access, and market share. Plain stupid, but that is Pfizer leadership, they know better and they are sooooo smart, just check their GPA from 30 years ago.

 

[Anonymous]

I’m beginning to doubt if relationships are all that important anymore. I agree with the comment that a good relationship may improve access but unless you’re calling on a hospital you won’t have an impact on formulary decisions. As far as market share goes there are too many ‘what ifs’ to offer a definitive answer but it sure looks as if the future market share will be driven by managed care forcing physicians into treatment algorithms, not a relationship you’ve developed over many years.

If Tofa is approved in August, the rep (whether Pfizer or Publicis) will have limited success selling the product if it’s not available on someone’s formulary. And getting it on formulary won’t happen because you have a good relationship with your physician; it will happen because Pfizer gave the managed care plan a price/rebate they couldn’t refuse.

In my opinion, the role of the rep as we know it today is going to change dramatically over the next 5 years or so. I see it becoming more of a service position (samples, patient ed. material …) than anything that resembles a sales position. Could this be done by a contract rep or even a part time rep, I think the answer is yes.

 

[Anonymous]

Really? Have you worked with contract reps? No arguing that many of them want and need the jobs, but none of the ones I worked with had extensive relationships, esp. compared to my Pfizer colleagues (the majority of which are very tenured), and ALL of them were on the lookout to get out of contract sales as they knew they could/would be replaced at any time. I'm not saying that many of them weren't good people, but the nature of the contract relationship precludes any deep commitment to what is being sold or who is employing them, and you can't blame the reps! Even the managers at the contract companies were gone as soon as a pharma opportunity opened...

Don't know where you have been moron. Contract reps. are mostly displaced pharma reps., that usually more experience than the current reps. in big pharma. Why? Because the highest paid and closest to retirement get canned first to save pharma money. No one sells anymore, so what does it matter. They are less investement to pharma to hire contract. If your lucky enough to stay in this business, you too, will be a contract rep. Now go and wake up. That is the problem in this business. Too many ignorant people who really have not been around long enough to understand the past and know the future.

 

[Anonymous]

Right on.
I laugh and feel a bit sorry for all you direct reps. Many of you will be laid off and will find that the only pharma sales organizations hiring are: Contract Companies.

Someone mentioned that these people "don't have skin in the game" or "relationships".
NOT TRUE. Many of these reps are in their forties and fifties, have excellent work ethic, experience and have wonderful relationships with their community prescribers that date back to the day when we wined and dined. When physicians see these people return to their clinic, they actually are excited to see many of these folks.

Don't knock Contract Sales. Most likely many of you will be working for one in the future.

Save all the money you can, live frugally; your next job will most likely pay a lot less than what you are currently making.

 

[Anonymous]

By no later than Sales Year 2014, if not sooner, PCBU will consist of 1 bag/1 cluster selling Eliquis & Lyrica. The rest of the current meds (Flector, Toviaz, Pristiq, PVC, Spiriva, Celebrex, Viagra) will be farmed out to EPBU, generic or sold to AZ. It will take ~500 Reps & 50 DBM's (Contract or FTE?) nationally to support. Notice that the Executive talent (Frenchy & the Cartoon Lady, etc.) have gotten on the life boats out of the PCBU.
Specialty Sales forces will be adjusted according to business need with Contract Reps for +/- and core amount of FTE's. Vaccine Reps already getting PCBU cast-offs Chantix & Premarin Oral until recommendation comes or doesn't. I/S downsize imminent and "new" Rheum group pushing "Jakinus" to be sized accordingly based on Launch results.
Razor Read and the Euro-trash ELT see Sales as liability and will continue to manage U.S. like the rest of the world (see Socialized medicine), regardless of results.

 

[Anonymous]

I get that it is cost effective but there is NO WAY it is effective. There is nothing to be gained other than a cost savings - the contract reps just don't have skin in the game and you know it - they make a minimum amount of calls to meet requirements and that is it - nothing wrong with it - I would do the same thing but don't act like it is the same thing an employee of Pfizer selling for Pfizer

Do you really think a Pfizer rep today is going to e better. Come on and get your head out of the sand.

 

[Anonymous]

Fact is Pfizer primary care reps no better than a Publicis rep: let's face it. Don't let your arrogance or ignorance get in the way. That's why you feel threatened, because you know it's true!