Docs Dig ePromotion

Just 2 years ago, Big Pharma fielded 102,000 sales reps. That number has already dropped to 92,000 and it’s headed to 75,000 by 2012, according to Chris Wright, a principal at ZS Associates.

The cuts will save $3.6 billion for the beleaguered pharmaceutical companies, who are well aware that sales force effectiveness is way down.

Nowadays, only 37% of the drug reps who visit medical practices get to place products in the sample cabinet, and a measly 20% speak directly to a physician. About 25% of physicians belong to a practice that bans reps altogether.

That’s why Big Pharma has become so bullish about ePromotion, a phrase describing 3 techniques by which drug makers communicate with and educate physicians about their product offerings without having to rely on Sid the Drug Rep.

The ePromotion trio includes virtual details, which include audiotapes, videotapes, texts and emails (but no live communication), video details, which involve chat or telephone-assisted Internet sessions in which participants can communicate directly with a representative, and virtual events which include webinars, CME events, conference calls and group discussions.

Big Pharma’s enthusiasm will no doubt be increased by the results of a new survey indicating that physicians’ attitudes toward ePromotion are becoming increasingly positive.

SDI reached these conclusions after performing its Annual Study of ePromotion, the eighth such iteration of the query.

The Study showed that 67% of surveyed physicians expressed a positive overall attitude about ePromotion, up from 62% the previous year.

73% of these physicians felt ePromotion by Big Pharma was equal or superior to face-to-face promotion by drug reps, as compared with 68% the year before.

The average time spent per physician, per ePromotion event was 18 minutes.

With each passing year, “we have seen acceptance toward ePromotion among physicians increase,” said Jason Fox, Associate Director at SDI. “The results of this survey underscore a growing opportunity for the two groups to interact more regularly.”

Glenn Laffel MD, PhD, Sr. VP, Clinical Affairs