Influence Intelligence

Explaining the ROI2 Webinar Series

We realize that our clients have unanswered questions and new perspectives regarding the rapid changes taking place in the life sciences industry. 

New regulations and mandates, manage care, the evolving influence of ACOs, how KOLs and data scientists change the landscape -- are are compelling topics for conversation.

These points are controversial and demand discussion. This is why, via our webinar series, we access industry experts and allow our audience to ask  provocative questions. It creates eye-opening dialog related to the evolution and far-reaching impact of so many influencers on business and personal health.

Our webinar series will continue, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, slides of Wednesdays webinar, UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF ACOS - PART II: ACO PIONEERS, are available here.

 

 

The Death of a [Pharma] Salesman?

Yesterday's Pharmalot ran an interesting piece that suggested rumors of the pharma salesman's death -- with apologies to Mark Twain -- have been greatly exaggerated. It's worth a read.

Our thoughts? The "downsizing" of field staff's (from a high of 105,000 to nearly 75,000 now) has been a boon to the CSO industry and digital agencies to name just two who are benefitting from this change.

It's clear that there is still a need/vale in s "rep service", but that is evolving into a tier strategy; reps to service the sample closet, MSL's for high end resource linking and disease management discussions, hospital/medical center reps focusing on education and the future physicians, national account people calling on key managed access customers.

The sheer volume of reps has and will continue to fall, but there has been a rise in "specialty reps" who are considered very valuable in the area of oncology, infused, injectable products and specialty pharmaceuticals.

The days of the "dine and dash" are gone, but the need and value of reps that can bring "clinical utility" and "practice value" for their products to key providers is still strong and growing. Our company, in fact, specializes in working to matching the needs of the providers with the type of rep needed.

The FDA -- A Killer Controversy

Always-provocative Fox pundit John Stossel expounded on the FDA's intention to regulate physician smartphone apps in his column last week. New apps are making it possible for docs to monitor patients from afar, with the same level of informational visibility they would have bedside.

The FDA is concerned these apps might be mistake prone and lead to misdiagnosis or inaccurate treatment. Understandable, says Stossel, but also unnecessary.

. . . the FDA basically says, "No, you just can't put something on your phone if it's a medical device. What if it doesn't work right? We have to approve it first."

That caution makes sense to people. Our first instinct is to say, "I don't want someone getting rich off a device that might not work right. It might kill me. I want the FDA to make sure everything is safe and effective."

But lawyer Jonathan Emord says our instinct is wrong.

"It is wrong because these regulations are costly, burdensome, and they prevent essential medical apps from getting into the marketplace," Emord said.

Emord's insights are worth weighing. In today's medical environment, rife with time constraints and cost consciousness, we need to empower physicians. Encouraging them to be innovative means they will better meet patient needs.

Burdening docs with more regulation and restriction ultimately costs patients. Let's stop inhibiting the healthcare industry and instead encourage efficiencies that ultimately help all.

The High Price of Cutting Corners - Improper Investigation an Issue at Ben Venue

An attention-getting read in today's Pharmalot illuminates the reasons why a division of Boehringer Ingelheim, the Bedford Laboratories unit Ben Venue Laboratories, was contending with what it classified as "capacity constraints". The reasons were tied to quality control:

In fact, we learned that inspectors from both the European Medicines Agency and the FDA visited its facilities and cited Ben Venue for various deficiencies at one specific facility that contributed to production slowdowns . . . the FDA issued a 483 inspection report last May . . . [that] contains a laundry list of problems, many of which Ben Venue failed to properly investigate . . . 

The takeaway? With the shortage and price constraints it will be harder and harder for manufacturers to keep up with quality standards.  This should be apparent throughout the industry: You can't cut corners where quality of medicine is concerned.

Thank You, Mr. Jobs

We want to join the world in saying farewell to one of the world's great innovators and entrepreneurs.

Steve, you taught us never to quit, to always implement ideas no matter how small you might think they are, to never regret, and to remain passionate.

You were a true pioneer with a humble approach in life, centered and grounded, demonstrating work-life balance as a father, husband and leader.

Steve, you touched people of every generation across the globe, providing us with the ability to access and share the real pleasures of life.

Thank you.

Pharma and Healthcare Pros: 24 Hours Until the ROI2 ACO Webinar

The conversation is teed up. The panelists are prepared. Response has been tremendous!

There is still space available. We hope you can join us!

Click below:

Understanding the Importance of ACOs: Accountable Care Organizations in Today’s Healthcare Environment

 

 

Webinar Panelist Profile: Two-Decade Pharma and Chemical Industry Vet Jim Smith

We're pleased to welcome Jim Smith, director of corporate accounts at Shire Pharmaceuticals, as a panelist on our Sept. 28 webinar: Understanding the Importance of ACOs: Accountable Care Organizations in Today’s Healthcare Environment.

A bit from Jim's bio:

 . . . responsible for the evaluation, reimbursement and contracting efforts within major accounts in each of the major trade classes, which include MHCO, PBM’s, wholesale trade and retail trade across the Shire product portfolio. He is also tasked with the design, alignment and implementation of marketing strategies within those account channels, which includes business planning, strategic and tactical planning. He is also responsible for new development of contracting strategies for in-line and new products, oversight of these contracting activities, including forecasting and reporting.

He has more than 20 years experience in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry holding various leadership positions. He has extensive experience in sales, sales management, training, marketing, commercial operations, corporate accounts and business development. Prior to his current role, he was the Director of Managed Markets developing distribution channel strategies and tactics for the brand teams. Previous to his managed markets role, he was the Director of Government Affairs Marketing across the Shire specialty product portfolio providing marketing strategies and tactics within the government sector.

We're pleased to have Jim on our panel! He brings tremendous experience and depth of perspective to the discussion.

We hope you can join us!

 

 

September 28th - Save the Date! ROI2 Assembling Expert Webinar Panel to Discuss Impact of Accountable Care Organizations on Pharma

Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are fast becoming the major players in today’s ever-evolving healthcare environment. Where Pharma formerly concentrated on increasing and measuring influence on physicians and institutions, it must now re-align outreach efforts to build visibility and credibility among ACOs.

Join us on Wednesday, September 28 at 1 p.m. EST for a 30-minute panel discussion featuring experts from the medical and pharmaceutical communities. We'll spark dialog on how the ACO model is changing relationships throughout the healthcare industry, and how to identify and interact with ACO influencers.

Space is limited. Click here to register for this FREE webinar today!

 

Pharma Social Media Dust Up Could Use a Dose of FDA Guidance

Monday's edition of AdvertisingAge added interesting perspective to the dialog about Big Pharma's need for social media transparency. As explained by author Leigh Fazzina:

Given that eight in 10 internet users are looking online for health information, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, it is imperative that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finds a solution to its ongoing battle to provide timely and relevant guidelines for pharmaceutical social-media communications and marketing.

This comes on the heels of Facebook's recent decision requiring pharma companies to enable user comments on their FB pages.

Which leads us to wonder: How can the pharmaceutical marketing, communications and public-relations sectors advance in the digital age if the very Federal agency that regulates their communications is failing to properly advise them?

Fazzina explains the situation well:

It is no surprise that health-care companies with practical information about treatments are eager to be where the patients already are -- active in social media and social networking. However, the FDA's repeated delays in issuing guidance on the use of social media leaves many stakeholders in the lurch. 

To echo Fazzina's point, this becomes a classic case of "damned if they do/damned if they don’t." Companies move forward with zero guidance, trying to communicate through the right channels, only to be told how to interact after they're underway.

Unfortunately, this happens all the time.  Digital information and the right to embrace it are problematic if you have no notion of how you will be treated, or what expectations you are obligated to establish. It's a familiar cycle.

One again, this industry is seeing repercussions from engaging in what were thought to be best practices. Some FDA education and understanding up front rather than after the fact might make a big difference.

Why does Pharma need to create customer-centric product education programs?

This is why:

Johnson & Johnson agreed Friday to pay $70 million to settle charges made by the US Securities and Exchange Commission that the company's subsidiaries bribed physicians in several European countries and paid kickbacks to Iraq to illegally obtain business.

Read the whole story here.