Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Drug rep

Rikki Foneysmile: "So, Dr. Grumpy, please remember Locraft for all your patients with Phingluie-Maglawnaf Syndrome."

Dr. Grumpy: "Okay. Where do I sign for samples?"

Rikki Foneysmile: "Right here, in the box on the lower left... Great! Here's 5 boxes, and some co-pay coupons..."

Dr. Grumpy: "Thank you. Have a great weekend."

Rikki Foneysmile; "You, too. By the way, I know what you're doing."

Dr. Grumpy: "Huh?"

Rikki Foneysmile: "I know what's really going on."

Dr. Grumpy: "With what?"

Rikki Foneysmile: "You're using my samples to start people on Locraft, then switching them to the generic form."

Dr. Grumpy: "I..."

Rikki Foneysmile: "I just want you to know that I know what you're doing."


She turned around and left.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Locraft. Tee hee.

John Woolman said...

Hmm, one wonders if a similar strategy might have worked with the non-generic formulation of epinephrine auto-injector, if a generic had been easily available...

Suze said...

Oh my!

Anonymous said...

#Cthulhu2016 !!!

Anonymous said...

Id contact an independent pharmacy near by and ask them what the best deal they could give me on unit of use bottles , by a few and then tell the rep never to step foot in your office again.

Anonymous said...

"Yog-Sothoth has eyes everywhere."

Li'l Azathoth said...

"A pamphlet came in the mail from Pueblo, Colorado. And it was entitled, 'Do You Know What Dr. Grumpy Is Doing With Your Free Samples?'"

Anonymous said...

"But of course you can't point out the way Teva obviously rigs the entire system with its tentacles everywhere..."

Don said...

Nice psychological trick

Pointing out your plan, makes you less likely to follow through on it.

It isn't that much of a trick, don't most insurance companies require a generic if it is available?

Mage said...

LOL

Anonymous said...

Gee Doc, are all drug pushers that visit you passive aggressive?

Anonymous said...

"And I want in on it, see?"

Ms. Donna said...

Well, aren't you? ;-)

Anonymous said...

Isn't that how heroin dealers do it?

Anonymous said...

Tell him/her that if you only had a artisenal spice pumpkin latte, you might consider wasting 30 minutes getting a pre-authorization for his overpriced drug.

Anonymous said...

But if a generic is available for Locraft, then what she's giving you is something stupid that they changed just the slightest amount to extend a patent. She clearly knows that, so who cares? Her comments dont change how you're going to practice anyhow.

Anonymous said...

"Oh, I also know that you didn't come to a full and complete stop at the stop sign on your way to work this morning, that you claim your family vacations as a business expense on your taxes because you blog about them, and that the secret door behind that cabinet leads to a shrine where you make human sacrifices to the Elder Ones. But I'm really only interested in the generic drugs."

Anonymous said...

"And now you know that I know that you know that I know what you're doing."

Anonymous said...

What? Rikki, dear, what I do with your frikkin' samples is none of your business, so long as I don't sell them.

If I was a physician, I'd pass them out to patients that might need it and then prescribe the generic, anyway. What's the use? The brand name stuff will take 17-x years to go generic and by then, Rikki's company will be sold ten times over to the next highest bidder and three more me-too drugs will get approved, and have better adherence profiles.

Go on, Rikki, butter wouldn't melt in your mouth, you little devil, and next time, I'll have you bring the brandy truffles or I'll contact your locroft competitor.

Anonymous said...

Of course I am, Rikki. And... your point is? Long live universal healthcare, where pharmaceutical advertising is illegal and the pharmacy gives generic unless specified

Candi said...

If Dr. Grumpy doesn't do it, the pharmacy might anyway. Mine "reserves the right" to substitute any identical generic formulation for any brand name. (But my doctor prescribes the generic anyway.) And the generic is a four dollar copay, so win.

Besides, the drug rep has a huge hole of ignorance: doctors also use those samples to help people who need medication and have problems, from insurance to income. I've received the benefits twice of this thinking (both years ago), and it's a great thing to have access to when your insurance is being a pain in the posterior.

Anonymous said...

Yup. I'm a neurologist and this is exactly what I do with drug samples. I do enjoy putting one over greedy Pharma.

Anonymous said...

"And you've been a VERY naughty boy. I think I need to tie you up in these leather cords and give you a spanking."

Anonymous said...

Haha, I love it. Phingluie Maglawnaf

Anonymous said...

"But, hey, who am I to judge? If generic drugs are good enough for ISIS, they're good enough for your patients, right?"

Anonymous said...

"But what you don't know is that I've been swapping out the brand-name pills in my samples for generics before I give them to you, so the joke's on you!"

Anonymous said...

I wonder if paranoia is a side effect of Locraft?

Anonymous said...

The pharmacy sells prescription data back to pharma, so they know whose patients are getting which meds. That data becomes the basis of 'switch' campaigns, meant to target coupons or other blandishments to change either prescribing behavior or patient requests for "no generics!"

It used to be that high-prescribers were also targeted to join "key opinion leader" boards, lecture circuits, dinner meetings, etc. Not sure how that side of the business has been going lately.

 
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