We have heard in recent times from many of the larger pharmaceutical companies, who tell us how they predict pharmaceutical marketing will change as we go forward. The United States Congress is pushing these companies to tell them how much they pay healthcare professionals as part of their marketing initiatives, during the process of selling their wares. In many instances, key doctors have been engaged to act as consultants, to spread the word about particular drugs and their benefits; these levels of engagement are now being revealed.
Congressional health reform will require pharmaceutical companies to declare any payments, fees or gifts made to doctors, practitioners and hospitals, beginning in 2012. This information will be correlated and will be made public from the following year, onwards. In advance of this requirement, many organisations are making the information available to the public right now. Pharmaceutical sales companies defend these payments as important and indeed essential in helping to spread the word about the benefits associated with individual products. Although these payments are defended as necessary for ultimate patient care, the public does view them with a certain amount of negativity, in their perception. This is where pharmaceutical sales and marketing must enhance its game, in order for a clearer and more descriptive picture to be painted.
The healthcare field is changing significantly and company executives and pharmaceutical consultants alike must devote much more time to specific sales and marketing initiatives and their pharma training. Not surprisingly, key account management training must focus in on the leadership of the parties, whether direct payments are involved or not, so that everybody is aware of the actual scope of the specific association. In certain circumstances, due to legislation, changes in the industry and varying public opinion, the position of the relationship may have to be revised. If nothing else, the most recent changes emphasise the need for key account management training to be cutting-edge and to recognise the level of dynamism in the field.
Doctors invariably want to assure observers that they are not crossing ethical boundaries and that they concur with the findings of the pharmaceutical companies. When they are in discussion with others, doctors make a point of revealing that they have a relationship with these companies and go out of their way to make sure that they’re not being seen as partisan.
The result of the turmoil is likely to ensure that direct payments become far less important in the overall marketing mix, especially as new reporting requirements are established. Change is often perceived as a threat, but those pharmaceutical companies that are “on top of” their marketing tactics will know how to manipulate their key account management and turn any change into a positive.
There are many external forces involved in this business, as pharmaceutical consultants well know and they are also aware that political developments can change public perception. They will ensure that pharma training keeps up with differing trends and requirements and further ensures that staff are ready to be proactive in a new field of operations. In short, the consultants will always ensure that the organisation is adequately prepared for any eventualities that may transpire.
Alan Gillies is the CEO of L2L Consulting, a cutting-edge pharma consultancy firm which specialises in optimising productivity and performance within international companies by applying tailored organisational strategies.