How Lilly Sells Diabetes Drugs: Booze, and Not Just a Little, Either
This is how Eli Lilly (LLY) promotes the diabetes drug Byetta: "seven pints of beer, two gins, two whiskies, seven whisky liqueurs and three large glasses of red wine," according to the U.K.'s Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority. The PMCPA is a self-regulatory body that requires transparency from its members and takes complaints from professionals and members of the public. All it asks in return is that its members -- drug companies -- stick to its rules and don't make the industry look bad.
That didn't happen at Lilly when the company brought a U.S. endocrinologist to tour one unnamed sales rep's territory to speak about off-label uses of Byetta. Five Lilly reps and two diabetes nursing specialists ended up claiming on their expenses that a boozy night out at an Indian restaurant was some form of professional education. The PMCPA said:
The matter was investigated internally and Lilly decided that there was no case to answer.Lilly was satisfied because the fixed-price menu was just £10.90 and up. But the PMCPA demanded from Lilly the actual receipt for the meal:
The cost of the meal, including beverages, was £192 ie £38.40 person. The Panel noted with concern that in Lilly's initial response it had referred to a fixed price menu of between £10.90 and £22 per head. The actual cost was greatly in excess of that and was only provided to the Panel following a request for further information. The Panel considered that this was unacceptable; self regulation relied upon a full and frank disclosure of the facts.It's a coverup! The receipt described everything the quintet drank that evening:
The Panel further noted that the bill showed that the group had consumed seven pints of beer, two gins, two whiskies, seven whisky liqueurs and three large glasses of red wine. In the Panel's view this amount of alcohol was excessive and inconsistent with the aims of a business meeting.The PMCPA concluded that "the overall arrangements for the meeting were such as to bring discredit upon the industry."
The case was brought by an ex-employee who only saw fit to complain about the incident two years after it happened, so one assumes there's some bad blood there.
Lots of industries' sales operations are lubricated by alcohol, and for the most part it's relatively harmless. But in the medical business you'd hope doctors would make their decisions based on science and not which company is showing them the best time. As the related stories list below indicates, partying remains a time-honored promotional tactic in pharmaceuticals.
There is no punishment -- beyond embarrassment and, in this case, a hangover -- for falling afoul of the PMCPA.
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- Pfizer Sales Reps Discuss Having Sex With Doctors
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