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1DoctoringSalesPharmaceuticalsisoneofthemostprofitableindustriesinNorthAmerica.Butdothedrugsindustry’ssalesandmarketingstrategiesgotoofar?1.AfewmonthsagoKimSchaefer,salesrepresentativeofamajorglobalpharmaceuticalcompany,walkedintoamedicalcenterinNewYorktobringinformationandfreesamplesofhercompany’slatestproducts.Thatdayshewaslucky---adoctorwasavailabletoseeher.‘ThelastrepofferedmeatriptoFlorida.Whatdoyouhave?’thephysicianasked.Hewasonlyhalfjoking.2.WhatwasonofferthatdaywasapairofticketsforaNewYorkmusical.Butonanygivenday,whatSchaefercanofferistypicalfortoday’sdrugsrep---acartrunkfullofpromotionalgiftsandgadgets,abudgetthatcouldbuylunchesanddinnersforasmallcountry,hundredsoffreedrugsamplesandthefreedomtogiveaphysician$200toprescribehernewproducttothenextsixpatientswhofitthedrug’sprofile.Andshealsohasafew$1,000honorariatoofferinexchangefordoctors’attendanceathercompany’snexteducationallecture.3.Sellingpharmaceuticalsisadailyexerciseinethicaljudgment.SalespeoplelikeSchaeferwalkthelinebetweenthecommonpracticeofbuyingaprospect’stimewithafreemeal,andbribingdoctorstoprescribetheirdrugs.Theyworkinanindustryhighlycriticizedforitssalesandmarketingpractices,butfindthemselvesinthemiddleoftheage-old-chicken-or-eggquestion---businesseswon’tusestrategiesthatdon’twork,soaredoctorstoblamefortheescalatingextravaganceofpharmaceuticalmarketing?Orisittheindustry’sresponsibilitytodecidetheboundaries?4.Theexplosioninthesheernumberofsalespeopleinthefield---andtheamountoffundingusedtopromotetheircauses---forcescloseexaminationofthepressures,influencesandrelationshipsbetweendrugrepsanddoctors.Salespeopleprovidemuch-neededinformationandeducationtophysicians.Inmanycasestheglossybrochures,articlereprintsandprescriptionstheydeliverareprimarysourcesofdrugeducationforhealthcaregivers.Withthehugeinvestmenttheindustryhasplacedinface-to-faceselling,salespeoplehaveessentiallybecomespecialistsinonedrugorgroupofdrugs---atremendousadvantageingettingtheattentionofbusydoctorsinneedofquickinformation.5.Butthesalespushrarelystopsintheoffice.Theflashybrochuresandpamphletsleftbythesalesrepsareoftenfollowedupwithmealsatexpensiverestaurants,meetinginwarmandsunnyplaces,andaninundationofpromotionalgadgets.Rarelydopatientswatchadoctorwritewithapenthatisn’temblazonedwithadrug’sname,orseeanurseuseatabletnotbearingapharmaceuticalcompany’slogo.Millionsofdollarsarespentbypharmaceuticalcompaniesonpromotionalproductslikecoffeemugs,shirts,umbrellas,andgolfballs.Moneywellspent?It’shardtotell.‘I’vebeentherecipientofgolfballsfromonecompanyandIusethem,butitdoesn’tmakemeprescribetheirmedicine,’saysonedoctor.‘ItendtothinkI’mnotinfluencedbywhattheygiveme.’6.Freesamplesofnewandexpensivedrugsmightbethesinglemosteffectivewayofgettingdoctorsandpatientstobecomeloyaltoaproduct.Salespeoplehandouthundredsofdollars’worthofsampleseachweek---7.2billionworthoftheminoneyear.Thoughfewcomprehensivestudieshavebeenconducted,onebytheUniversityofWashingtoninvestigatedhowdrugsampleavailabilityaffectedwhatphysiciansprescribe.Atotalof131doctorsself-reportedtheirprescribingpatterns---theconclusionwasthattheavailabilityofsamplesledthemtodispenseandprescribedrugsthatdifferedfromtheirpreferreddrugchoice.7.Thebottomlineisthatpharmaceuticalcompaniesasawholeinvestmoreinmarketingthantheydoinresearchanddevelopment.Andpatientsaretheoneswhopay---intheformofsky-rocketingprescriptionprices---foreverypenthat’shandedout,everyfreetheatreticket,andeverysteakdinnereaten.Intheendthefactremainsthat2pharmaceuticalcompanieshaveeveryrighttomakeaprofitandwillcontinuetofindnewwaystoincreasesales.Butasthemedicalworldcontinuestograpplewithwhat’sacceptableandwhat’snot,itisclearthatcompaniesmustcontinuetobeheavilyscrutinizedfortheirsalesandmarketingstrategies.Questions:I.Globalunderstandingofthepassage1.Choosethecorrectheadingforeachparagraphfromthelistofheadingsbelow.Writethecorrectnumberi-xbesidesPara.Numbers1-7.ListsofHeadingsParagraphsi.Notalldoctorsarepersuaded.ii.Choosingthebestoffers.iii.Whoisresponsiblefortheincreaseinpromotions.iv.Fightingthedrugcompanies.v.Anexampleofwhatdoctorsexpectfromdrugcompanies.vi.Giftsincludefinancialincentives.vii.Researchshowthatpromotionworks.viii.Thehighcostsofresearch.ix.Thepositivesideofdrugspromotionx.Whoreallypaysfordoctor’sfreegifts?Para.1Para.2Para.3Para.4Para.5Para.6Para.72.Dothefollowingstatementsagreewiththeviewsofthewriterinthepassage?WriteYesifthestatementagreeswiththeviewsofthewriterNoifthestatementdisagreeswiththeviewsofthewriterNotGivenifitisimpossibletosaywhatthewriterthinksaboutthis(1)SalesrepresentativeslikeKinSchaeferworktoaverylimitedbudget.(2)KimSchaefer’smarketingtechniquesmaybeopentocriticismonmoralgrounds.(3)Theinformationprovidedbydrugcompaniesisoflittleusetodoctors.(4)Evidenceofdrugpromotionisclearlyvisibleinthehealthcareenvironment(5)Thedrugcompaniesmaygivefreedrugsamplestopatientswithoutdoctors’prescriptions.(6)Itislegitimatefordrugcompaniestomakemoney.II.DetailedunderstandingofthepassageParagraph1:3.Whatpurposedoesparagraph1playsintheintroductorypartofthe