Could artificial intelligence replace pharma reps?

I’m as conservative as they come...But that union idea doesn’t sound so stupid now.

via AI is proving to be hugely influential in our daily lives, with many companies choosing to automate their customer-facing operations as much as possible.

While the motivation for this is often to cut costs, a roundtable discussion at the Veeva summit heard that big pharma companies are increasingly looking towards this technology as a way of interacting with doctors.

https://pharmaphorum.com/views-analysis-digital/could-artificial-intelligence-replace-pharma-reps/

 

It will not replace free thinkers! Those of us who know a missile hit the Pentagon, not a Jet. Wake up people!

If you're not improving, you're getting worse.

 

Forget the union idea. The thread on that pretty much exhausted the idea. After reading the article I see the conclusion is that reps will still be necessary. The tasks of the job will change. The VCC concept is a harbinger of things to come. I haven’t had any takers but as the millenials take over medicine and the rep jobs, things will change. VCC has potential, but not as a primary approach. Launching a new drug with VCC reps in the background makes some sense given the state of access these days.
Using social media to capture the attention of the closed practices, let the internal VCC handle it. Give them a link to jump right into a detail. Email followup to the field rep.
The only constant is change!

We also need to be able to record total office call activity in Veeva as long as we are accountable for it.

 

I don’t understand why so many people are down on VCC, except for the fact that mgt. is “pushing it”. It’s just another tool to reach customers. Is it “the best tool”, no, but for no or very difficult to see customers what else do we have? I think the problem is that management wants to set metrics around it’s use,, just like they do with everything else. It’s not the right tool for most circumstances but to set a “ quota” around it’s use is not the right idea either, then so much of its “use” is just bs.

 

untrained seals could replace pharma reps

 

As the article says, It's a tool. However and a big however. Pharma has been testing "push emails" to MDs for years. Basically advertisements. The result after about 2X they don't open them and consider them spam. What Md want's a "Canned" email X 40 companies? None, they don't have the time.

"But expectations are increasing too as devices and digital channels allow HCPs to connect and get the content and experiences that they want. Pharma companies should focus their efforts on using digital channels to enhance the offerings from reps"

The only way this works is if a CE is attached to it and that means a Unbiased message. You think PFE can be Unbiased? Think of a YOUTUBE for Pharma where a MD can go and get his CEs and pick from 100's of CE 1-3 Hour presentations. CONTENT that is unbiased. Free items, NO CE Credit could be peppered in as advertisements from Pharma Companies... which will get minimal clicks or could play for 3 seconds before a CE starts before the MD "skips" the Ad.

As far as Reps "Humans" still be needed" of course they will be but not at the Pay Scale or Matrix that is current. Reps should be downsized to Customer Service Advocates (Reps) made to "stop" at 10-14 offices a day. MD not necessarily seen but CALL CREDIT given as Advocate was there "Servicing" the office. More offices would be hit since most Reps currently are stressing about trying to get into NO SEE MD and are lying about calls anyway no need to stress or Lie anymore is credit is given for all stops just have to make more stops in the future. 2-3 Lunches / Coffee drops a week. Salary should be 50-65K max, 2 year degree needed And Managers should have 20+ Reps per district. Work With should be NO MORE than 1 day every 6-8 weeks with minimal if any "coaching" since over "Coaching" is killing this Industry in more ways then can be written.

 

I don't know about seals but trained monkeys-for sure.

 

The typical Pfizer rep emulates artificial intelligence.
Now go look up emulate

 

That applies to most of management all the way to the top. Ass-kissing may help get you there, but you have to have much more to keep you there. Competence isn’t their strong suit.
Many don’t even emulate AI. Pfizer loves the bots. Wind them up and watch them go.

 

Recent report shows that a google app (AI) was better at diagnosing most types of breast cancer than human physicians. So the future may have animatron doctors communicating with animatron drug reps.