Why it will never work

I don't think I'm alone when I say that Brisdelle will never be anywhere close to the drug they think it will be. Hell, even the top rep only has around a 100 scripts since Nov 1st. It's good to be on top, but 100 in 5 months is not good for the company as a a whole.

The major problem is Noven is an estrogen company. They built their reputation on VVD and Mini. Now they want the same reps who sold those products to go in and sell reformulated Paxil. Not only sell it, but sell it as a solid choice to estrogen. It's embarrassing on so many levels and here's why:

1) It is paroxetine, a drug that's been around for a long time. It has a poor reputation. It's available cheap, but we tried to sell it for $30-$190 a month for 5 months. Gee, wonder why that didn't work.

2) Again, it's paroxetine, and we specifically say that we don't want women who are on other anti-depressants to combine them with Brisdelle. Well, guess what? When the doctor that you somehow actually convince to use Brisdell then realizes that 75% of their patients are on an anti-depressants for who knows what... Doink! Serotonin Syndrome, can't combine, and they sure as hell aren't going to stop what they're taking and switch to Brisdelle.

3) How great that being an estrogen company with customers that actually love our patches now can't get samples. Yup, we pretty much turned our back on them. "Yes, doctor, I don't have Minivelle sample for you again this month because we at Noven decide that we want you to write Brisdelle for your VMS patients now. I was pretty much tolf to not even talk about Mini, even though it's the product that gets me through your gatekeeper.... It doesn't matter that estrogen is far more efficacious, and almost every woman in the United States has been on, or is on an SSRI or SNRI , and you can't combine our product with that, but we still need you to write it, because well the WHI says 75% of women who took estrogen in 2000 no longer take it. Oh, I realize that those stats don't include women already on an SSRI or SNRI or OTC's like Black Cohosh for VMS, but who's counting?"

4) "Yes, doctor, we have made changes to the copay card again this week. I know that every time I come in here it has changed and if your patients don't follow exact wording that I'm going to go over with you again that they won't get their script. But I need you to listen even more closely this time, because I'm not only a rep, I'm your pharmacist and formulary person. This time doc, I PROMISE that your patients will be able to get Brisdelle at the pharmacy.... I realize that since November I have been coming in here every week with a new story on cost and coverage, but I have been assured this 23rd time that it will work now.... Yes, I did say the same thing last week, but this time it's different...No, your patients don't have to register the card... Yes, I know they did before.... No, I don't have Minivelle samples.... Therapy First Plus..... No, I don't know what TFP really is, I've just been told to tell you to tell your patients that it will cover their cost to $40...... Maybe????.... I'm sorry Minivelle lost coverage on some plans and the cost has gone up on the rest..... No, I said before, I don't have samples of Minivelle but I'll get a case of .05's in July, but I do have 3000 weeks of Brisdelle..... Can I get you to write a script to your 5 female staff and ask them to go to the pharmacy and get the first month for free so I can keep my job????...

So, the end will eventually come. I know that some in Noven's training have told reps that Brisdell is Noven's future and that it has to and will succeed. So, I guess my question is, what is success for this product?... I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to figure out that our NSM is supposed to be in early May and that we have received no information about city, hotel, air.... If that doesn't worry the bottom 50% of the sales force it should...

I'm interested in your thoughts. Even the Kool-Aid drinkers, I'm interested in hearing from you.

 

Dallas.

I'm guessing there will be an entire new sales force minus the current top 20 reps, and maybe the top 20 from MV's launch.

Those of you at the bottom that were not at or near the top last year - better start looking. You remember what the end of summer looked liked last year. Was it 3/week they fired?

 

OP here,

Yeah, I heard Dallas this morning as well, although nothing official yet. I also heard that they have been dishing out pips and walking slips like candy last week. Good luck to those who didn't make it and those who's fate is already determined before Dallas.

 

Yes 3 from my district (so far) have gotten PIPS and one has been with Noven 15 yrs. - mgr making them do ridiculous amt of worksheets, biz plans etc. and then rejecting what they sent in and telling them to do over. Two other reps have left for other pharm companies. Everyone I know working for Noven is actively looking for another job- incl.

I at least have some minivelle to get in the door with- for now. Once it's gone my sampling/signatures will be reduced to .5% if I'm lucky!!

 

Hisamitsu Planning To Dump Noven Division

My former Japanese colleagues have been telling me that the CEO and board members of Noven's parent company Hisamitsu are planning to sever ties with Noven including filing possible lawsuits against the company as well. Noven is already implementing major cutbacks in anticipation of it's possible bankruptcy.
To my buddy's at Noven - Be prepared for the worse, as the company's situation is rapidly deteriorating...

 

who are these former Japanese colleagues? This sounds fishy to me.

 

Re: Hisamitsu Planning To Dump Noven Division

Could this possibly be a rumor started by some pissed off ex-Noven reps? They were laid off last week. . .

 

No doubt it is. So sad but typically when the bar is raised.

 

WH or CNS?

 

I believe this is referring to CNS

 

Typing too fast- I meant WH!

 

WOMEN's Health. Must be an outsider - CNS never sold MV.