Posted by bob on January 21, 2002, at 15:30:22
In reply to Re: Drug Representatives=Cheerleaders?, posted by OldSchool on January 21, 2002, at 15:02:42
You're DAMN right they're attractive! I've seen them too. I've had the "privelege" of knowing one or two. It is a job that often attracts young, outgoing, attractive people, and is obviously more suited to gals than guys, even though there are plenty of guys doing it. Think of the frat set from college, or the popular bar going set from any era of your life... pick out the most attractive people from that group. Bias it 80-20 women to men, and you've got yourself one hell of a drug bribing team. The job is not technically challenging at all, and there are many, many perks: travel, free meals, free events, and most importantly - you get to hang out with other attractive people! Who wouldn't like that job? I was friends with someone who's wife was a drug rep. She was put off with the fact that when they went out to their yearly meeting in Hawaii, everybody started sleeping with everybody else, even though many were married. This, to me, doesn't sound like the kind of people that are studying up on the technical aspects of pharmacology. I've often wanted to be a fly on the wall when one of these modelesque women sashays into my pdoc's office. I can't imagine what she's telling him about the drugs. They're often pushing drugs that have been around for years, such as Effexor. What in the world is this young girl going to say to my doctor about Effexor that will override what he's learned in his extensive practice? Oh... I forgot, she can give him little gifts, offer him tickets to exclusive events, and take him out to dinners.
We are not talking about medecine or even pharmacy at this level, we are talking about marketing. Marketing is characterized by this with practically any product you are selling. Doctors are human, and often male. Sex sells: it always has, and always will, no matter whether we like it or not. Look at commercials on tv - if you watch carefully, you will see attractive women associated with some of the most unlikely things. It is extremely pervasive. Heck, tv uses attractive people as much as they can: attractive people = ratings. In life, attractive people have unconcious effects on us.
Sorry about the rant, but BS like this really gets me going. The fact that when you boil it down to brass tacks... they're selling drugs with crass marketing schemes, almost like beer commercials.
poster:bob
thread:90930
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020116/msgs/91015.html