“Sales reps add VALUE to my practice” say older physicians specialists
By Mary Dominiecki, SVP, US Country Lead
May 29, 2023
According to our recent research among physician specialists, the younger generation is less engaged with and reliant on pharmaceutical companies than the older generation.
When it comes to information sources used in the past six months, online and paper-based medical journal articles are the most common resource for both Younger and Older specialists. However, differences exist in the use of pharmaceutical sales reps (Older 44% vs. Younger 33%) and significantly in the use of pharmaceutical websites (Older 33% vs. Younger 15%).
There are also differences in preferred information sources for new products and services, with Older specialists having a stronger preference for industry-provided information. Half (52%) of Older specialists prefer sales reps, significantly higher than one-quarter (28%) of Younger ones. Similarly, Older specialists are more likely to prefer manufacturer websites (Older 50% vs. Younger 38%).
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Older specialists are twice as likely to find value in manufacturer sales reps overall. One-third (31%) of Older specialists strongly agree that sales reps add value to their practice and help them better treat their patients; only 15% of Younger specialists strongly agree with this. On the other hand, Younger specialists are more likely to restrict sales rep detailing (29% Younger vs. 19% Older) and feel overwhelmed at times with requests for visits from reps (23% Younger vs. 12% Older).
Majorities of both groups of specialists believe that pharmaceutical companies have an important role to play in addressing gaps in healthcare (87% Older vs. 89% Younger), but Older specialists are significantly more satisfied with current pharma patient support offerings (Older 86% vs. Younger 65%).
We see the attitudes toward pharmaceutical companies and reps corresponding with attitudes toward products. Our findings show that Older specialists are more tied to branded treatments whereas Younger specialists are more likely proponents of generic drugs. Younger specialists are significantly more likely to see branded and generic treatments as equivalent (Younger 90% vs. Older 65%); Older are significantly more likely to have concerns about claims of equivalence (Older 65% vs. Younger 31%). Furthermore, more than half of Older specialists prefer to prescribe branded medications whenever possible but only one-third of Younger specialists feel the same way (58% vs. 33%).
It appears that pharmaceutical companies will need to consider these generational differences and find new ways to connect with Younger specialists as the workforce ages and retires.
Infographics may contain select findings from our Independent Studies. Contact us to find out if your organization qualifies for a complimentary presentation with access to the full report.
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