Date:27/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/27/stories/2008042758690300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Critical links in doctor-drug chain at work

Deepa H Ramakrishnan

Stiff competition exists in the profession of medical representatives

Photo: M.Vedhan

Medical representatives outside a hospital on Anna Salai. —

CHENNAI: They wait in clinics and hospitals for long, hoping to get a few minutes of the doctors’ time. Their designations may be business executives, product detail men or territory sales executives, but in common parlance they are the heavy-medicine-bag-toting medical representatives.

Numbering over 6,000 in the State, they are the key link in the chain to promote new tablets, syrups and other healthcare products among doctors and pharmacies.

If patience pays, then it is, perhaps, the pay master for people in this profession. In most waiting rooms, they spend close to half an hour before getting to meet the doctor just for a few minutes. Often, they end up working well past midnight.

“Waiting for doctors’ time is a common thing. We may fix appointments, but ultimately, for the doctors patients are a priority. We are not complaining. At the end of the day, we want the doctor to prescribe our drugs,” said S. Sridhar, who has been in the profession for over 27 years.

The competition in this profession seems to be stiff. With over 400 companies and hundreds of representatives covering an area, it is bound to be, point out professionals.

On some days, they would find 50 others like them, waiting to meet a particular doctor. Companies record relatively higher sales during the monsoon months of October, November and December. In April, however, the clinics are relatively empty, say professionals.

At present, the industry is suffering on account of high attrition rates. This, according to medical representatives, is owing to the low wages as compared to similar jobs in other industries.

Many companies give a consolidated pay and in the case of multinational firms the pay starts at Rs.8,000.

A fresher could earn about Rs.4,400.

This excludes the daily allowance and incentives. Earlier, companies looked for candidates with a science or pharmacy background but now they seem to accept even matriculates.

Bulky bags

“We carry samples of medicines that our companies make. The bag usually weighs around 3 kg. We carry another bag containing gifts, posters, compliments and literature and that also weighs around 3 kg,” said R. Ramesh Sundar, who has worked as a medical representative for 25 years.

It takes a while for newcomers to get used to the back-breaking two-wheeler rides across the city and the need to carry such bags.

Are they not tired of waiting for doctors? “Not at all. What made many of us get into the profession was the opportunity it offered in terms meeting different people every day and going to new places. You are also required to be smartly dressed,” said Mr. Sundar.

“Though it may seem as if we are not treated well, many doctors want us to come and meet them since we update them on what is current in the industry. After a few years, we get included in their inner circle. Doctors come to our rescue when we have a problem with the companies,” he added.