KARO NA- DIGITAL!

KARO NA- DIGITAL! Covid-19 times are changing the process of pharmaceutical industry as doctors are now wary of meeting MRs freely.The way to go ahead is ‘phygital’ meaning physical and digital combined.

Change is not merely necessary to life – it is life: Alvin Toffler.

The pharmaceutical salesman or medical representative (MR) is a vital component of the healthcare industry. It is the MR who has taken healthcare products to the nook and corner of our country. The MR has strained every sinew to move, patiently wait at clinics, get access to the target doctor’s mind and represent talking points of his product in an attractive way so as to get mileage and sales. In the process, patients get benefitted, health outcomes improve, doctor is satisfied with the product benefit, and the whole healthcare industry is benefitted by the medical representative’s professional activities. It is not an exaggeration to say the MR is an unsung hero of the healthcare domain.

Corona warrior, the medical representative:

Contagious Covid-19 viral infection has put the world in the grip of a pandemic. There is an economic contagion along with the pandemic. Covid-19 contagion has caused an economic and social paralysis through lockdown. Stress is at highest levels, with migrant workers being suffering pawns in the game. The weakest link of society inevitably suffers on account of large destructive forces.Of the many professionals, the medical representative has put his mind and soul to the changing architecture of his practice.

In the past non-digital days, medical representatives have focused on persuasion practice through detailing, sampling and other inputs to doctors. Thus, medical representatives are a welcome presence in clinics for doctors. It is the medical representatives who provide a window to the world for the doctor, thus, the doctor gets to see someone who is not a patient during his practice. The doctor undoubtedly likes the attention, ego massage, product reminder detailing and other promotional inputs provided by the medical representative.

In the Covid-19 era the MR is exposing himself to various forces of nature and moving to get an acceptable and welcome presence in clinics and pharmacies. His work is now challenged by social or physical distancing approaches of doctors and pharmacists. The doctors are now wary of meeting MRs freely. Taking samples and other inputs from pharmaceutical companies is now a hazardous activity for doctors. The sample boxes may be contact surfaces for carrying germs. Hence, the Covid-19 times are changing the process of pharmaceutical messaging and relationship management with doctors and pharmacists.

‘Phygital’ era in pharmaceutical marketing gains traction:

Alvin Toffler is a timeless American author, futurist, thinker and businessman. His iconic books include: Future shock, The Third Wave, and Powershift. Among various statements made by him – many ring in the reader’s mind permanently, this includes his enduring remark: If you don’t have a strategy, you are part of someone else’s strategy. Among various futuristic trends Alvin Toffler predicted – ‘the hi tech hi touch’ concept is potent. This was placed in his book: Future Shock published in 1980. John Naisbitt another futurist, in 1982, expanded on the high tech high touch concept in the popular book: Megatrends.

Both John Naisbitt and Alvin Toffler agreed on this interesting concept as a reality of futuristic world, with some differences on presenting the subject. This futuristic concept has come to the fore, due to market disruption by Covid-19 pandemic. Basically, high tech and high touch concept marries the high touch or human touch with high technology approach. This means technology will complement the human effort in messaging. It has happened gradually and innocently such as use of e-mail and whatsapp for messaging.

Covid-19 is changing the way pharmaceutical companies practice messaging:

Covid-19 is a highly contagious corona virus infection caused by SARS-CoV-2. The first SARS-CoV caused the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome). This new Covid-19 respiratory infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 is less fatal but more contagious. Further, the asymptomatic period may last upto 8 to 10 days, before the person gets severe signs and symptoms of Covid-19 infection. Hence, unknowingly many silent carriers of this disease transmit the disease socially.

As per WHO, the infected person releases invisible respiratory micro droplets when he speaks, coughs, sneezes, and exhales. These droplets may remain suspended in air for upto 3 hours, hence, there is a lot of emphasis on wearing mouth and nose covering masks. Masks reduce transmission and inhalation of such virus carrying droplets. The spike proteins on the fat protein outer layer of SARS-CoV-2 virus help attach to human respiratory cells when the droplets are inhaled. The virus then injects its genetic material into the host cell, where the virus replicates and infects vulnerable humans.

Interestingly, the flying mammal bat from where this corona virus is suspected to have jumped to humans via the animal pangolin (the latter is also consumed for its meat in China) does not suffer viral infection, since the bat’s immune system suppresses the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Scientific reports have stated that the Covid-19 virus can remain viable in aerosol droplet form in air for up to 3 hours, and on contact surfaces for various periods of time: copper 46 minutes, cardboard 3.5 hours, plastic 6 hours 49 minutes, stainless steel 5 hours 38 minutes, and plastic 6 hours 49 minutes¹.

Vulnerable and non-vulnerable patients:

The young are normally non-vulnerable patients and recovery occurs after the eighth day. Most vulnerable patients include elderly, and patients with co-existing diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, liver disease and epilepsy. Signs and symptoms: tiredness, fever and dry cough (with or without runny nose, headache, nasal congestion or blocked nose, and diarrhea). When the Covid-19 infection gets severe, there is breathing difficulty and lung damage.

Along with physical distancing, regular use of hand hygiene products (like hand sanitizer Inosept) and oral hygiene products like mouthwashes (eg., Freshclor) to rinse and throat gargle will ensure protection from Covid-19. Use of steam inhalation and mouth masks additionally helps avoid spread of Covid-19, and protects from getting the infection.

Digital product promotional activity and Covid-19:

Covid-19 corona virus infection has put pharmaceutical sales personnel in “house arrest”. Hence, there is a rise in alternative approaches of messaging to doctors and pharmacists. Whatsapp and internet based digital marketing activity has consequently seen a rise. Viral marketing and other digital off shoots are gaining traction. Digital training, digital meetings and digital messaging in marketing have taken off. Digital has become a supportive alternative to face-to-face engagement with target market audiences. Webinars and other platforms are used increasingly to engage doctors for messaging.

The last word: Karo na, digital

It is inevitable that pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing organizations turn to digital means for reaching out to target audiences. The way to go ahead is ‘phygital’ meaning physical and digital combined. Thus, ground level field working is complemented with digital working. The catch phrase now is Karo Na, digital!

Reference: https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/trends/deadly-novel-coronavirus-can-exist-in-air-for-hours-and-for-days-on-surfaces-says-study/story/398621.html