End of the road for pharma reps’ long running overtime action
Could the recent US Supreme Court decision on overtime payment to pharmaceutical reps be the best possible result for those educated industry sales force members who peruse Take Two? We certainly hope so. In a split decision, the most senior court in the land of the free ruled (just) that industry won’t be required to pay overtime to its salespeople. The landmark ruling on a case filed by reps from GSK has effectively guillotined dozens of possible suits and industry analysts reckon that it will ultimately save industry hundreds of millions, if not billions, in back-dated overtime pay.
Medicine pricing and access
Industry issues UK jobs warning as medicines pricing debate begins
One wonders what Dr James Reilly and HSE/DoH colleagues will make of a recent Reuters article on UK medicines pricing? The story, which is also carried in the Daily Telegraph, reports a warning by the British pharmaceutical industry that drug manufacturing could leave the UK if attitudes to pricing become unsympathetic. Of course no country is more reliant on its medicines manufacturing sector than recession-embattled Ireland. With discussions between IPHA and the DoH on new pricing mechanisms seemingly in Mexican stand-off mode, and a long line of drugs awaiting GMS reimbursement, will Irish industry leaders consider a similar strategy?
