The Abbott primary care sales reps - and some former reps - don’t think their counterparts from Kos Pharmaceuticals will do very well, or even try, as the two drug companies merge.

A poll on CafePharma, which garnered 92 responses as of 1 pm EST today and allows reps to choose more than one answer, reveals that 49 percent believe Kos reps will ‘’sit on their ass, collect salary while looking for another job.”

Another 38 percent say Kos reps will have a hard time promoting Abbott’s Tri-Cor cholesterol pill because they “bashed” the drug in the past. Meanwhile, 28 percent think Kos reps will promote only Kos’ two cholesterol pills, but not the Abbott drug.

The final indignity: 17 percent maintain Kos reps will be difficult to train. Just 19.5 percent are gracious and say Kos reps will ”fit in fine and will work hard.”

The enmity is hardly surprising, given that hundreds of sales reps from both companies are being told this week that they’re losing their jobs or having assignments shifted. But meshing these sales teams may prove harder than following rules about off-label promotion.
[tags]Abbott Laboratories, Kos Pharmaceuticals, Sales Reps[/tags]