Merck executives about Vioxx last week

Q: When shaking hands with a doctor, how long should the handshake last?

A: Three seconds.

That oddly precise directive comes from confidential documents distributed to Merck & Co. salespeople who once promoted the arthritis pain-killing drug Vioxx before Merck removed it from the market late last year. The documents were released to the public when a hearing of the House Government Reform Committee grilled Merck executives about Vioxx last week.

In addition to handshake guidance, the documents also coached salespeople on how to eat bread when treating a doctor to dinner. Apparently chewing bites directly from the loaf is considered inappropriate when trying to convince a doctor to prescribe a potential blockbuster drug. “One small bitesize piece at a time,” the documents advise.

Obviously Merck executives leave nothing to chance. Not when it comes to sales, anyway.

In the “up is down” world of giant drug companies, Merck executives are currently holding discussions with federal health officials in hopes of returning Vioxx to the market. Meanwhile, more than 2,300 Vioxx customers have brought lawsuits against Merck, charging that the drug caused them harm.

I wonder how many three-second handshakes and bitesize pieces of bread it took to convince doctors to write those 2,300 prescriptions?

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute

Sources:

“Documents Show Vioxx Sales Tactics” Lauran Neergaard, The Associated Press, 5/6/05, abcnews.go.com

“Merck Interested in Bringing Back Vioxx” Kevin Freking, The Associated Press, 5/5/05, abcnews.go.com