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A comment on I wasted $40k on a fantastic startup idea. Parent comment

Re:I wasted $40k on a fantastic startup idea by webel0 on Monday January 18, 2021 @06:03PM (#25827796)
> Imagine walking into the office of someone who spent the last ~10 years at school and then potentially 20 years practicing their craft as a successful psychologist and then you waltz in and tell them what they prescribe is wrong and your automated treatment plan is better.

As I understand it, this is exactly what new pharmaceutical sales reps are asked to do?

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Re:I wasted $40k on a fantastic startup idea by preommr on Monday January 18, 2021 @10:05PM (#25829531)
No, the sales rep is selling the outcome of the knowledge of the medical experts within the company.

In the same way the author was selling the outcome of the knowledge of their algorithm.

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Re:I wasted $40k on a fantastic startup idea by CRConrad on Tuesday January 19, 2021 @07:49AM (#25832959)
The author was selling the outcome of the knowledge of many expert medical researchers, as summarised by the author's algorithm.

As opposed to the sales rep and the medical experts within the sales rep's company, neither the author nor his algorithm have any obvious direct incentive to recommend one medication over another.

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Re:I wasted $40k on a fantastic startup idea by james1071 on Monday January 18, 2021 @06:17PM (#25827935)
It's not hard to get a doctor's attention when he knows you will provide him with golf days and holidays, if he plays his cards right.
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Re:I wasted $40k on a fantastic startup idea by alexanderskates on Monday January 18, 2021 @06:41PM (#25828114)
At least in the UK, sandwiches are the most that pharma reps can use to bribe doctors with... Which is not to say they aren't effective (you'll get butts in chairs at least, no guarantee they will pay any attention to you though).
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Re:I wasted $40k on a fantastic startup idea by bencollier49 on Tuesday January 19, 2021 @05:47AM (#25832066)
Damned bribery and corruption act. I could really do with some free holidays and lavish parties. Now it's all branded mugs and that's your lot. Someone offered us free beer and we had to refuse. Oh, the humanity!
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