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Post by papihoyos on Mar 22, 2015 21:08:36 GMT -5
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Post by kball on Mar 22, 2015 21:25:43 GMT -5
Good luck. Very glad theres a crossover of investors/diabetics that can give us real world results without us having to feel like we're a little voyeuristic into peoples very personal battles.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2015 21:29:51 GMT -5
Your experience is happening frequently, and like was said before this is why it'll continue slowly. You can't prescribe mgs and pills and be done.
It's becoming more and more obvious to me (IMO), that not all 1200 reps are out pitching afrezza. I think that's a gross misconception at this point
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Post by savzak on Mar 22, 2015 22:09:29 GMT -5
Your experience is happening frequently, and like was said before this is why it'll continue slowly. You can't prescribe mgs and pills and be done. It's becoming more and more obvious to me (IMO), that not all 1200 reps are out pitching afrezza. I think that's a gross misconception at this point What do you suspect with regard to what's going on with the reps? |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2015 7:33:25 GMT -5
Your experience is happening frequently, and like was said before this is why it'll continue slowly. You can't prescribe mgs and pills and be done. It's becoming more and more obvious to me (IMO), that not all 1200 reps are out pitching afrezza. I think that's a gross misconception at this point What do you suspect with regard to what's going on with the reps? I'm not suggesting there aren't 1200 chosen for afrezza. I'm just feeling like only a subset of them have been given the green light to bill all their hours to it. It's part of the soft launch strategy, imo. Nothing else makes much sense. The one line in operation could have only produced 1.5 million sample boxes if 90% production was for samples. There's between 100-125k potential subscribers of afrezza in the US. Does each doc have 10 samples? Doubt it. I'd be willing to bet only 10-20% have even been visited. Ask yourself, would 1200 reps pitching afrezza to 100k docs only generate 150 NRx in a week? Seems like a huge disconnect. So either they are the worst team of salesmen ever assembled (highly doubtful) or they are being controlled down to the percent of time to spend on this into the launch. Think about it. 150 scripts and we know bout 10-15 of them. They are ALL a people who have gone to their doctor and demanded it. It's the only thing that makes sense. Or I'm wrong and we are in a lot bigger trouble than anyone knows. (im not trying to be alarmist) |
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Post by benh on Mar 23, 2015 11:55:06 GMT -5
What do you suspect with regard to what's going on with the reps? I'm not suggesting there aren't 1200 chosen for afrezza. I'm just feeling like only a subset of them have been given the green light to bill all their hours to it. It's part of the soft launch strategy, imo. Nothing else makes much sense. The one line in operation could have only produced 1.5 million sample boxes if 90% production was for samples. There's between 100-125k potential subscribers of afrezza in the US. Does each doc have 10 samples? Doubt it. I'd be willing to bet only 10-20% have even been visited. Ask yourself, would 1200 reps pitching afrezza to 100k docs only generate 150 NRx in a week? Seems like a huge disconnect. So either they are the worst team of salesmen ever assembled (highly doubtful) or they are being controlled down to the percent of time to spend on this into the launch. Think about it. 150 scripts and we know bout 10-15 of them. They are ALL a people who have gone to their doctor and demanded it. It's the only thing that makes sense. Or I'm wrong and we are in a lot bigger trouble than anyone knows. (im not trying to be alarmist) If an acceptable visit for reps (using experience, albeit in a different industry), is 3 calls per day. During that call, they cover all products without restriction and in line with targets and commissions/incentives. (Allowing 6 weeks.) That's 30 days, per rep: 90 calls each and in total 108k subscribers visited. Remove 10-20% for holidays, geography, training, paperwork etc. That's still an expectation of 80k visits. (Side note: 5 boxes of samples per visit sounds perfectly reasonable too) I agree, there is a disconnect and agree in principle. Knowing sales people and how "fair" things are or are not, I'd be surprised if it was restrictive to select staff as that could cause all sorts of problems. Perhaps regional restrictions? Regional restrictions will allow them to know the maximum uptake by population of existing and know patient groups and prevent over subscription without having to temper sales staff enthusiasm. |
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Post by nugjuice on Mar 23, 2015 13:37:50 GMT -5
What do you suspect with regard to what's going on with the reps? I'm not suggesting there aren't 1200 chosen for afrezza. I'm just feeling like only a subset of them have been given the green light to bill all their hours to it. It's part of the soft launch strategy, imo. Nothing else makes much sense. The one line in operation could have only produced 1.5 million sample boxes if 90% production was for samples. There's between 100-125k potential subscribers of afrezza in the US. Does each doc have 10 samples? Doubt it. I'd be willing to bet only 10-20% have even been visited. Ask yourself, would 1200 reps pitching afrezza to 100k docs only generate 150 NRx in a week? Seems like a huge disconnect. So either they are the worst team of salesmen ever assembled (highly doubtful) or they are being controlled down to the percent of time to spend on this into the launch. Think about it. 150 scripts and we know bout 10-15 of them. They are ALL a people who have gone to their doctor and demanded it. It's the only thing that makes sense. Or I'm wrong and we are in a lot bigger trouble than anyone knows. (im not trying to be alarmist) I've been wondering the same thing myself. The numbers just aren't adding up. Even for a soft launch, almost every single thread I read online is someone who knew about it, and went and asked for it. Come to think of it, I can't recall a single person to whom it was actually recommended by their doc. |
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Post by gomnkd on Mar 23, 2015 13:45:36 GMT -5
I wonder how your doc prescribed Afrezza for you. The info says "Afrezza® is not recommended in patients who smoke or who have recently stopped smoking." You've mentioned that you stopped smoking 80 days back. God forbid, the last thing we need, is to give more ammo to shorts if there is a lung issue. Your doc also didn't order a spiro test. This is wrong on many levels. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2015 14:16:51 GMT -5
Same reason it can be prescribed to children. It's not wrong. It's for him and his doctor to decide.
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Post by papihoyos on Mar 23, 2015 15:13:41 GMT -5
I wonder how your doc prescribed Afrezza for you. The info says "Afrezza® is not recommended in patients who smoke or who have recently stopped smoking." You've mentioned that you stopped smoking 80 days back. God forbid, the last thing we need, is to give more ammo to shorts if there is a lung issue. Your doc also didn't order a spiro test. This is wrong on many levels. In my visit, he only knows what I told him about the product. He did not give me a script on the spot, he said he would call it in. I assumed he would have called me back to do the lung test but they didn't. On my next visit, I do plan and telling him about the lung test and getting it done for my own protection. Yes, I only stopped smoking 81 days ago and believe that its not "recommended" and besides since I did smoke, I plan on very carefully monitoring the effect on my breathing and BG. No hero here, I just believe this is the best possible treatment for my condition and he trust me to do the right thing and not something stupid. Update: pharmacy will not have it in until tomorrow, another day delayed. |
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Post by gomnkd on Mar 23, 2015 15:24:14 GMT -5
A baseline FEV would be great. I'm not opposed to ex-smokers using Afrezza.
I know some lungs work well. My grand father died of lung cancer at 55 and smoked a ton. My dad smoked for 40 years, he is alive at 78 (he quit when he was 60 after having a heart attack), has no lung issues. In fact, his lung is cleaner than non-smokers.
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Post by ralphm1999 on Mar 23, 2015 15:42:20 GMT -5
I smoked for 30 years mostly 3 packs a day. Tried quitting for ever until:
Nov 21, 1984... stayed after hours at my fav a bar with my then current GF. We were both pleasantly inebriated. She complained my cig smoke
was getting in her eyes. In a whimsical moment, I replied "OK, then we'll quit smoking". Threw my pack to the bartender to throw away. Never
smoked another cigarette since that moment. Quit drinking a year later and became a health freak.
83 years old now and though there are some age related infirmities, my lungs show no sign of my prior drugs, booze, smoking 30 year happy days.
Have my next 6 month VA checkup April 6 and plan to ask my NP if anyone at the VA is aware of Afrezza yet. I am not diabetic yet although my NP keeps checking my A1C which is borderline.
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Post by papihoyos on Mar 25, 2015 13:54:28 GMT -5
Picked up my scrip last night - delayed another day due to questions about insurance. It was not covered by my insurance. Original sticker price was $316, with discount card paid $163. Stay tune for updates.
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Post by notamnkdmillionaire on Mar 25, 2015 16:09:30 GMT -5
Picked up my scrip last night - delayed another day due to questions about insurance. It was not covered by my insurance. Original sticker price was $316, with discount card paid $163. Stay tune for updates. Hopefully you won't look as scared as your Am Staff when trying it!  |
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Post by notamnkdmillionaire on Apr 3, 2015 13:17:08 GMT -5
Papai,
Just checking in to see how your dance with Afrezza is going. Are you two moving gracefully together or is there still a lot of stepping on toes?
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