Understanding the distinction between OTC and ETC medical representatives (referred to as “med reps”) is essential for gaining insights into the Vietnamese pharma market and its operations. Unlike in European markets, med reps in Vietnam are categorized into two main groups: OTC and ETC. In this blog, we’ll outline the fundamental differences between these two types.
OTC Med Reps
Over-The-Counter (OTC) Med Reps: These reps specialize in selling non-prescription drugs, medical supplies, and functional foods that can be used without a doctor’s prescription.
Scope of Activities: Pharmacies, medical supply stores, and healthcare product business centers.
Target Customers: Pharmacy owners and pharmacists, pharmacy seller
Role: Educating pharmacy staff, increasing brand awareness of healthcare products, assisting patients in accessing suitable health products, and mitigating medical risks.
ETC Med Reps
ETC (Ethical drugs – Prescription drugs) Med Reps: These reps focus on selling prescription drugs and pharmaceuticals that require a doctor’s prescription.
Scope of Activities: Hospitals, medical centers, and clinics.
Target Customers: Doctors and healthcare professionals (HCPs), pharmacist.
Role: Providing up-to-date drug information to doctors and HCPs, enabling more effective and cost-efficient patient treatment.
Challenges Faced by Med Reps
Both OTC and ETC med reps encounter similar challenges in their roles, including:
- Diverse and Complex Product Information
The life sciences industry is constantly evolving, with new drugs and brands being developed or updated daily. This variety makes it challenging for med reps to remember all product details. Providing incorrect information can harm both the med reps’ reputation and patient health.
- Understanding Promotional and Sales Programs
The competitive landscape of the Vietnamese pharma market forces companies to frequently launch sales promotions. To achieve high sales performance, med reps must be well-informed about these programs to offer the best deals to pharmacies and hospitals, boosting their competitiveness.
- Managing Diverse Distribution Channels
Med reps are not only tasked with selling products but also managing the distribution channels, tracking data on sales, inventory, debts, and deliveries. Relying on manual documentation, like notebooks or Excel sheets, is inefficient and fails to alleviate the heavy workload of med reps.
To overcome these challenges, many multinational and large pharma companies have adopted CRM software as an innovative solution. Want to learn how they did it?
Contact us today for a consultation.
Stay tuned for our next blog: Effectively Managing Med Reps with CRM.
