The president of the Fedaiisf association Alberto Bonomo: "Some believe that they are privileged because 15 regions have considered this profession at risk of contagion and therefore have included it in phase one of the priority categories for vaccination".
Bologna Today - April 6, 2021 - by Erika Bertossi
The vaccination plan of Emilia-Romagna at the moment it keeps out the scientific representatives of the drug: these are those professionals that we often see in the offices of our general practitioners and who have the task of keeping them updated on the releases of new medicines and on news relating to the use of those already on the market , if the experience had led to new studies and research on them.
The association that gathers at least 250 in Bologna, the Fedaiisf, reports an anomaly that affects our region (in addition to four others) and the president Alberto Bonomo he explains that: “Emilia Romagna is one of the 5 regions that deny vaccination to scientific representatives of drugs and parapharmaceuticals as such. Someone believes that they are privileged because 15 regions have considered this profession at risk of contagion and therefore have included it in phase one of the priority categories for vaccination. Our role has been confused with other professions and has been the victim of bad press, which has led some to identify it as one of the evils of healthcare, helping to create a climate that has produced a bad reputation in the collective imagination”.
What role do drug sales representatives play? “As AIFA specifies, we are the only ones who are exclusively entitled to provide the doctor with information on medicines. We are not salesmen, we must be university graduates and our specific task is to illustrate to the doctors the technical-scientific characteristics of the medicines that the company we work for produces. This knowledge allows you to choose the most suitable drug for the therapeutic needs of each individual patient. At the same time we collect their experiences on the effects of medicines from family doctors. We do what can be defined as pharmacovigilance”.
Do you continue to attend general practitioners' offices and are therefore exposed to the risk of contagion? “We undeniably operate in risky environments given that our workplaces are clinics, hospitals and healthcare facilities. Due to the pandemic, we have introduced the virtual meeting option, but in some cases it is not taken into consideration by doctors, who prefer to see us in person. Naturally we make appointments outside of visits so as not to hinder work with patients".
Are you also dealing with vaccines in general and anti-Covid vaccines in particular? "Yes. Our work also involves interactions between drugs and vaccines. So also on the Coronavirus front. Among other things, we have volunteered to help public health departments clear some files and thus lighten the work. We have already started in Modena”.
Let's go back to what you called the 'anomaly' of Emilia-Romagna: what is the vaccine situation as regards your category? “Basically, to date, 15 regions have recognized the risk activity of the ISFs, while Emilia Romagna has not. With this report, however, we do not intend to abuse fragile categories, but we would only like to be recognized professionally. We would simply like to be told when it can be our turn to vaccinate ”. “
