1. Genetic Medicine
  2. Enter the "Not" DTC Genomics

Enter the "Not" DTC Genomics Rep

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An attractive male/female (depending on doctor) walks into the office.


"Hi I would like to talk with Dr X"

Receptionist "Who are you, sweetie?"

Rep "I want to talk with the doctor about the FUTURE OF MEDICINE"

Receptionist "Huh?"

Rep "Just let him know that I am offering DNA testing"

Receptionist "Hold On........."

Doctor comes out.

Rep "Hi doctor I am with...."

Cut off by Doctor "I know, I know, Myriad right? You have been coming around here for a couple of years now" "Ya know, I know nothing about DNA"

Rep "No doctor, I am not with Myriad. I am with naviGENICS"

Doctor "Who? Eugenics?"

Rep "No Navigenics, would you like to come to our open bar where we will talk about the FUTURE OF MEDICINE?"

Doctor "Hmmmmm......"

Rep "Don't worry doctor, we will have a report you can show your consumers (Law 1 broken) and we will let you customize it for your practice (Law 2 broken)"


Doctor "Ok I will see you there."

That's the future of naviGENICS strategy in NYC.......

But what I really want to know is:

1. Do the limitations of Pharma gifts also count for Labs. Can you say trips to the Bahamas?

2. Do the minuscule amount of MDVIP docs matter that much as a market? Prob not.

3. Will Navigenics now pursue the GENE Store idea that I pitched to Dietrich Stephan in 2007?

Listen, if the rep strategy worked for Myriad, why won't it work for naviGENICS? This is a good path for them. I envision a whole slew of lab reps in the future. Now if they could only have a test that is worth some clinical utility.........

In order to gain the state license, Navigenics had to meet several requirements, including hire a doctoral-level scientist with expertise in genetic molecular testing, pay a $1,100 fee, and respond to deficiencies cited by inspectors with a plan of correction.

Most important, however, was Navigenics' conceding to not market its services directly to consumers, as clinical labs are forbidden from doing under state regulations. "They have acknowledged that DTC will not work for them" in New York, Kusel said. "They can only operate through physicians' orders."


The Sherpa Says: Imagine TV ads in NYC that say "If you want to know your future, ask your Doctor.....naviGENICS doctor that is. IMHO, a test with little clinical value doesn't get tested for unless you spend millions on marketing and advertising the way MYRIAD has. Oh, and they have a very clinically relevant test........
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  1. Genetic Medicine
  2. Enter the "Not" DTC Genomics