CNPR Pharmaceutical Sales Techniques & Strategies 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A physician tells you they are concerned about a patient population that includes many elderly patients who take multiple medications. Which product attribute should you emphasize?
- The drug's once-daily dosing convenience
- The drug's drug-drug interaction profile and renal dosing considerations (Correct answer)
- The drug's market share data
- The drug's cost compared to brand competitors
Correct answer: The drug's drug-drug interaction profile and renal dosing considerations
For elderly polypharmacy patients, the drug-drug interaction profile and renal dosing adjustments are the most clinically relevant considerations.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of an 'off-label' promotion that a rep must avoid?
- Presenting clinical data from the approved package insert
- Discussing a use, dose, or patient population not approved by the FDA (Correct answer)
- Providing reprints of published clinical trial data within legal guidelines
- Discussing the drug's place in approved treatment guidelines
Correct answer: Discussing a use, dose, or patient population not approved by the FDA
Promoting a drug for uses, doses, or populations not included in FDA-approved labeling constitutes illegal off-label promotion.
Question 3: When a physician is in the 'awareness' stage of the prescribing adoption curve, the rep's primary goal should be to:
- Close for a commitment to switch all appropriate patients immediately
- Build knowledge of the drug's key efficacy and safety profile (Correct answer)
- Provide high-volume sample drops to trigger trial
- Request a peer-to-peer program with a national KOL
Correct answer: Build knowledge of the drug's key efficacy and safety profile
Physicians in the awareness stage need foundational education on the drug's profile before they can consider prescribing it.
Question 4: What is the main purpose of patient assistance programs (PAPs) in a pharmaceutical sales strategy?
- To reward high-volume prescribers with bonuses
- To remove financial barriers for uninsured or underinsured patients so they can access the drug (Correct answer)
- To bypass the formulary approval process
- To incentivize pharmacists to stock the product
Correct answer: To remove financial barriers for uninsured or underinsured patients so they can access the drug
PAPs provide free or reduced-cost medication to eligible patients who cannot afford their prescriptions, supporting both patient outcomes and prescribing confidence.
Question 5: A rep is told by their manager to focus on 'share of voice' in a competitive territory. This means the rep should:
- Speak louder and more confidently during detail calls
- Increase their promotional presence and contact frequency relative to competitors in that territory (Correct answer)
- Exclusively target physicians who don't see competitor reps
- Ask KOLs to speak on the rep's behalf at every call
Correct answer: Increase their promotional presence and contact frequency relative to competitors in that territory
Share of voice measures how much of the total promotional activity in a market comes from your company, and increasing it means more frequent and impactful customer contacts.
Question 6: Which of the following best illustrates the 'feature-advantage-benefit' (FAB) selling approach?
- 'Our drug has a long half-life — so it can be taken once daily — meaning better patient adherence for your busy patients.' (Correct answer)
- 'Our drug is FDA-approved and competitively priced compared to generics.'
- 'Clinical trials showed a 40% reduction in events in the treatment arm.'
- 'Your patients deserve the best treatment available on the market.'
Correct answer: 'Our drug has a long half-life — so it can be taken once daily — meaning better patient adherence for your busy patients.'
FAB links a product feature (long half-life) to its advantage (once-daily dosing) to the physician-relevant benefit (improved patient adherence).
Question 7: After a successful sales call where a physician agreed to try your product, what should the rep do at the next visit?
- Present an entirely new detail without referencing the previous call
- Follow up on the physician's experience with any patients who received the product (Correct answer)
- Immediately ask for a higher prescribing commitment
- Shift focus to a different product in the portfolio
Correct answer: Follow up on the physician's experience with any patients who received the product
Following up on initial trial experiences reinforces commitment, addresses any concerns, and strengthens the physician-rep relationship.
CNPR Pharmaceutical Sales Techniques & Strategies 5
A physician tells you they are concerned about a patient population that includes many elderly patients who take multiple medications.
Which product attribute should you emphasize?