SayPro Online National Certificate in Pharmaceutical Sales Rep 63969

SAQA ID: 63969 Operate a Windows System NQF Level 04 Credits 00 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION
Purpose:

This Qualification is for learners who have entered the area of pharmaceutical sales representation. ‘Pharmaceutical’ includes medicines, medical products, medical devices, scheduled substances, veterinary medicines, products and devices, in accordance with the relevant current legislation. This area involves visiting and presenting information about medicines and related products to health care professionals, with the purpose of generating sales through the prescribing, dispensing and use of the products. Since medical doctors, veterinarians and pharmacists comprise the majority of potential clients, the industry requires well-schooled individuals who can provide accurate product information to potential clients but who can also adapt their communication styles to suit each individual clients’ needs. The Qualification is intended to produce credible, ethical and informed sales representatives who will be able to take specific product knowledge to the client.

Although this Qualification and its associated Unit Standards are shown to fall into the subfield ‘Curative Health’ they are also applicable across all the other recognised sub-fields in the Organising Field: Health Sciences and Social Services.

On successful completion of this qualification the learner will be eligible for registration with the relevant statutory council (currently the South African Pharmacy Council) as a Pharmaceutical Representative.

More specifically, the qualifying learner will be capable of:
Communicating assimilated information to the customer within the regulated pharmaceutical environment.
Demonstrating an understanding of disease states and drug actions within the body.
Accessing and analysing market data to formulate a business plan.
Evaluating and utilising applicable recognised research findings to achieve a competitive advantage.

Rationale:

The pharmaceutical manufacturing industry recognized a need to formalise the marketing of pharmaceutical products in line with international trends. This need includes the provision of well-researched information on current and new products to the health care industry, so that patients can receive effective, safe and high quality medicines. Patients refer to human or animal, as the milieu of the individual pharmaceutical sales representative dictates.

National legislation and associated regulations govern the sale of pharmaceutical products. Hence a Qualification for pharmaceutical sales representation, which is approved by the relevant bodies and enables the qualifying learner to provide a pharmaceutical sales service within a recommended scope of practice, is required.

Recent developments in the pharmaceutical industry and managed health care require that pharmaceutical sales representatives have a wide knowledge of the efficacy, safety and cost effectiveness of the products available, as well as the ability to convey selected information to customers. Meeting this requirement means that the qualifying learner will have the ability to access and utilise research findings.

With this Qualification as a basis, the qualifying learner can progress into marketing and/or sales management, specialisation in clinical research or other areas.

Furthermore this qualification will also provide the basis for personal growth and the development of entrepreneurial skills which will contribute to the attainment of the millennium develop goals (MDG) particularly in health care. Within the Chemical Industries Sector Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) sector skills plan, the pharmaceutical sub-sector has identified pharmaceutical sales representation as a scarce skill. Addressing the related skills’ gap will enlarge the pool of skilled persons for development into managerial and executive positions within the sub-sector.