This January, Pharmaceutical Representative celebrated it's 40th anniversary. It is a rare feat for a publication to span four decades; a feat of which we were justifiably proud. Nevertheless, after 492 issues, this will be the final Pharm Rep. Still, despite the end of an era, we are bolstered by the realization that the news, insight and analysis that Pharm Rep has provided over the years will continue on in print at Pharmaceutical Executive, online with Pharma Faceoff and in person at a host of CBI events.

The reality is that pharmaceutical sales and marketing has changed dramatically over the past few years. It's more than a numerical decrease in the number of pharmaceutical sales professionals. The "traditional" sales role of the rep is rapidly evolving into something new and different that defies easy categorization. In the inaugural editorial, founding publisher Bill McKnight wrote, "If salesmen really needed their own communication medium, then there must be enough sales managers willing to provide it through paid subscription." While that may have been true in 1971, over the past four decades the publishing landscape has changed equally dramatically. Pharm Rep was one of the first, but now reps and execs have a broad range of options to communicate and find objective information on the industry.

The pharmaceutical rep community, of course, will live on without Pharm Rep. The Society of Pharmaceutical and Biotech Trainers (SPBT) provides an indispensable forum for face-to-face communication and a well-respected publication for trainers. Our long-time partner CMR Institute will also continue to educate reps and provide it's own though leadership on sales and marketing. And, we will continue to cover the essential sales and marketing issues that confront this industry as it continues to evolve through the thought leadership of Pharmaceutical Executive, and the path-breaking Pharma Faceoff programs.

Thank you for the too-brief opportunity I have had to be involved in this industry and the forty years of support you have given to this publication.

Reid Paul, Editor in Chief, Pharmaceutical Representative

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