The Corporate Reputation of Pharma – The Patient Perspective

This study features patient groups' latest impressions on the corporate reputation of pharma as an industry, and 30 individual pharma companies. The methodology for the study was formulated in consultation with industry and (separately) with patient groups.

The report is based on the results of an online survey of 500 large, influential patient groups drawn from 61 countries across the world.

Why this study?

The views and perspectives that patients and their representative groups hold about the pharma industry and about specific pharma companies have an important bearing on those companies' profitability. Patients' views may differ from that of other healthcare stakeholders, since patients have different aspirations to health professionals, policymakers and regulators hence this study.

The report also contains strategic recommendations from respondent patient groups on how companies can improve their corporate reputation (from a patientperspective).
How was the corporate reputation of the 30 individual pharma companies determined?

The study used six indicators to measure company performance:
- Indicator I. Whether the company has an effective patient-centred strategy.
- Indicator II. The quality of the information that the company provides to patients.
- Indicator III. The company's record on patient safety.
- Indicator IV. The usefulness to patients of the company's products.
- Indicator V. The company's record of transparency with external stakeholders.
- Indicator VI. Whether the company acts with integrity.

The report is based on the results of an online survey of 500 large, influential patient groups drawn from 61 countries across the world

Geographic remit of the patient groups taking part in this survey:
- Global (two or more regions of the world)—7%
- International (two or more countries in each region)—12%
- National—63%
- Large regional—11%

Main specialties of the patient groups taking part in this survey:
- Cancer
- Carers (various conditions)
- Chronic diseases (in general)
- Circulatory diseases
- Diabetes
- Endocrine
- Gastrointestinal conditions
- HIV/AIDS
- Learning disorders
- Mental health problems
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neurological conditions
- Palliative
- Parkinson's disease
- Rare diseases
- Respiratory conditions
- Sexual health
- Skin conditions
- Urinary

The report looks at the corporate reputation of:
- the whole pharma industry

The results are based on feedback from respondent patient groups that claim to be familiar with the company and which answered the specific question for each of six indicators on corporate reputation (mentioned below).

How was the corporate reputation of the 30 individual pharma companies determined?

The study used six indicators to measure company performance

- Indicator I. Whether the company has an effective patient-centred strategy.
- Indicator II. The quality of the information that the company provides to patients.
- Indicator III. The company's record on patient safety.
- Indicator IV. The usefulness to patients of the company's products.
- Indicator V. The company's record of transparency with external stakeholders.
- Indicator VI. Whether the company acts with integrity.

The report profiles the performance of the 30 companies for each of these six indicators.

The report also contains strategic recommendations from respondent patient groups on how companies can improve their corporate reputation (from a patient perspective). SHOW LESS READ MORE >

Executive summary
Introduction
Methodology
Main findings: Reputation of the pharma industry as a whole
Main findings: Ranking of individual pharma companies
Main findings: Strategic recommendations
Appendix 1: Corporate reputation of healthcare industries
Appendix 2: Profiles of 30 pharma companies

This study represents patient groups' latest impressions on the corporate reputation of individual pharma companies. The methodology for the study was formulated in consultation with industry and (separately) with patient groups. For the purposes of this report, the phrase ‘corporate reputation' is defined as the extent to which pharmaceutical companies are meeting the expectations of patients and patient groups.

Key findings, industry wide

- The overall reputation of the pharmaceutical, biotech and generic pharma industries is not seen as good. Only 42% of the patient group respondents believe that the multinational pharma industry has a ‘good' or ‘excellent' corporate reputation. The equivalent figures for the biotech industry and the generics industry are 44% and 41%.

- Only a minority of respondents think that the reputation of big pharma has improved during the past five years. 38% of the respondents say that the pharma industry's reputation has declined, and 33% say that its reputation remains unchanged.

- Almost two thirds (66%) of the patient group respondents say that pharma companies are ‘good' or ‘excellent' at being innovative.

- But only 13% say that pharma companies are ‘good' or ‘excellent' at adopting fair pricing strategies which ensure that companies do not make unseemly profits.

- Just 31% of respondent groups say that pharma companies act with integrity.

- Pharma companies fail to address many patient needs. Only 29% of the respondents groups say that companies run a patient-centred strategy. Only 39% of patient groups believe that pharma companies provide high-quality patient information. Just 38% say that pharma companies are good at managing adverse news about products.

The report looks at the corporate reputation of 30 individual pharma companies:

- Abbott
- Actavis
- Allergan
- Amgen
- Astellas
- AstraZeneca
- Baxter International
- Bayer
- Biogen Idec
- Boehringer Ingelheim
- Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Eli Lilly (Lilly)
- Genzyme
- Gilead Sciences
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
- Johnson & Johnson [and all of its affiliates, eg Janssen]
- Lundbeck
- Merck [US company, and all of its affiliates, eg MSD]
- Merck [German company, and all of its affiliates, eg Merck Serono]
- Novartis
- Novo Nordisk
- Nycomed
- Pfizer
- Roche
- Sanofi
- Servier
- Shire
- Takeda
- Teva
- UCB