The Corporate Reputation of Pharma in 2022 - The Patient Perspective - USA Edition - The Views of 361 USA Patient Groups

The ‘Corporate Reputation of Pharma’ Survey - US Edition, is now in its 11th year. Between November 2022-February 2023, the survey collected the opinions of 361 US-based patient groups on the performance of the pharmaceutical industry during 2022.

Patient groups responding to the ‘2022's Corporate Reputation of Pharma’ survey are uniquely positioned to comment on the pharma industry’s performance during the pandemic. Patient groups not only understand the perceptions of patients but are also the only healthcare stakeholder to network with all other stakeholders in the healthcare system.    

The corporate reputation of the pharma industry, according to respondent US patient groups, 2018-2022 % of respondent US patient groups, per year, stated Industry-wide “Excellent” or “Good”. The last major peak in Covid-19 deaths in the US occurred in January 2022. While many of 6s the structural effects of the pandemic continued to impact US healthcare systems throughout 2022, the subject of Covid-19 itself will have had a relatively-little bearing on the responses to the 2022 survey (which opened in November 2022). 

With 2022 seeing the highest rise in inflation in the US in 40 years, and a reported 38% of Americans either skipping, or delaying, healthcare due to financial pressures, the 2022 survey results illustrate how all of the challenges confronting patients and patient have been overshadowed by the enduring topic of affordability. The unique problems imposed by the pandemic only served to emphasise Figures just for 2022 % already-existing health inequalities around Products that benefit patients the world-and, in the US (as with most countries), the primary issue of affordability Ensuring patient safety remains stubbornly dominant. 

Pharma continues its mission to develop innovative medicines. The latest figures (for Information  2021) show 50 new drugs approved by the Patient Centricity Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including 36 new chemical entities, nine of integrity which were biologics. Among the latter are Services ‘beyond the pill two new breakthrough drugs: the first KRAS Access to medicines inhibitor for cancer, to treat people with non-small-cell lung cancer; and the first anti-Transparency: Clinical data a1 amyloid antibody for Alzheimer’s disease.  These are significant milestones, and Engaging patients in R&D  pharma’s reputation among patient groups Is helped by such innovation. However, the Transparency: pricing public cost of new medicines in Fair pricing policies straightened economic climate also exerts a major influence on patient perspectives.

The Inflation Reduction Act, which contained government-sanctioned efforts to reduce drug costs, was signed into law in August 2022, despite a number of healthcare companies (including pharma), lobbying against the passage of the Act. The reputational fallout of these lobbying activities against the Act is, as yet, uncertain, but US patient groups responding to the 2022 survey continue to mark pharma down on issues of pricing.

Below are some of the comments from 2022’s respondent US patient groups on the subject of access to medicines.

“Broaden patient-assistance programs, or provide support for grants from advocacy organizations. Also, quit pretending that the treatments/drugs aren't expensive - they are - and then, the rest will fall into place. We need a pharma to step up, and put into place a way  that everyone can access - not just those of privilege.”

National breast-cancer patient group, USA

“Talk to, and support, the people who are providing, or trying to provide, services to cancer patients and families, and let us work with you/them collaboratively. Doctors and  researchers are competing more than they are collaborating, and, often, duplicating ‘efforts - which Is costly, and means that money and time are being wasted, with companies  that aren't competent, or making real progress.”

National carers, family, and friends group, USA

“The patient-assistance programs (PAPs), and how people qualify for assistance, are a little clouded in secrecy. Another thing that companies could be applauded for - but the lack of transparency inhibits that. I don’t work with Gilead in my work role, but I do personally volunteer work, and am grateful for the access programs for people with HIV/AIDS.”

International diabetes (type 2) patient group, USA

“In the US, Medicare must allow for patients to receive discount vouchers for new medications. The people most in need of help affording medications are disallowed this  important help, due to absurd regulations.”

International migraine/headache patient group, USA

Individual company results. The 41 companies assessed in the US element of the 2022  survey were selected on the following criteria: size of revenue; or, on request by companies  or patient groups:

• AbbVie 
• Amgen  
• Astellas Pharma 
• AstraZeneca 
• Bayer 
• Biogen 
• Biomarin 
• Boehringer Ingelheim 
• Bristol Myers Squibb 
• Chiesi Farmaceutici 
• CSL Behring 
• Daiichi Sankyo 
• Eisai 
• Elli Lilly 
• Ferring 
• Gilead Sciences
• Grifols 
• Gruinenthal 
• GSK 
• Horizon Therapeutics 
• Ipsen 
• Janssen 
• LEO Pharma 
• Lundbeck 
• Menarini 
• Merck & Co 
• Merck KGaA/EMD Serono 
• Novartis
• Novo Nordisk 
• Octapharma 
• Otsuka 
• Pfizer 
• Pierre Fabre 
• PTC Therapeutics
• Roche/Genentech 
• Sanofi 
• Sarepta Therapeutics 
• Servier
• Takeda 
• UCB 
• Vertex

97% of 2022's 361 respondent US patient groups stated that they work directly with pharma - suggesting that patient groups and pharma alike accept pharma/patient-group relationships as a normal and acceptable trend in healthcare.