The old saying that you can't judge a book by its cover holds true for today's pharmaceutical industry. The challenge for industry spokespeople is getting would-be critics to
read further into the facts, instead of pre-judging the industry.
This dilemma is not unique, as similar biases have plagued the automotive, managed care and oil industries. With all due credit to David Letterman, we have found that one
effective way to correct misperceptions and add dimension to a case is through a carefully crafted Top 10 list.
Whether used in a speech, an interview, or an informal discussion, one or more of your Top 10 points can underscore your position and provide new perspective for your audience.
We offer, as a model, our Top 10 list of myths about the pharmaceutical industry and how we've addressed them:
10. Pharmaceutical companies don't take people's interests to heart. The industry invests billions of dollars annually in education to help people take an active,
informed role in managing their health. A life-saving medication holds little value if patients - and physicians - do not understand who needs it and how it works. We have seen
the benefits of this commitment play out in increased public awareness of conditions such as high cholesterol and osteoporosis.
9. Employees of pharmaceutical companies don't care about customers. Most people we have met - from senior executives to administrative staff - take pride in the fact
that they work in a business that saves lives. Whether they work in research, marketing, or sales, many pharmaceutical employees joined the industry because of a deep-seated
commitment to better health.
8. Most medical advances are achieved by government and universities. The pharmaceutical industry is by far the leading funder of biomedical R&D. In 1999, the
pharmaceutical industry spent $24 billion in research, compared to $15.6 billion by the National Institutes of Health.
7. Pharmaceutical companies create diseases. There are lawsuits charging that companies create and promote certain medical disorders to increase the market for their
products. Needless to say, pharmaceutical companies need to raise awareness and understanding of the diseases that their products treat. Drugs are developed to combat real
diseases - conditions that have been recognized by the medical community.
6. Pharmaceutical companies buy opinions of physicians and third-party organizations. Money can't buy love and happiness, and it certainly can't bring an ineffective
and unsafe drug to market. Pharmaceutical companies try to work only with experts and organizations with integrity. While pharmaceutical companies fund clinical trials and pay
physicians for their expertise, they adhere to rigorous standards set by the FDA and independent Institutional Review Boards. They also fully disclose the funding they
provide.
5. Socialized medicine works. Capitalism is not perfect, but it has facilitated the most advanced medical care out there. The U.S. has a free-market system where
patients have access to the broadest possible range of innovative medicines and advanced health services. This is not the case in countries like Canada, where the government
controls the health care system - one fraught with problems, including delays in the approval of medicines, limits to the number of medicines available, and long waits for
physician visits and medical procedures.
4. Pharmaceutical companies develop drugs that are easy to market. There is no doubt that a little blue pill took consumer marketing to an exciting new level. But
pharmaceutical companies market drugs like Viagra and Claritin because they have a natural market: the millions of people who have conditions that, while not life-threatening,
severely diminish their quality of life.
3. Too much money is spent on marketing. Pharmaceutical marketing is a carefully considered mix of doctor and consumer communication, including not only advertising,
but also educational programs, special events and community outreach. These initiatives raise awareness about diseases and treatments, encourage people to take appropriate
action, strengthen the patient-physician relationship, improve compliance and reach traditionally under-served patients.
2. Drug prices are too high. Prices are determined with an eye toward assuring broad access to medicines, while generating an appropriate return to recover R&D
expenses and support further research. Dollars spent on drugs now may reduce costs of treating medical complications later, which often involve hospitalization, procedures and
long-term supervised care.
1. Pharmaceutical companies are focused primarily on the bottom line. Well, yes and no. Yes, as much as any company must be in order to remain competitive and
responsibile to its shareholders. But not any more than other industries. In many cases, pharma companies channel substantial long-term investments into research and
development, with hopes that the resulting innovations will be profitable years later - in dollars and in healthcare.
An emotionally charged situation is seldom, if ever, black and white. The PR counselor must strive to add dimension to contentious stories. Next time you witness a verbal
assault on the pharmaceutical industry, or another "hot button" industry you represent, encourage the critic to read a little further. He or she may be missing a great story.