PRESS RELEASE: 'The Corporate Reputation of Pharma, 2018 - the Perspective of Italian Patient Groups'
'Corporate Reputation of Pharma in 2018 - the Perspective of Italian Patient Groups'
~ Contact: Alex Wyke ~ Tel: +44-(0)7960-855-019 ~ Email: report@patient-view.com
EMBARGO: London, September 19th, 2019 6AM GMT
ABOUT THIS REPORT AND SURVEY
- This the 5th edition of 'The Corporate Reputation of Pharma—from the Perspective of Italian Patient Groups'.
- The 2018 results are drawn from a survey of patient groups worldwide, conducted November 2018 - February 2019.
- Profile of 2018's respondent Italian patient groups
130 respondent Italian patient groups, including those specialising in: ● diabetes [16]; ● rare diseases [11]; ● HIV/AIDS [8]; ● all types of cancer [7]; and ● other medical conditions [80].
- 56% are national patient groups; 2% have an international geographic remit; the rest are regional (within one area of Italy), or local.
Italian patient-group partnerships with industry: 53% of the Italian patient groups have worked with one or more pharma companies.
Company analyses: The following 30 pharma companies were analysed by the 130 Italian patient groups for overall corporate reputation, and for performance at 12 individual indicators of corporate reputation:
Almirall I Amgen I Astellas I AstraZeneca I Bayer I Biogen I Boehringer Ingelheim I Bristol-Myers Squibb I Celgene I Chiesi Farmaceutici I Eli Lilly I Gilead I GSK I Janssen I LEO Pharma I Menarini I Merck & Co/MSD I Merck KGaA/EMD Serono I Mundipharma I Novartis I Novo Nordisk I Pierre Fabre I Pfizer I Roche/Genentech I Sanofi I Takeda/Shire I Teva I and UCB.
KEY FINDINGS ACROSS THE PHARMA INDUSTRY
Percentage of respondent patient groups stating that the corporate reputation of the pharmaceutical industry as a whole was “Excellent” or “Good”, 2014-2018 — Italian patient groups v. patient groups worldwide
The majority of Italian patient groups take a more positive view of pharma’s corporate reputation than patient groups from most other countries. Over 56% of 2018’s respondent Italian patient groups stated that the industry had an “Excellent” or “Good” corporate reputation (only 41% of patient groups worldwide said the same). Italian patient groups have rated pharma’s corporate reputation highly since PatientView first began looking at feedback from Italian patient groups, in 2014 [see chart above]. Italian patient groups are more confident in pharma’s ability to innovate, and to produce high-quality products, than peer groups from many other countries. 61% of 2018’s respondent Italian patient groups stated that pharma was “Excellent” or “Good” at providing high-quality products (compared with 53% of patient groups worldwide).
Percentage of respondent patient groups stating that the pharmaceutical industry as a whole was “Excellent” or “Good” at being patient centric, 2015-2018—Italy v. global
In addition, 2018’s respondent Italian patient groups were more convinced than patient groups worldwide that the industry as a whole was “Excellent” or “Good” at being patient centric (though the reverse had been true in the previous years of 2015 and 2016).
Italian patient groups in 2018 do, however—like others worldwide—mark the industry down for its pricing policies, for lack of transparency, and for failure to engage patients in product research and development. The written feedback from the Italian patient groups clearly communicates a feeling that companies have work to do if they are to bring about improvements in a range of activities, including: ● patient access to medicines (through more affordable pricing); ● patient safety (through the dissemination of information about drug adverse effects); ● research efforts for neglected patient populations; ● honesty about what is (and what is not) a therapeutic innovation; and ● better explanation of clinical-trials processes to patient participants.
“Il paziente è generalmente tenuto sempre a latere dello studio e spesso non viene spiegata la coerente applicazione del prodotto.”
(“The patient is generally always kept on the sidelines of the study, and the coherent application of the product is often not explained.”)
—Lega Italiana Sclerosi Sistemica ONLUS
“Essere trasparente riguardo alle proprie politiche di prezzo, in caso di farmaci molto costosi cercare forme di agevolazione con le istituzioni e le strutture di cura per consentirne l’accesso ai pazienti.”
(“Be transparent with respect to their pricing policies. In the case of very-costly drugs, seek facilitation with care facilities or institutions, to allow patients access.”)
—National breast-cancer patient group, Italy
HOW DID COMPANIES PERFORM?
HOW CORPORATE REPUTATION IS MEASURED
The overall corporate reputation of each company is assessed according to that company's performance (as judged by Italian patient groups) at 12 individual indicators of corporate reputation.
The TOP-TEN companies for corporate reputation—from the perspective of Italian patient groups familiar with the company, 2018 v. 2017
The indicators [listed below] have been developed over the years by PatientView, drawing on recommendations from patient groups, health professionals, health regulators, and industry.
PatientView's 12 indicators used to assess pharma corporate reputation
1. Patient centricity.
2. Patient information.
3. Patient safety.
4. High-quality products.
5i. Transparency: pricing.
5ii. Transparency: clinical-trial data.
5iii. Transparency: funding of stakeholders.
6. Integrity.
7. Relationships with patient groups.
8. Providing services ‘beyond the pill’.
9i. Engaging patients in research.
9ii. Engaging patients in development.
- Novo Nordisk dominated the Italy Corporate-Reputation league tables for 2018, coming overall 1st out of 30 companies (the company was not included in 2017), and 1st for 6 of the 12 individual indicators of corporate reputation—according to the 34 respondent Italian patient groups familiar with Novo Nordisk.
- Roche/Genentech came overall 2nd out of 30 companies for corporate reputation in 2018 (a rise of three places over 2017), according to the 93 respondent Italian patient groups familiar with the company. And ...
- Gilead came overall 3rd out of 30 companies for corporate reputation in 2018 (the company was not included in 2017), according to the 17 respondent Italian patient groups familiar with the company.
Takeda/Shire saw the biggest increase up the rankings in Italy, coming 9th out of 30 companies in 2018—up eight places from Takeda's 2017 position.
-END OF PRESS RELEASE-
For further information on the 2018 ITALY report, please use contact details at the top of this press release