Words by Jade Williams
Healthcare professionals’ trust in the pharmaceutical industry has risen by 8% since 2020, with 38% of doctors and nurses now expressing the highest level of trust, according to new polling data from Ipsos. This makes the industry one of the most trusted sectors, behind only health charities and research universities.
The 2024 UK Pharma Reputation Index, conducted in partnership with the ABPI, also reveals that four out of five HCPs, including doctors and nurses, are happy to work with pharmaceutical companies because they recognise the value of the industry in bringing innovative treatments to patients.
Jill Pearcy, Reputation Director, ABPI, said in a press release: “The work our industry is doing to support patients and the NHS is having a positive impact on the way our industry is seen by healthcare professionals”. Continuing, she noted that “the better people understand our work, the more they realise we share a common goal – lives lived well”.
Interactions between healthcare professionals and the industry have grown over the past year, with 55% receiving formal communications and 53% reporting direct contact with company employees.
Thomas Fife-Schaw, Research Director, Ipsos, noted: “Greater visibility with healthcare professionals over time is boosting the reputation of pharmaceutical companies operating in the UK… Improved familiarity with the industry and omnichannel engagement is leading to greater levels of trust and, in turn, an openness to collaborate with the industry to improve outcomes for patients.”
While 71% of the public recognise the sector’s efforts to produce to medicines and vaccines, there are still concerns about industry profits and whether they benefit society. This shows that more needs to be done to highlight how reinvested profits drive R&D.
Social media, now a primary source of information about the industry, has also contributed to the spread of misinformation, particularly around vaccines. The Ipsos report concludes that transparent communication from pharma companies will be essential in the future to bring public trust in line with that of HCPs.
