
CHICAGO - Pharmaceutical companies have an image problem that could affect Illinois legislation about mandated vaccines.
An isolated measles outbreak in a Chicago suburb has prompted Illinois politicians to introduce legislation limiting citizens' freedom to exempt themselves or their children from state-mandated vaccines. Despite a 95 percent vaccination rate, proponents argue that curtailing exemptions based on faith or conscience would benefit society. A change in the law would also increase vaccinations and benefit vaccine manufacturers, such as Pfizer and Merck - two drug companies associated with what critics call "Big Pharma."
A recent Harris poll revealed that a mere 37% of the population has a positive perception of pharmaceutical companies. Only government, tobacco, financial services, airlines, and insurance have a more negative perception. (see chart below)
"There are many reasons why that perception has changed, but the common denominator amid the contention appears to be a lack of trust," writes Richard Carufel in a PR Biz update.
Elizabeth S. Mitchell of PR Newser explains the two reasons for the public's negative perception of drug companies:
"The first is direct-to consumer advertising; it’s nearly impossible to get through an entire TV show without at least one drug commercial featuring a personified depression cloud or a bad metaphor for erectile dysfunction. And many legitimate concerns have been raised about how this type of blanket targeting may be changing the doctor/patient relationship and the act of prescribing medication for the worse."
The second reason is the lucrative, but poorly disclosed, practice of drug companies marketing to doctors:
This strategy runs the gamut from drug reps buying lunch for every employee in a medical office to a drug company paying large sums to have doctors serve as 'thought leaders' who push certain drugs on other doctors by taking them out to dinner to 'discuss' new products.
In Illinois, Big Pharma has been influential on decisions made by the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations for vaccine mandates to the Illinois Department of Public Health director.
Drug companies' lobbyists have historically been active in committee decision-making, specifically when they were considering a Hepatitis B vaccine mandate for newborns and chickenpox vaccine mandate for school age children in the early 2000s.
When a 2001 legislative effort passed unanimously the Illinois House and Senate to ban committee members' financial ties to vaccine-manufacturing companies, then-Governor George Ryan vetoed the legislation.
Financial disclosures showed in 2000 that the majority of Immunization Advisory Committee members received either research grants from or were financially invested in the same drug companies lobbying the committee for vaccine mandates.
In addition, when immunizations are mandated, pharmaceutical companies are protected from liability lawsuits. Instead, parents that have evidence their children were damaged by vaccines must appeal to the federal government's fund for compensation.
Drug companies face the challenge of improving their products' trust factor with the same public lawmakers face for re-election. Illinois may be a place where this public relations' "needle-threading" sets national precedence.