Attitudes towards pharmaceutical companies in the UK
Welcome to the UK Pharma Reputation Index. This site covers the latest research from the ABPI-Ipsos Attitudes towards pharmaceutical companies in the UK study. Read further to find out more about the reputation of pharmaceutical companies operating in the UK.
About this study
This study outlines some of the headlines and key insights from two years of research with the public, healthcare professionals and Members of Parliament to find out what they really think and feel about pharmaceutical companies in the UK – and how this has changed over the past two years.
We’ve combined ongoing qualitative and quantitative research with in-depth analysis to bring you a comprehensive snapshot of the industry’s reputation. Whether you’re interested in stakeholder perceptions on topics such as what they understand about the sector through to granular issues around transparency, access to medicines, innovation and patient focus and more, you will find useful insights here.
Hi, I'm Jill Pearcy, and I'm Director of Reputation at ABPI. Welcome to our 2022 Reputation Index.
We've developed this programme of research working with Ipsos, as a resource for people who are interested in how the UK pharma industry is perceived.
As we come through the pandemic, we've seen a real thirst for information from pharma companies.
When they tell their stories, it really helps people understand the importance of what they do.
And while the media landscape constantly is changing it remains important that we understand opinions about our sector as we work to drive transparency and trust.
I do hope you enjoy this research and find it useful.
Hello, I'm Tom Fife-Schaw, Research Director at Ipsos Corporate Reputation. Welcome to the ABPI Ipsos Pharma Reputation Index 2022.
We are now in the second year of measurement, having tracked public, HCP and parliamentary opinion of pharmaceutical companies operating in the UK, since 2020.
Now it perhaps won't surprise you to learn that the pandemic drew attention to the sector and helped improve perceptions of it to a degree. On balance, the sector has a positive public reputation, even if people don't feel that they know it very well.
But what about its reputation in the longer term? Despite increased visibility of late you'll see that the public do not necessarily have a deeper understanding of the industry and they might have had in the past and this is a challenge.
But it is persistently seen as reliable and good at what it does and it is seen as innovative. As innovation is what people feel underpins its research, development and production of safe and effective medicines and vaccines that people need.
However, some less positive perceptions of it remain it constantly in our data, such as the extent to which it is seen as open and transparent.
Through the information on this site, we hope to provide some clues as to what the industry could do to foster a greater understanding of its work and the value it brings to the UK economy and society and to leverage the strengths and tackle reputation weak spots.
We hope this index brings some clarity and acts as a useful resource to help you understand what shapes the sector's reputation in the UK.
We hope you enjoy this year's index and welcome any feedback that you may have. Thank you.
Reputation Snapshot
Many assumptions are made about the reputation of the pharmaceutical industry. Here, we explore exactly what people know, think and feel about the sector – and why it matters. Shaped by a spectrum of memories, assumptions, and associations, we’ve seen preconceptions about the sector being challenged. We’ll show you how the sector is seen from the outside – and the opportunities and challenges this brings.
General Public
The events during the COVID-19 pandemic challenged long-held beliefs and highlighted the technological and scientific prowess inherent in the sector. Despite this increased visibility, the UK public still have limited knowledge and understanding of the sector. Read more to find out what they think about the sector and why.
Members of Parliament
Understanding the views of legislators is a critical to understanding the industry’s ‘licence to operate’ in the UK. Policy makers views have been challenged just as much as those of the public. Here, we’ll uncover the reputation of the sector in Westminster and how it’s evolved during the pandemic.
Healthcare Professionals
Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are often closer to the pharmaceutical industry than the other audiences in this study. Here, we explore what they think of the sector, how they rate their interactions with it and how their views have evolved throughout 2021-2022.
Covid-19 Impact
The pandemic shone a spotlight on pharma. Individual companies became household names and unprecedented advances in technology and collaboration between business and government has helped to change the course of the pandemic in the UK.
Our research looks at whether the shifts in how the public viewed the sector early in the pandemic have resulted in longer-term reputational gains.
General Public
Using data collected since 2020, we’ve analysed how the sector’s response to COVID shaped public opinion and what this might mean for the sector’s reputation in the longer term . Drawing on both quantitative data and qualitative feedback, we explore the impact of COVID-19 on how the public think and feel about the sector.
MPs
Much like the public, parliamentarians have been impressed by the sector’s pandemic response. Read further to understand how COVID-19 has shaped opinion of the sector in Westminster and how this has evolved over the past 24 months.
HCPs
How have healthcare professionals’ opinions of pharmaceutical companies changed as a result of the pandemic? We’ve asked a range of HCPs what they think about the sector’s response to the pandemic. Drawing on survey data and granular verbatim feedback, we’ve assessed the extent to which this is shaping their perceptions of the sector.
Research Methods
We used different research methodologies to provide a comprehensive snapshot of the industry’s reputation. Click on the link below to find more details.
Contact
Us
Thomas Fife-Schaw
Research Director
Ipsos MORI
Thomas.Fife-Schaw@ipsos.com
Jill Pearcy
Director Reputation
ABPI
JPearcy@abpi.org.uk