Reputation – General Public: Relationship with the NHS
Read more about how the general public view the relationship between the pharmaceutical sector and the NHS
Perceptions of the sector’s relationship with the NHS are mostly positive and unchanged over the past two years
I find it all confusing. Like how does it work? How do they come up with medicine prices, and how do they charge the NHS? I tried to look into it but honestly, there isn’t much information about it. I’d like to know. General Public Respondent
The public remain positive about the relationship pharmaceutical companies operating in the UK have with the NHS. Around three in four each wave agree that these companies should work closely with NHS Doctors to develop new medicines. There is also consistent recognition that the sector supports the NHS with treating patients.
In the absence of any detailed understanding of how medicine pricing is determined, many assume prices are high or unfair
In the qualitative components of this research, participants routinely admit to having little knowledge about pricing and the sector’s interactions with the NHS. However, majorities also believe that the sector does not price medicines fairly and this contributes to a sense that the sector lacks transparency in this regard. Public opinion related to medicine pricing is often based on hearsay and assumptions; very few know how prices are set or negotiated in any detail – nor is it clear that there is a widespread appetite to understand this in more depth.
I have heard about the postcode lottery where medication is concerned and also some can be so expensive that the NHS refuse to pay for them. General Public Respondent
In a research setting, some people do express a desire to learn more about this topic, but say they’ve not done so in the past. Others, which are in the minority, claim to have sought out further detail about the pricing process, but have either had difficulty finding information, or believe that the information that is available lacks clarity for the non-specialist.
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Last modified: 20 September 2023
Last reviewed: 20 September 2023