"Reputate" Big Pharma...John LaMattina pautas.

I, like many others, am very concerned about the poor image of the pharmaceutical industry. This open letter to PhRMA CEO, Mr. John Castellani, expresses these concerns and offers suggestions on how to improve things. Here’s what I have to express:
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The negative public opinion that exists with regard to the pharmaceutical industry is sad and depressing.
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• But the bigger issue is that, even for those compounds that become drugs, patients still won’t give PhRMA credit for discovering and developing them. Unfortunately, the general public believes that the real science involved in drug R&D is done by the NIH and academic institutions. They think that pharma companies simply manufacture these drugs and then charge exorbitant prices for them. You need to put more of a human face on the R&D process. So, here’s a thought for you.(...)
• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), has already agreed to make these data (clinical) available. Surely, GSK must believe that it can successfully operate in such a transparent environment. Thus, here are two steps that you should take. All PhRMA members need to replicate GSK’s position. In addition, it would be powerful if you could stand up and say that PhRMA commits to 100% reporting of clinical trial results by 2015. This would require extra resources expended by your member companies to meet these goals. However, doing this would eliminate claims that the industry is hiding negative clinical trial data – a major issue that PhRMA faces in the eyes of the public.(...)
• Finally, another hot button that exists is around payments to physicians. Now, you and I know the important role that physicians play across the entire spectrum of the pharmaceutical business. Physicians are invaluable in terms of offering advice on clinical trials, leading these trials, publishing and discussing the results, etc. Doctors justifiably expect to be paid for this work. While these payments had long been hidden, the recently enacted “Sunshine Act” will require disclosure of all physician-pharmaceutical industry ties. Such data will be eye-opening to the public. I believe that the vast majority of these payments are justified. But it would behoove PhRMA to look at those costs with the view to how they would be perceived.(...)

I believe that the greatest challenge that the pharmaceutical industry now faces is overcoming its poor image. There are millions of people who believe that real innovation is done outside of pharma labs, that the industry hides any negative clinical trial data, and that the industry pays off doctors to prescribe drugs. You and I know this is all not true. However, unless these beliefs are changed, people will view our products as overpriced drugs with little potential benefit and with hidden safety issues. My suggestions are not a panacea, but they are a step in the right direction. 

 Sincerely, 

 John L. LaMattina

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Ver también:

Ratón de biblioteca: Devalued and Distrusted: Can the Pharmaceutical Industry Restore its Broken Image? / John L. LaMattina

Ber Goldacre: Mala farma (Bad PHARMA) ahora en castellano.