Natalie Trujillo PSC 2220 Research Essay
Public opinion and the pharmaceutical industry
About 6 in 10 Americans report currently taking at least one prescription drug, and 1 in 4
Americans say they are taking four or more prescription drugs (Public Opinion on Prescription
Drugs and Their Prices, 2020). That is a definite majority of Americans who have to deal with
drug prices and the pharmaceutical industry, at the very least once a month to pick up their
prescription. Furthermore, 79% say the cost of prescription drugs is unreasonable (Public
Opinion on Prescription Drugs and Their Prices, 2020). The pharmaceutical industry is a very
complex topic under the healthcare umbrella. Americans are constantly impacted by this industry
as it ebbs and flows. As a whole, drug prices have been a major issue for some time. However,
recent events, such as COVID-19 and the 2020 election, will likely have an impact on the
pharmaceutical industry, making it more important to many Americans. In an examination of
public opinion on drug prices and the pharmaceutical industry, it has become clear that
Americans want their drugs to get cheaper and for the pharmaceutical industry to reform. This is
based on an examination of multiple attempts at gathering public opinion over recent years. It
has been found that the pharmaceutical industry is looked at with much negativity in comparisor
to other industries. The views of Americans and their thoughts on the pharmaceutical industry
have been recorded since 2001, and have most recently in 2019 hit an all time low. Furthermore,
pharmaceutical companies are among the top of the public's list of having too much influence in
D.C. (Public Opinion on Prescription Drugs and Their Prices, 2020). Surveys that were
examined span from 2001 - 2020.
Opinion on the pharmaceutical industry
35
Series1 Series2
Series3 Series4 Series5 Series6
- 2 115 8-1 2020 Jul 40-Aug 12 2019 Aug 1-14 2018 Aug 1-1: 2015 Aug 2014 Aug 2010Aug 6n600 2008 Aug 007 Aug 1 2005 Aug 2004Aug91 2003 Aug 4-E 2002 Aug 5-8 2013 Aug 2001 Aug 16-1 Opinion on the pharmaceutical industry has changed a lot since it was first measured in 2001. In the chart above, series 1 is a very positive rating, series 2 is a somewhat positive rating, series 3 is neutral, series 4 is somewhat negative, series 5 is very negative, and series 6 is no opinion. As of July and August of 2020, the public overwhelmingly sees the pharmaceutical industry as "somewhat negative" or "very negative". This is down from the high numbers of those who saw the pharmaceutical industry as "somewhat negative" or "very negative" in 2019. Prior to the introduction of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, Americans in large numbers saw the pharmaceutical industry as "somewhat negative" at a little above 30%. Negative views briefly retracted. All of the change most likely has to do with the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, and the subsequent results of that have further influenced opinion. The Affordable Care Act wa