Our U.S. director, Meredith L. Eaton, recently commented on a story for PR News about how the pharmaceutical industry can repair its reputation following America’s ongoing opioid epidemic – which still kills more than 100 people every day.
The article comes in response to a new study which indicates that the American public isn’t buying the big pharma narrative about its role in the situation. It found that 57% of respondents believe the pharma industry should be held responsible for making the crisis worse, while 70% believe drug companies should pay for addiction treatment.
“When lives are at stake, and death tolls are mounting, it’s not simply a ‘reputation management’ issue,” Eaton said. “Taking charge with a proactive approach is key, provided there’s meaningful activity to be proactive about.
“Establishing meaningful steps (creating programs, funding treatments, making donations, building partnerships with more favorably-regarded entities) can go a long way.”
