Compliance — a driving force for influencing public perceptions of the pharma industry?
July 15, 2024 | Pharma, clinical trials, compliance, ethics
How does compliance play into public perceptions of pharma and why is it important for improving public opinion?
If you have anything to do with the pharma industry, we bet you’ll already know how important compliance is.
Supporting patients by providing them with the right information and tools to empower health is paramount, there’s no question of that. But it’s interesting to consider the role that compliance can play too. After all, it’s a way of making sure we’re always looking out for patients in an honest and transparent way.
So, it’s driving positive public perceptions right?
To some extent. But, despite compliance being necessary and an important pillar of our industry, it’s still sometimes considered to be a ‘box ticking exercise’ and dare we say it…just a bit boring.
There’s also often a bit of a compliance lockdown. By that, we mean the feeling that we can’t and shouldn’t talk about our industry’s amazing advances and scientific achievements because…well, is it compliant?
Which can leave the wider public feeling like the pharma world is a little mysterious.
A little mysterious?
Exactly that. We’ve even heard the pharma industry being described as…Batman!
Yes, none other than that powerful superhero who saves lives, and who is an overall force for good. But also, that same powerful superhero who is a bit of a distanced-masked-mysterious thing, lurking in the shadows. Not to mention, extremely wealthy.
And maybe it’s this juxtaposition that plays on minds, creating suspicions. Especially when it seems that much happens ‘undercover’.
But even those who are a bit more in the know have concerns. We understand that some HCPs are questioning how much pharma is actually driven by a desire to care for patients for example. Of course, we know this isn’t true. But it’s certainly becoming more obvious that there is a need for pharma to engage more with the public, support transparency where possible, and help right some of these more negative views. Could compliance help us do that?
But how?
Good question. Here are some thoughts from us on that very topic!
Start talking about the good of compliance to people inside and outside the industry.
- Explain how it gives the structure needed to do good work and make meaningful advances
- Challenge myths like ‘doing nothing is pretty much always compliant’ or ‘the riskier, the better for business’ to highlight how this flawed thinking impacts the people we’re trying to help
- Talk openly with the public about it to reassure how regulatory standards and ethical practices are prioritised
Make sure ethics drives compliance.
- Show the public commitment to corporate social responsibility, demonstrating that pharma isn’t profit-driven but cares about doing right
- Make patient-centricity core to your approach, making sure the good of the patient is the guiding principle right throughout the process of bringing a drug to market
Think about the 4 principles of medical ethics and apply as much or as many of them as possible.
- Beneficence: bring benefit to others
- Autonomy: respect the free will of others
- Non-maleficence: avoid harm to others
- Justice: be fair to others
Can we support you?
We put people at the heart of everything we do, so compliance is incredibly important to us. And since we work with our clients as an extension of their team, this is something that we regularly advise on.
From time to time, we hear concerns that compliance can be tricky to navigate when engaging with patients. We’re here to tell you that it doesn’t need to be the case.
In fact, patient engagement, partnerships, and co-creation are really what it’s all about; making sure we create solutions that are truly beneficial and meaningful.
This is why involving patients early on is core to our approach and way of working at Cuttsy+Cuttsy, and why we encourage embedding patients within the project process, assuming it’s the right thing for your project of course.
So, if you want a partner in crime to navigate the compliance storms, let’s talk.
References:
Beauchamp TL, Childress JF. Principles of biomedical ethics. 5th. New York: Oxford University Press; 2001.
This content was provided by Cuttsy + Cuttsy
Company Details
Latest Content from Cuttsy + Cuttsy
A month of insights: Key takeaways from May’s conferences
Explore key insights from some of May’s top healthcare conferences, covering patient engagement, health equity, co-creation, and tech innovation shaping clinical trials.
Cuttsy+Cuttsy and ISPEP highlight key patient insights in new clinical trials report
Explore how Cuttsy+Cuttsy and ISPEP are spotlighting patient engagement in clinical trials through a new global report.
Motivations that matter: Understanding clinical trial participation to create better research
Understanding why people join clinical trials is essential to improving recruitment and designing better research. Explores the diverse motivations driving participation — from altruism and hope for better health to...
Cuttsy+Cuttsy welcomes new team members and celebrates a familiar face returning
Cuttsy+Cuttsy proudly announces the expansion of its team with the addition of three new hires—Michelle, Jay, and Emily—and the welcome return of former team member Sally as Account Director.
AI and away we go: key insights from Reuters Pharma 2025
AI is revolutionising the pharmaceutical industry, as highlighted at Reuters Pharma 2025, with transformative applications across marketing, drug discovery, and patient engagement, despite challenges in adoption, regulation, and data trust.
Exciting updates from our content and strategy team
Cuttsy+Cuttsy celebrates new beginnings with the appointment of Oli Bailey as Strategy Director and recognises team excellence through several well-deserved promotions.
How is generative AI transforming clinical trials?
Discover how generative AI is revolutionising clinical trials, from enhancing patient recruitment to improving data analysis.
Content for all – how to connect with neurodiverse audiences
Discover essential strategies for crafting inclusive and accessible written content tailored for neurodivergent readers.
Cuttsy+Cuttsy launches ccura: AI powered, always human
Cuttsy+Cuttsy introduces ccura, an AI-powered healthcare communications platform that blends technology with human expertise to enhance collaboration, streamline workflows, and deliver patient-focused, high-quality solutions with security and compliance at its...
Two Sides of the Same Coin: Patient Engagement vs Patient Involvement
Unpack the difference between patient engagement and patient involvement.