CFIF National Survey Executive Summary

P R E P A R E D B Y :
National Online Survey:
Executive Summary
June 8, 2021
Elizabeth Harrington, Partner
Bill McInturff, Partner
#210118

Research Team
Overview Audience
Timeline
2
• Public Opinion Strategies
conducted a national online
survey in May 2021 among
registered voters on behalf of
The Center For Individual
Freedom (CFIF).
• Trend data is shown from a
national online survey of
registered voters conducted
in October 2020.
Methodology
• The 2021 national
survey was conducted
May 13-19, 2021.
• The surveys were
conducted among
N=1,000 registered
voters.
• The credibility interval
for a survey of N=1,000
is +3.53%.
• Elizabeth Harrington
and Bill McInturff were
the principal
researchers on this
project. Gordon Price
was the senior project
director and Cassie
Bauserman provided
analytical support.

4
The economy/jobs and COVID-19 continue to be the top two issues, though the economy is now on top.
Immigration has jumped to 3rd since October. Prescription drug costs continues to be the least important issue.
Which one of the following issues, if any, do you think is the most important issue that needs to be addressed in the U.S.? And which is the next most important issue?
October 2020 May 2021
1st
Choice
Combined
1st/2nd Choice
Most Important Issue to Address in U.S.
Ranked by May 2021 Combined Choice
Combined
1st/2nd Choice
1st
Choice
21% 34% The economy/jobs 37% 20%
23% 36% The coronavirus 32% 21%
4% 10% Immigration and border security 24% 14%
14% 29% Health insurance costs and coverage 22% 10%
5% 12% National security and terrorism 17% 7%
5% 12% The environment or climate change 16% 7%
5% 13% Race relations 14% 7%
3% 8% Crime 10% 3%
3% 10% Taxes 9% 3%
3% 6% Education 7% 3%
2% 4% Prescription drug costs 5% 2%
12% 12% None of these issues 3% 3%
*Note: The national 2020 question was worded: “is the most important in deciding how you will vote for president this November?”

5
Top Three Most Important U.S. Issue Trend by Party
(Ranked by 1st Choice)
Republicans Independents Democrats
The Economy/Jobs
27% 1st Choice | 43% Combined
The Economy/Jobs
The Coronavirus
None of These
The Coronavirus
Health Insurance Costs & Coverage
National Security & Terrorism
The Economy/Jobs
Immigration & Border Security
29% 1st Choice | 46% Combined Choice
The Economy/Jobs
The Coronavirus
The Economy/Jobs
The Coronavirus
The Economy/Jobs
The Coronavirus
October 2020
May 2021

6
The cost of health insurance coverage continues to be the most important health care issue for
the majority of voters.
From the following list, which health care issue is most important to you? And, which is the next most important to you?
First
Choice
Combined
1st/2nd Choice
Most Important Health Care Issue
Ranked by May 2021 Combined Choice
Combined
1st/2nd Choice
First
Choice
35% 55% The cost of health insurance coverage 53% 36%
11% 29% The cost of hospital services 35% 14%
9% 21% Unexpected hospital and medical bills 25% 12%
10% 22% The cost of prescription drugs at the pharmacy counter 24% 10%
7% 18% Difficulty getting or keeping good health insurance coverage 19% 8%
5% 10% Difficulty getting access to quality hospitals and doctors 15% 6%
4% 10%
Lack of access to the newest and most effective medicines and
latest treatments
13% 6%
3% 6% Addiction to opioids and prescription painkillers 9% 4%
14% 23% Lack of coronavirus treatments N/A N/A
2% 4% Something else 5% 4%

7
Top Three Most Important Health Care Issue Trend by Party
(Ranked by 1st Choice)
Cost of Health Insurance Coverage
Unexpected Hospital/Medical Bills
Cost of Rx at Pharmacy Counter
Lack of COVID Treatments
Cost of Rx at Pharmacy Counter
Lack of COVID Treatments
Cost of Hospital Services
Difficulty Getting/Keeping Good
Health Insurance Coverage
October 2020
May 2021

8
When it comes to health care, voters continue to say the role of the federal government
should be that of providing oversight/incentives not setting prices/determining coverage.
And, which one of these approaches do you think is the better way for the health care system to work in the U.S.?
The federal government should provide oversight and
incentives to health care providers, prescription drug
companies and health insurers to encourage more
competition to lower prices in the health care system.
70% 72%
The federal government should set prices for health care
services and prescription medicines and determine what
services and medicines are covered by private health plans.
30% 28%

9
Majorities of voters across party say the federal government should provide oversight and
incentives rather than setting prices and determining coverage.
And, which one of these approaches do you think is the better way for the health care system to work in the U.S.?
72%
81%
65% 67%
28%
19%
35% 33%
All Voters Republicans Independents Democrats
+44% +62% +30% +34%
May 2021
Provide Oversight Set Prices
70% 73% 75%
66%
30% 27% 25%
34%
+40% +46% +50% +32%
October 2020

10
New Federal Government Spending

11
More than six in ten voters do not want new federal government spending bills passed without
the Administration reaching a compromise with and support from Republicans in Congress.
Which of the following would you rather see President
Biden do?
All Voters
Try to reach a compromise with Republicans in Congress
on significant federal government spending bills 62%
Pass significant federal government spending bills that he
thinks are right for the country even if they are not
supported by Republicans in Congress
38%

12
When considering funding sources for new federal government spending, three quarters or more of
voters do not want to use Medicare savings from lowering drug costs and do not want to impose a 95%
tax on prescription medicines to pay for it.
Thinking about funding sources to pay for new federal government spending and programs… For each of the statements listed below, please record how
much you agree or disagree with each statement or if you do not have an opinion one way or the other.
Funding Sources For New Federal Government Spending
Ranked by %Total Agree
Strongly
Agree
Total
Agree
Any savings that comes from lowering drug costs in Medicare
should be given back to seniors or be used to reduce costs in
Medicare.
49% 84%
We should not be using Medicare savings that is meant for
seniors’ health care to pay for government spending on projects
and programs unrelated to Medicare.
59% 83%
Imposing a 95% tax on the most common prescription medicines
is the wrong approach to pay for new government spending
because it will mean higher prices and leave millions of Americans
unable to afford their medications.
52% 76%

13
Addressing Prescription Drug Costs

14
More than six in ten voters choose HR19 over HR3 as the best way to address
prescription drug costs.
Listed below are two proposals to address prescription drug costs. If you had to choose between these two proposals, which one would you be
more likely to support…
All
Voters
Requiring health insurers to pass the discounts they receive from drug companies
on medicines to patients, increasing transparency on prices from drug companies,
hospitals and health insurers, strengthening the FDA to get generic prescription
drugs to market faster, setting a cap on the amount seniors pay out-of-pocket
annually for their medicines, and investing money in the U.S. health infrastructure
for vaccines and preparedness for future health pandemics. (HR19)
64%
Having the federal government set the drug prices for the 250 most expensive
medicines so the U.S. government pays no more than 1.2 times what foreign
countries pay for the same drugs, penalizing drug companies for raising drug
prices above the rate of inflation, taxing pharmaceuticals up to 95% for non-
compliance with government price negotiations and setting a cap on the amount
seniors pay out-of-pocket annually for their medicines. (HR3)
36%

15
Majorities of voters across party and generations choose HR19 over HR3 as the
best way to address prescription drug costs.
Listed below are two proposals to address prescription drug costs. If you had to choose between these two proposals, which one would you be
more likely to support…
Millennials
(Ages 25-40 )
Generation X
(Ages 41-56)
Baby Boomers
(Ages 57-75)
Ages 65+
HR19 64% 74% 59% 58% 57% 67% 68% 70%
HR3 36% 26% 41% 42% 43% 33% 32% 30%

16
Majorities of voters across party say they would oppose HR3 if…
Listed below are some concerns people have mentioned might happen if this proposal is passed by Congress. Please record if you would favor or oppose this
proposal if you heard that…
Ranked by %Oppose All Voters Republicans Independents Democrats
It means Americans could wait two years or longer for access to new
prescription drugs. 76% 83% 76% 71%
It could mean significantly less access to new cancer medicines for America’s
seniors. 76% 80% 76% 73%
It could mean eliminating nearly 200,000 biopharmaceutical industry jobs, and
nearly one million jobs across the economy. 72% 79% 71% 67%
It means reducing Americans’ access to prescription medicines available today
and means fewer new medicines developed in the future. 72% 77% 71% 68%
It could reduce by more than 90% the number of medicines developed by small
and emerging biotechnology companies. This equates to 61 fewer medicines
being discovered over ten years.
70% 76% 73% 65%
It puts the federal government in charge of determining what prescription
medicines are right for seniors and what medicines are covered by Medicare. 67% 79% 66% 57%
It would significantly reduce the amount of money pharmaceutical companies
have to invest in research and development for new vaccines and cures. 63% 74% 57% 56%

17
IP Protections & Coronavirus Vaccines

18
Roughly eight in ten voters agree that countries should honor their trade agreements with the
U.S. protecting U.S. IP and that the U.S. needs strong IP protections to encourage innovation.
For each of the statements listed below, please record how much you agree or disagree with each statement or if you do not have an opinion one
way or the other.
Strongly
Agree
Total
Agree
Total
Disagree
Other countries should honor trade
agreements with the U.S. that include
protections for U.S. intellectual
property and patents
46% 83% 7%
The U.S. needs strong intellectual
property protections to encourage
innovation
40% 78% 9%

19
Even in consideration of the coronavirus, majorities of voters agree
U.S. IP protections need to be in place and strong.
For each of the statements listed below, please record how much you agree or disagree with each statement or if you do not have an opinion one
way or the other.
Strongly
Agree
Total
Agree
Total
Disagree
Innovators and entrepreneurs in the
coronavirus crisis deserve intellectual
property protections
30% 68% 17%
The U.S. needs strong intellectual
property protections to beat the
coronavirus
33% 64% 20%

20
Voters overwhelmingly agree with statements about the importance of the American
pharmaceutical industry producing CV-19 vaccines and protecting against future pandemics.
For the statements below, please record how much you agree or disagree with each statement or if you do not have an opinion one way or the other.
Ranked by %Strongly Agree May 2021
Strongly Agree Total Agree Strongly Agree Total Agree
It is important for American pharmaceutical
companies to be able to produce coronavirus
vaccines and treatments, so we do not have
to depend on other countries to do so.*
47% 81% 58% 87%
Keeping a strong American
biopharmaceutical industry is a matter of
national security to protect us against future
pandemics.
39% 77% 46% 82%
*Note: In 2020 read “It’s important that American companies be able to produce vaccines and
treatments for COVID-19, we don’t want to have to depend on other countries”

21
More than eight in ten voters agree we need to lower barriers that come between medical
innovations and patients as we did with the CV-19 vaccines.
For the statements below, please record how much you agree or disagree with each statement or if you do not have an opinion one way or the other.
Ranked by %Strongly Agree Strongly Agree Total Agree
The rapid development of effective coronavirus
vaccines shows how much we can accomplish
when the private and public sectors work
together. We need to lower the barriers that
come between our medical innovations and
patients who need them in order to deliver a
stronger, more resilient, affordable, and equitable
health care system that works for all.
48% 82%

22
Compared to all other
issues in the U.S., how
high of a priority do you
think it should be for the
United States to ensure
that COVID-19 vaccines
become widely available
for all countries around
the world? Should it…
Six in ten voters say it should be an absolute top or high priority for
the U.S. to ensure CV-19 vaccines become widely available globally.
62%
Top/High Priority
19%
Lower/Not a Priority
Be an absolute top priority for the U.S. 29%
Be a high but not top priority 33%
Be a medium priority 19%
Be a lower priority 8%
Not be a priority at all for the U.S. 11%

23
Majorities of voters support licensing CV-19 vaccine IP instead of waiving IP to
boost the global supply of vaccines. This is true across party.
Listed below are two approaches to help boost the global supply of coronavirus vaccines. If you had to choose between these two approaches,
which one would you be more likely to support…
Licensing
Have countries, including the U.S., donate excess
vaccines and build up domestic manufacturing
capacity. Have U.S. manufacturers work closely with
capable companies in foreign countries through
voluntary licensing agreements, but not give the
formulas away to help protect the safety of all the
vaccines that are made.
66% 77% 69% 55%
Waive IP
Have countries, including the U.S., donate excess
vaccines and manufacturing capacity. Go further by
removing the intellectual property protections on the
coronavirus vaccines and give the vaccine formulas
away for free so any country can make the vaccines
themselves.
34% 23% 31% 45%

24
Voters, across party, are also more likely to side with the point of view that
licensing is the better approach to increasing global supply of CV-19 vaccines.
If you had to choose between the two points of view below, which one do you tend to agree with more, even if neither is exactly right?
Licensing
The U.S. should build upon successful U.S.
manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines to produce
the supply for other countries. It should also
donate excess vaccine doses and increase
licensing agreements with foreign manufacturers
to increase the global supply.
63% 66% 62% 61%
Waive IP
The U.S. should donate excess vaccine doses and
also incentivize other countries to make their
own versions of U.S. vaccines by waiving the
intellectual property rights and patents of U.S.
manufacturers to increase global supply.
37% 34% 38% 39%

25
More than seven in ten voters are concerned that waiving CV-19 vaccine IP could
have significant negative implications.
Listed below are concerns some people have mentioned might happen if U.S. vaccine intellectual property rights and patents are waived. Please record how
concerned you would be about waiving U.S. vaccine intellectual property rights if you learned that...
Ranked by %Total Concerned
Very
Concerned
Total
Concerned
Other countries do not have the same standards and oversight as the U.S. This can
risk errors in vaccine development and jeopardize people's safety worldwide. 43% 82%
Throwing open the market to unproven vaccine producers and vaccines from around
the world will cause confusion and raise concerns about counterfeit vaccines. 41% 81%
Waiving intellectual property rights of vaccine developers gives important technology
to companies without a proven track record or the expertise or resources to make
COVID-19 vaccines safe and effective for people.
39% 79%
Unproven vaccine makers will now compete with U.S. manufacturers for resources to
make COVID-19 vaccines that are already in scarce supply. 36% 76%
Giving away U.S. trade secrets for mRNA technology, which is the foundation of U.S.
vaccines, for free to Russia and China creates new competition for our leadership in
vaccine development.
40% 75%

214 North Fayette Street / Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 836-7655 | www.pos.org
Elizabeth Harrington
Partner
Liz@pos.org
202-497-8257
Bill McInturff
Partner
Bill@pos.org
703-836-7655

CFIF National Survey Executive Summary

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to CFIF National Survey Executive Summary

Similar to CFIF National Survey Executive Summary (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

CFIF National Survey Executive Summary