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Grace Greenblatt, Tracy Hall, Linda
Johnson, Moe Kredan, Izabella Zucker
Dr. Yan Jin
Honors Health Communication
University of Georgia
A Strategic
Communication
Plan for the
Pharmaceutical
& Biotechnology
IndustriesShushing
Shkreli
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ........................................................ 02
SWOT ................................................................................ 03
Key Insights ...................................................................... 04
Key Audiences ....................................................,........... 08
Goals, Objectives, Strategies, Tactics .......................... 09
Recommendations ........................................................ 11
Evaluation ....................................................................... 12
Research Appendix ....................................................... 13
01
Executive Summary
	 This report provides a strategic communication plan to effectively address the issues
facing companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. This report addresses the
key issues of communicating the expensive process of developing modern medicine, as well as
the value of modern medicine to patients, the healthcare system and society as a whole.
	 Research methods include developing a SWOT and gathering key insights from
primary and secondary research. In respect to primary research, the team conducted a survey
regarding the public’s opinions, knowledge and engagement with the industry. One hundred
and three respondents completed the survey and lent valuable insight on drug pricing, trust
levels with various communication sources, and their personal relationship with the industry.
Secondary research consisted of a social media analysis of trending topics and conversations,
analyzing the current political discussion through the 2016 presidential race, and researching
existing articles and studies on the issues. This secondary research allowed the team to
gauge the public’s sentiment via social media, analyze the key messages they receive from
presidential candidates, and analyze what the industry has done, both successfully and
unsuccessfully, to manage key issues.
	 From the overall research, the team identified several key audiences, and prioritized
Millennials age 18-25 as the target audience specific to this communication plan. This age
group consists of emerging professionals in the media, health, pharmaceutical, biotechnology,
government and related industries and are thus the emerging thought-leaders who will shape
conversations on key issues. This target is soon coming off of parents’ healthcare plans at age
26, and are thus forced to engage more heavily with the industry as a whole. Additionally,
while millennials distrust large corporations, their attitudes are highly malleable by corporate
social responsibility programs and increased transparency.
	 Based on the information gathered, this plan develops three goals for Amgen Inc.:
(1) Increase knowledge among consumers on the process behind drug pricing, (2) Shift the
public’s attitude on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries from skepticism to
understanding, and (3) Take back control of the narrative on drug pricing. The goals narrow
through objectives and tactics that ensure the recommended key messages will stick and
resonate with the target audience.
	 The overall set of recommendations includes suggested key messages, key words, voice/
tonality and framing. The team recommends the industry adopt a relatable, approachable
voice that is trustworthy and intelligent, spoken by a fellow Millennial. These messages should
then be amplified by trusted thought leaders in the industry. The suggested key messages
touch on the relationship between the industry and the individual, progress and future-
oriented direction and cures/healing. For all of these key messages to truly resonate with
consumers, they must be infused with the goals, objectives and tactics laid out by the plan.
02
03
Strengths
•	Enormous strides and technological advances
in research and development
•	Strong position as a pharmaceutical
corporation, large presence in industry
•	When the corporation talks, the public listens.
•	Highly important and relevant industry as a
whole. It affects every human.
•	From our survey - healthcare ranked #2 after
education in delivering value to society
•	U.S. is the largest of five medicine-producing
countries, who make up two-thirds of drug
production
•	Extremely wealthy industry - possesses
resources to implement wide range of
strategies
SWOT Analysis
Opportunities
•	Thought leadership - Promote key executives
with unique perspective on key issues via social
media outlets. Establish them as credible sources
of information/expertise and positive contributors
- positions on relevant panels, perspective pieces,
funding improvements in patient care
•	Prize funds like that proposed by Sen. Bernie
Sanders - reward medical researchers and
developers based primarily on value a new
treatment offers and number of people it benefits
•	Facebook: people share articles here, promote
positive articles
•	Instagram: lack of major pharmaceutical
companies who are showing the good they are
doing
•	Twitter: need positive influencers to spread
benefits
•	LinkedIn: Company specifics/awards/grants/etc.
•	Blogs: Thought leadership
•	Monitor competitor’s crises to create
opportunities to show leadership/new research/
what makes company stand apart from others
•	Advocacy relations with third party groups
•	Educational seminars for media on
pharmaceutical industry topics
•	2016 presidential election - the dialogue is
more open than in a non-election year. Now
is an opportune time to engage in strategic
conversations and get the message heard.
Weaknesses
•	Twenty-nine million Americans uninsured;
millions more that are underinsured with huge
copayments and deductibles
•	U.S. paying the highest prices in the world for
prescription drugs; US spending far more per
person on healthcare than the people of any
other country
•	Massive lawsuits and settlements cast
pharmaceutical companies in negative light:
•	Pfizer 2008- $894 million
•	Pfizer 2015- $400 million
•	Amgen 2012- $762 million
•	Amgen-- no goodwill press releases in 2016
regarding scholarships, grants, social good, etc.
•	Traditional marketing tactics of selling medicine
as a product
•	Product safety scandals
•	Multi-billion dollar corporate mergers
•	Moving finances offshore, tax avoidance
scandals
Threats
•	2016 presidential election keeps stirring the pot
on issues within the pharmaceutical industry.
•	Sanders’ anti-establishment campaign
•	Crises such as Turig Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin
Shkreli has created a negative tone in social media.
•	Only negative articles and words are being seen.
•	Word of mouth can be seen as highly trustworthy
when coming from friends or valued sources,
and if these are negative then they will impact
consumers greatly.
•	Angry consumers striking out at companies 	 	
     -ex: Pfizer April Fool’s Hoax press release
Key Insights
04
Secondary
	Research
•	FOGO = Fear of Getting Older
•	Avoid negative, loss framing
•	“Fear less. Live longer.”
•	Pfizer is spending about $3 million a year on the “Get old” initiative, which is meant to help
burnish the Pfizer image rather than promote Pfizer prescription drugs or over-the-counter
products. It is only lightly branded, carrying small advisories that read, “Brought to you by
Pfizer.”
•	Addressing the fears you have in a way to make you feel less fearful, using wit and humor to
make somewhat of a taboo topic more approachable.
•	Highlighted key industry shortcomings according to public opinion in 2012:
Case study of what NOT to do: Pfizer’s #FOGO fail (Elliot 2014)
PatientView survey (Kessel 2014)
•	a failure to assist patients in securing medications in a difficult economic environment
•	offering drugs with only short-term health benefits
•	not serving the needs of neglected patient groups
•	inappropriate marketing of drugs; a lack of fair pricing policies
•	making drugs unaffordable to many patients
•	a lack of transparency in corporate activities, adverse news about products
•	not having a patient-centered strategy
•	not acting with integrity
•	Many of the issues discussed in the survey could be targeted through a strategic communi-
cation plan.
•	Overwhelmingly negative
•	Twitter - mostly links to articles, most aren’t from a credible source
•	Facebook - lots of articles, from major news sources, more commentary and discussion
•	Instagram - lack of information, mostly photos of Bernie Sanders
•	Keyhole Twitter Analytics results show that key terms like drug prices, drugs, and pharma/
pharmaceutical result in purely negative tweets. Mentions of drug research, pharmaceutical care,
or medicine research yields very positive, though slightly less popular tweets.
•	Secondary research that selects recent articles in the news, and the most common words used to
describe pharmaceutical companies and their actions, especially regarding drug pricing.  m
Social Media:
Government
	 Overview: The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most heavily-regulated and complex
industries in the world. While the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)
advocates on behalf of the industry in Washington D.C., the breadth of its conversations pale in com-
parison to those taking place on the campaign trail.
	 The conversation on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry is extremely partisan.
Both Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders  emphasize drug re-
search on specific diseases, as well as the affordability of prescriptions and health care. On their
websites, multiple health-related issues are showcased. The Republican candidates are conjuring far
different conversations, hardly touching on drug pricing and research and largely focusing on repeal-
ing Obamacare.
	 Below are some of the key messages and talking points expressed by the remaining presiden-
tial candidates:
Key Insights
Secondary
	Research
John Kasich (R):
     -Biggest talking point: repealing Obamacare
     -“A conservative approach to better health
care”
     -Nearly silent on prescription drug pricing
and drug research
Hillary Clinton (D):
     -Biggest talking point: Affordable healthcare
as a basic human right
     -Affordable prescriptions
Large focus on curing Alzheimer’s: “We can pre-
vent, effectively treat, and make an Alzheimer’s
cure possible by 2025.”
     -HIV/AIDS: “We have reached a critical mo-
ment in our fight against HIV and AIDS.”
     -Social security and Medicare: “We must pre-
serve, protect, and strengthen these lifelines.”
     -Player in Turig Pharmaceuticals suit-- wrote
to FDA and FTC
     -“Worried that the balance of power is mov-
ing too far away from consumers”-- in respect to
mergers
Bernie Sanders (D):
     -Biggest talking point: Prescription drug pric-
ing
     -“The era of charging unconscionable prices
must end.”
     -“Drug costs are out of control because that’s
the way pharmaceutical companies want it.”
     -“Drug lobbyists have been able to block all
of these common-sense solutions that we must
work to pass into law. That is unacceptable and
that has got to change.”
     -“Medicare for all”
     -HIV/AIDS: “Working to create an AIDS and
HIV-free generation.”
     -Proposed prize fund to support innovation in
drug research.
     -Overall theme of making large corporations
pay their fair share
Donald Trump (R):
     -Biggest talking point: repealing Obamacare
     -Free market principles for the industry
     -Nearly silent on prescription drug pricing
and drug research
     -Only health-related issue on website: health-
care reform
Ted Cruz (R):
     -Biggest talking point: repealing Obamacare
     -Nearly silent on prescription drug pricing
and drug research
     -No health-related issue on website
05
Key Insights
Survey
	Results
	 The survey was administered using Qualtrics. It was posted on Facebook and emailed on UGA
ListServs. One hundred and three people completed the survey. A large majority of respondents were
female, with the percentage being 89%. 50% of the respondents are current students who listed them-
selves completing as some college. 67% of respondents are between the ages of 18 and 24.
Drug Pricing and Development Attitude
     -69% of survey respondents said drug pricing is too high
     -76% said they prefer higher priced drugs that have longer testing periods
     -50% of people are neutral about drugs being made by a large company vs. a small one
     -More than half of people would have a longer testing period
     -67% said drug prices are too high, 29% said not sure
     -78% said drug testing is important
     -Over 75% of people lean towards having more FDA regulation
Industry Engagement
     -75% of respondents listed the healthcare industry as relevant or extremely relevant to their daily
      lives,
     -46% said they had only a little knowledge
     -47% of respondents get their information from social media, 52% from mainstream online news
sites
     -40% of respondents think the the healthcare industry is somewhat relevant
     -63% of people are more likely to click on a link by a friend
     -46% said personal connection to healthcare issues is the most motivating to stay up to date
Industry Attitude
     -Education, healthcare, and military (in order) are the 3 industries that deliver the most value to
      society
     -17% of survey respondents listed transparency from healthcare corporations as the biggest issue
      facing healthcare corporations (3rd place behind Obamacare and rising drug prices)
     -84% of respondents rated the healthcare industry as very important or higher
     -Biggest issues facing healthcare industry: 36% Obamacare, 21% rising drug prices
     -46% said they only have a little knowledge of the healthcare industry
06
Key Insights
Survey
	Results
07
Key Audiences
	 When addressing the issues of
pharmaceutical medicine pricing and medicine’s
value to society, it is essential to employ different
strategies with different key audiences. From our
research, we have identified the following key
audiences:
Demographic
     Age: Age correlates to how one engages with
the health industry, thus we felt it necessary
to segment audiences based on this variable.
Eighteen through twenty-five-year-olds are
typically still under their parents’ health care.
Twenty-six-year-olds through fifty-year-olds
have become more autonomous decision-makers,
handle employee healthcare benefits, and begin
starting families of their own. Fifty through
seventy-five-year-olds have entered mature
adulthood and their personal health, as well as
their parents, may become more complicated.
Those older than 75 hold firmly to their
perceptions of the healthcare industry and are
least likely to change their minds-- nevertheless
many are still autonomous decision-makers when
it comes to medicine.
     -18-25 years
     -26-50 years
     -50-75 years
     -75+ years
     Education level: Forty-six percent of our
survey respondents said they only felt “a little
knowledgeable” on the healthcare industry. Fifty-
seven percent of respondents indicated a “some
higher education” as their maximum education
level.  
     -Higher education
     -Master’s, Doctorate, etc.
     -Some higher education
     -Some college, Associate/Technical, Bachelor’s
     -No higher education
Psychographic
     Political views: While healthcare is an
important industry to most audiences (81 percent
of survey respondents rated health care as “very
important”) opinions on the industry’s issues
are often divided. Based on our insights on
the current political discourse, we segmented
this audience based on political views. Those
who lean right are hearing different messaging
than those who lean left. Those aligning left
are more exposed to discussion on rising drug
prices, mergers between giant pharmaceutical
corporations, and pharmaceutical corporations
moving offshore. Those aligning right are less
exposed to these discussions that bring negative
light to the industry, and are more exposed
to conversation on allowing the market more
freedom, less government intervention and
combatting “Obamacare.”
     -Right wing
     -Left wing
	 From the above identified key audiences,
our team recommends prioritizing the following
key audience– millennials ages 18-25.
	 While Millennials are broadly defined as
anyone born between 1980-2000, we recommend
focusing on those born between 1991-1998-- 18-
25 year-olds. Millennials have not yet closed
their minds on the industry like generations
before them, thus presenting ample opportunity
to cultivate a more transparent, trustworthy
relationship. The conversation is still very much
open. Millennials are listening to what’s going
on in the industry, because they will soon be off
of their parents’ healthcare and forced to make
autonomous decisions in respect to medicine,
health care plans and policies. Millennials
will soon make health-related decisions for
their families as well and are the emerging key
decision-makers in households. Additionally,
millennials’ role in the current presidential
election race propels them as a priority
audience. In February 2016, Sen. Bernie Sanders
outpolled Hillary Clinton by 85-15 percent
among millennials. Sanders’ anti-establishment
messages, especially on the pharmaceutical
industry, are strongly resonating with millennials.
Millennials distrust the establishment, disfavor
major brands/corporations, but are often brought
back into the relationship when that brand
exhibits corporate social responsibility.
	 More specifically, we advise prioritizing
millennials in Grady College and journalism/
mass communication institutions due to their
rising careers as key influencers in conversations
on pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. These
institutions cultivate the newest generation of
reporters, critics, advocates, public relations
specialists– the entire media environment–
thus the imperativeness of establishing trust,
knowledge and transparency between the industry
and the megaphone.
08
1.Increase knowledge among consumers on the process behind drug pricing. (Informational).
	 Objective 1: Enable millennials to understand the reasoning behind drug pricing and price
            increases through strategic communication platforms.
	 	 ●Strategy: Forty-six percent of survey respondents said they only felt “a little
                           knowledgeable” on the industry. Utilizing strategic communication platforms that cater
                           specifically to the target audience will allow more millennials to hear and engage with
                           the industry’s messages.
	 	 	 ●Tactic 1: Engaging whiteboard videos and infographics.
	 	 	 ●Tactic 2: Create a Twitter account solely dedicated to customer care where
                                        consumers can Tweet their questions and have them answered.
	 Objective 2: Increase transparency between pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies to
            consumers.
	 	 ●Strategy: By increasing transparency, more knowledge is transmitted to the consumer,
	 	   thus contributing to the overall goal. Furthermore, the recent scandals in the industry
                           have damaged consumers’ trust, and increased transparency is a method of resolution.  
	 	 	 ●Tactic 1: Publish and distribute a consumer protection plan that explains how
	 	 	   pharmaceutical companies are going above and beyond to protect the consumer.
	 	 	   Include sections on safety, labeling, price determination, testing periods,
	 	 	   investments/stock, policy changes and more. Distribute on company website,
	 	 	   PhRMA website, in hospitals/doctors offices and pharmacies.
2.Shift the public’s attitude on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries from skepticism to
understanding. (Motivational)
	 Objective 1: Target millennials’ distrust toward the industry.
	 	 ●Strategy: Sixty-two percent of survey respondents are more trustworthy of a link
	 	   posted by a friend on social media. While the key messages are developed from
	 	   the corporation, it is essential that they are spread and gain momentum through
	 	   millennials. Furthermore, felons like Martin Shkreli have siphoned the momentum of
	 	   thousands of doctors and researchers. The industry must restore the balance and tip it
	 	   in the favor of trusted medical professionals. Our survey indicated that the public trusts
	 	   their personal primary care physician more than any other source, ranking it 4.05 out
	 	   of 5.00.
	 	 	 ●Tactic 1: Have millennials post articles and create conversations on the positive
	 	 	   practices in the industry.
	 	 	 ●Tactic 2: Cultivate thought-leaders to advance, sustain and strengthen strategic
	 	 	   conversations.
	 Objective 2: Shift media attention to corporate goodwill programs and corporate social
	 responsibility efforts.
	 	 ●Strategy: Research shows that millennials care about CSR. Brands can re-engage with
	 	   millennials and reposition themselves through CSR. Amgen has not put out a goodwill
	 	   press release in 2016.
	 	 	 ●Tactic 1: Push out goodwill press releases at least once per month.
	 	 	 ●Tactic 2: Implement The Amgen Challenge. The vision of the  Amgen Challenge 	
	 	 	   is for Amgen to start a movement within the industry, challenging the major
	 	 	   pharmaceutical companies to invest fifteen percent of advertising expenses into
	 	 	   research and development.
	 	 	 	 a.This is a big, coordinated stunt across the industry, with Amgen
	 	 	 	    positioned as the leader.
Goals,Objectives,Strategies,Tactics
09
Objective 3: Bring more attention to the cutting edge technology and strides in research and
	 development.
	 	 ●Strategy: Behind the tobacco industry, the oil and the pharmaceutical industries are
	 	   the two industries with the worst reputations among the public. The oil industry has
	 	   adopted strategic communications that focus on innovation in technology and how
	 	   that innovation betters the world. Survey respondents ranked the health industry
	 	   as the second most valuable industry to society after education, thus the need to
	 	   capitalize on the significant and transformative value that medicine delivers.
	 	 	 ●Tactic 1: Create advertising content that focuses on how the industry’s research
	 	 	   and development benefits the world. Do not focus DTC ads on a specific
	 	 	   prescription, but rather the general value of the industry’s medicine to society.
	 	 	 	 a.Ex: Exxon mobil commercials:
	 	 	 	 b.“Powering the world responsibly is our job.”
	 	 	 	 c.Egg commercial: “Because boiling an egg, isn’t as simple as just boiling
	 	 	 	   an egg.”
	 	 	 	 d.Uses same formula across commercials: “Because ___ isn’t as simple as
	 	 	 	   just _____.”
	 	 	 	 e.“[The lab] is a place where we’re not afraid to fail. Some of these
	 	 	 	   experiments may not work, but a few might shape the future.”
	 	 	 	 f.“Ideas Exxon mobil scientists are working on to make energy go further...
	 	 	 	   no matter how many tries it takes.”
	 	 	 	 g.Global focus, futuristic focus, focused on progress
	 	 	 	 h.Focuses on the small, unnoticeable daily things that are made possible
	 	 	 	   by the company’s research and innovation
3.Take back control of the narrative on drug pricing. (Informational)
	 Objective 1: Select key messages that focus on the value of drugs to society.
	 	 ●Strategy: Once the key messages are developed, it is imperative to ensure these
	 	   messages are directly delivered to the media. While key research and development,
	 	   new discoveries, CSR are all relevant and pivotal to the target audience’s attitude,
	 	   potential lawsuits, scandals and crises have exponentially higher potential to impact
  	 	   the public. Thus, it is essential these are handled properly and strategically to ensure
	 	   the progress that’s been made with the public is not tarnished by one event.
	 	 	 ●Tactic 1: Host a media conference before a threat/crisis completely flourishes
	 	 	   to clearly address and control the issue. Invite Amgen, PhRMA, physicians, and
	 	 	   additional thought-leaders to facilitate the discussion. Inviting the media to
	 	 	   come will ensure the media is receiving accurate information.
	 	 	 	 a.See recommendations for suggested key messages.
	 Objective 2: Utilize strategic key words in conversations about drug development and pricing.
	 	 ●Strategy: Twenty-one percent of survey respondents said drug pricing is the largest
	 	   issue facing the health industry. Sixty-seven percent said drug prices are too high. It is 	
	 	   crucial that the industry be hyper-strategic on conversations on this sensitive issue in
	 	   particular.
	 	 	 	 a.See recommendations for suggested keywords.
10
Recommendations
11
Frame: Gain
	 ■Focus on the cures, the additional life as a result of modern medicine
	 ■Focus on the multiple gain layers-- individual, societal, global
	 ■Focus on the daily, overlooked benefits and progress that is made possible by modern medicine
Key messages:
	 ■Option 1: “Putting the right medicine in your hands, because you put your life in ours.”
		 ■Hands imply trust, responsibility, relationship
	 ■Option 2: “Healing the world responsibly is our job.”
		 ■“Healing the world is our job.”
		 ■“Curing the world is our job.”
		 ■Global focus, healing
	 ■Option 3: “Putting responsible medicine in your hands.”
	 ■Option 4: “Pioneering more cures than ever before.”
	 ■Option 5: “Scientists working to make your health go further.”
		 ■B: “Working to make your health go further.”
Key words:
	■Life
	■Cure
	■Medicine
	■Responsible
	■Progress
	■Value
Avoid:
	■Drug
	■Prescription
	■Aging
	■Sales
	■Cost
	 ■Referring to the past
Voice: Relatable, friendly, approachable, yet intelligent
	 ■Establish that Amgen Inc. cares for the consumer, that all of the research and development is so the
	 consumer receives the best medicine possible.
	 ■Spokesperson: A fellow millennial
Evaluation
12
	 In order to evaluate the success of the communications plan, there are two areas that need to be
examined throughout the course of the plan: output and outcome.
OUTPUT
	 The first area, output, revolves around where the strategy is being implemented within media channels
by monitoring factors such as: frequency, visits, click rates, impressions, tonality, message impact and journalist
inquiries. More specifically, the Twitter account set up for customer care and feedback should be analyzed
for growth and public interaction. Ideally, the outcome will be a change in audience’s tone regarding the
pharmaceutical industry from skepticism to genuine curiosity on the industry and will be measured by a scoring
system.
Click rates and impressions should be tracked for content that is focused on corporate social responsibility
programs, educational information and projects involving new research discoveries, progress and milestones to
ensure that the information is reaching the target public. With the expected increase in social media interaction,
the frequency of journalist inquiries and responses should be examined for changes to ensure that key messages
and ideas concerning goodwill and social responsibility are being re-distributed and shared through other media
channels as well.
OUTCOME
	 During the campaign, the target audience should be monitored for changes in perspective regarding
the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. It is recommended to conduct a post-plan survey that mirrors
the survey conducted in this plan’s primary research. The survey should address the same key themes: trust,
engagement, attitudes on drug pricing and development, familiarity and overall attitude on the industry. This
survey will foster insight on overall awareness, changes in perceived image and the impact of key messages.
13
Research Appendix
Survey
In your opinion, which three industries deliver the
most value to society?
	Military/defense
	Education
	Healthcare
	Technology
	Environment
	 Social services
	Infrastructure
Do you consider the healthcare industry important?
	 Likert scale: 1 (not important at all) - 5
	 (extremely important)
Is this healthcare industry relevant to your daily life?
	 Likert scale: 1 (not at all relevant) - 5 (extremely
	relevant)
How competent do you feel in your knowledge of the
healthcare industry?
	 Highly knowledgeable
	 Somewhat knowledgeable
	 A little knowledgeable
	 Not at all knowledgeable
How frequently do you follow news/current events
happening in the healthcare industry?
	Never
	 A couple of times a year
	Monthly
	Weekly
	 A couple of times a week
	Daily
Where do you get your information about the
healthcare industry? Check all that apply.
	 Mainstream online news sites
	Newspaper
	TV
	 Email newsletters
	 Social media
	 Word of mouth
	 Other (please specify):
How much do you trust the following sources when
it comes to current events/issues in the healthcare
industry? Likert Scale-- 1 (not at all) to 5 (completely)
	 Mainstream media
	 Personal primary care physician
	 Celebrity health professional
	Family
	Friends
	 Academic professor/advisor
	 Government/government agencies
	 Pharmaceutical companies
	 Healthcare insurance companies
	 Hospitals/medical centers
	 Other healthcare companies
	 Other (fill in)
Name the mainstream news source(s) you go to most
frequently for healthcare industry news. (Example:
CNN, USA Today, CBS News, etc.)
	 Short answer:
On social media, which of the following are you likely
to click to learn more?
	 Link shared by a friend
	 Post created by a friend
	 Post created by an organization’s page
	 A sponsored ad
How much do you know about your current health
insurance policy/coverage?
	 1 - Nothing
	 2 - A little
	 3 - Moderate knowledge
	 4 - Detailed comprehension
	 5 - Fully understand my policy/coverage
Choose the most important factor that motivates you to
stay up-to-date with the healthcare industry.
	 Comprehensibility of the subject matter
	 Personal connection to health issues
	 Professional interest
	 Political interest
	 Other (Please specify):
14
In your opinion, what is the biggest issue facing the
healthcare industry?
	 Too much unnecessary care
	 Rising drug prices
	 The Affordable Care Act (AKA: “Obamacare”)
	 Merging healthcare insurance companies
	 Lack of transparency from healthcare 	
	corporations
	 Lack of transparency from the government
	 Other (Please specify)_____________
Do you think drug prices are too high?
	Yes
	No
	 Not sure
Which do you prefer:
	 High priced drug with longer testing period.
	 Lower priced drug with shorter testing period.
How important do you believe drug testing is for the
certification process?
	 Very important
	 Moderately important
	 Not at all important
	 No opinion
Please select your preferences on the following factors
related to pharmaceutical drugs.
	 Short testing period ------------------- long 	
	 testing period
	 Made by large pharmaceutical corporation ----
	 made by smaller pharmaceutical corporation
	 Drugs that suppresses symptoms ------ drug
	 that cures disease
	 Less FDA regulation ------ Greater FDA 	
	regulation
	 Name brand drug ------ generic drug
Have you heard of the new therapy to cure people with
Hepatitis C?
	Yes
	No
Have you heard of the launch of a new class of drugs to
reduce cholesterol?
	Yes
	No
What is your age?
	 11 - 17
	 18 - 24
	 25 - 30
	 31 - 40
	 41 - 50
	50+
What is your gender?
	Male
	Female
	 Prefer not to answer
What is your highest level of education?
	 PhD, JD, MD or professional degree
	 Masters Degree
	 Bachelors Degree
	 Associate/Technical Degree
	 Some college
	 High school Degree
	Other
What is your current occupation?
	 Fill in the blank
If you’d like to enter to win a $10 Jittery Joe’s gift card,
please enter your email:
We will not use your email for any other purpose than
to get in touch with you if you win.
Elliott, S. (2014). Pfizer to Inject Youth Into the Aging Process. Retrieved April 10, 2016. Retrieved from
	http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/16/business/media/pfizer-to-inject-youth-into-the-aging-process.
	html?_r=0
Kessel, M. (2014). Restoring the pharmaceutical industry's reputation. Nature Biotechnology, 32(10), 983-990.
	doi:10.1038/nbt.3036
(2014). Enabling Everyday Progress [Online video]. Exxon Mobil. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
Health Care (2016.). In Hillary Clinton. Retrieved from https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/health-care/
	
Fighting to Lower Prescription Drug Prices (2016). In Bernie Sanders . Retrieved from https://berniesanders.
	com/issues/fighting-to-lower-prescription-drug-prices/
Issues (2016). In Donald Trump. Retrieved from https://www.donaldjtrump.com/issues/
A Conservative Approach To Better Health Care (2016). In John Kasich. Retrieved from https://www.johnkasich.
	com/HealthCare/
Issues (2016). In Ted Cruz. Retrieved from https://www.tedcruz.org/issues/
Shough, A. (Narrator). (2015). Making the world’s energy go further [Online video]. Exxon Mobil. Retrieved 	
	 April 2, 2016.
15
Research Appendix
Refrences
Strat Comm Pharm Report (1)

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Strat Comm Pharm Report (1)

  • 1. Grace Greenblatt, Tracy Hall, Linda Johnson, Moe Kredan, Izabella Zucker Dr. Yan Jin Honors Health Communication University of Georgia A Strategic Communication Plan for the Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology IndustriesShushing Shkreli
  • 2. Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................ 02 SWOT ................................................................................ 03 Key Insights ...................................................................... 04 Key Audiences ....................................................,........... 08 Goals, Objectives, Strategies, Tactics .......................... 09 Recommendations ........................................................ 11 Evaluation ....................................................................... 12 Research Appendix ....................................................... 13 01
  • 3. Executive Summary This report provides a strategic communication plan to effectively address the issues facing companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. This report addresses the key issues of communicating the expensive process of developing modern medicine, as well as the value of modern medicine to patients, the healthcare system and society as a whole. Research methods include developing a SWOT and gathering key insights from primary and secondary research. In respect to primary research, the team conducted a survey regarding the public’s opinions, knowledge and engagement with the industry. One hundred and three respondents completed the survey and lent valuable insight on drug pricing, trust levels with various communication sources, and their personal relationship with the industry. Secondary research consisted of a social media analysis of trending topics and conversations, analyzing the current political discussion through the 2016 presidential race, and researching existing articles and studies on the issues. This secondary research allowed the team to gauge the public’s sentiment via social media, analyze the key messages they receive from presidential candidates, and analyze what the industry has done, both successfully and unsuccessfully, to manage key issues. From the overall research, the team identified several key audiences, and prioritized Millennials age 18-25 as the target audience specific to this communication plan. This age group consists of emerging professionals in the media, health, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, government and related industries and are thus the emerging thought-leaders who will shape conversations on key issues. This target is soon coming off of parents’ healthcare plans at age 26, and are thus forced to engage more heavily with the industry as a whole. Additionally, while millennials distrust large corporations, their attitudes are highly malleable by corporate social responsibility programs and increased transparency. Based on the information gathered, this plan develops three goals for Amgen Inc.: (1) Increase knowledge among consumers on the process behind drug pricing, (2) Shift the public’s attitude on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries from skepticism to understanding, and (3) Take back control of the narrative on drug pricing. The goals narrow through objectives and tactics that ensure the recommended key messages will stick and resonate with the target audience. The overall set of recommendations includes suggested key messages, key words, voice/ tonality and framing. The team recommends the industry adopt a relatable, approachable voice that is trustworthy and intelligent, spoken by a fellow Millennial. These messages should then be amplified by trusted thought leaders in the industry. The suggested key messages touch on the relationship between the industry and the individual, progress and future- oriented direction and cures/healing. For all of these key messages to truly resonate with consumers, they must be infused with the goals, objectives and tactics laid out by the plan. 02
  • 4. 03 Strengths • Enormous strides and technological advances in research and development • Strong position as a pharmaceutical corporation, large presence in industry • When the corporation talks, the public listens. • Highly important and relevant industry as a whole. It affects every human. • From our survey - healthcare ranked #2 after education in delivering value to society • U.S. is the largest of five medicine-producing countries, who make up two-thirds of drug production • Extremely wealthy industry - possesses resources to implement wide range of strategies SWOT Analysis Opportunities • Thought leadership - Promote key executives with unique perspective on key issues via social media outlets. Establish them as credible sources of information/expertise and positive contributors - positions on relevant panels, perspective pieces, funding improvements in patient care • Prize funds like that proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders - reward medical researchers and developers based primarily on value a new treatment offers and number of people it benefits • Facebook: people share articles here, promote positive articles • Instagram: lack of major pharmaceutical companies who are showing the good they are doing • Twitter: need positive influencers to spread benefits • LinkedIn: Company specifics/awards/grants/etc. • Blogs: Thought leadership • Monitor competitor’s crises to create opportunities to show leadership/new research/ what makes company stand apart from others • Advocacy relations with third party groups • Educational seminars for media on pharmaceutical industry topics • 2016 presidential election - the dialogue is more open than in a non-election year. Now is an opportune time to engage in strategic conversations and get the message heard. Weaknesses • Twenty-nine million Americans uninsured; millions more that are underinsured with huge copayments and deductibles • U.S. paying the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs; US spending far more per person on healthcare than the people of any other country • Massive lawsuits and settlements cast pharmaceutical companies in negative light: • Pfizer 2008- $894 million • Pfizer 2015- $400 million • Amgen 2012- $762 million • Amgen-- no goodwill press releases in 2016 regarding scholarships, grants, social good, etc. • Traditional marketing tactics of selling medicine as a product • Product safety scandals • Multi-billion dollar corporate mergers • Moving finances offshore, tax avoidance scandals Threats • 2016 presidential election keeps stirring the pot on issues within the pharmaceutical industry. • Sanders’ anti-establishment campaign • Crises such as Turig Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli has created a negative tone in social media. • Only negative articles and words are being seen. • Word of mouth can be seen as highly trustworthy when coming from friends or valued sources, and if these are negative then they will impact consumers greatly. • Angry consumers striking out at companies -ex: Pfizer April Fool’s Hoax press release
  • 5. Key Insights 04 Secondary Research • FOGO = Fear of Getting Older • Avoid negative, loss framing • “Fear less. Live longer.” • Pfizer is spending about $3 million a year on the “Get old” initiative, which is meant to help burnish the Pfizer image rather than promote Pfizer prescription drugs or over-the-counter products. It is only lightly branded, carrying small advisories that read, “Brought to you by Pfizer.” • Addressing the fears you have in a way to make you feel less fearful, using wit and humor to make somewhat of a taboo topic more approachable. • Highlighted key industry shortcomings according to public opinion in 2012: Case study of what NOT to do: Pfizer’s #FOGO fail (Elliot 2014) PatientView survey (Kessel 2014) • a failure to assist patients in securing medications in a difficult economic environment • offering drugs with only short-term health benefits • not serving the needs of neglected patient groups • inappropriate marketing of drugs; a lack of fair pricing policies • making drugs unaffordable to many patients • a lack of transparency in corporate activities, adverse news about products • not having a patient-centered strategy • not acting with integrity • Many of the issues discussed in the survey could be targeted through a strategic communi- cation plan. • Overwhelmingly negative • Twitter - mostly links to articles, most aren’t from a credible source • Facebook - lots of articles, from major news sources, more commentary and discussion • Instagram - lack of information, mostly photos of Bernie Sanders • Keyhole Twitter Analytics results show that key terms like drug prices, drugs, and pharma/ pharmaceutical result in purely negative tweets. Mentions of drug research, pharmaceutical care, or medicine research yields very positive, though slightly less popular tweets. • Secondary research that selects recent articles in the news, and the most common words used to describe pharmaceutical companies and their actions, especially regarding drug pricing. m Social Media:
  • 6. Government Overview: The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most heavily-regulated and complex industries in the world. While the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) advocates on behalf of the industry in Washington D.C., the breadth of its conversations pale in com- parison to those taking place on the campaign trail. The conversation on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry is extremely partisan. Both Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders emphasize drug re- search on specific diseases, as well as the affordability of prescriptions and health care. On their websites, multiple health-related issues are showcased. The Republican candidates are conjuring far different conversations, hardly touching on drug pricing and research and largely focusing on repeal- ing Obamacare. Below are some of the key messages and talking points expressed by the remaining presiden- tial candidates: Key Insights Secondary Research John Kasich (R): -Biggest talking point: repealing Obamacare -“A conservative approach to better health care” -Nearly silent on prescription drug pricing and drug research Hillary Clinton (D): -Biggest talking point: Affordable healthcare as a basic human right -Affordable prescriptions Large focus on curing Alzheimer’s: “We can pre- vent, effectively treat, and make an Alzheimer’s cure possible by 2025.” -HIV/AIDS: “We have reached a critical mo- ment in our fight against HIV and AIDS.” -Social security and Medicare: “We must pre- serve, protect, and strengthen these lifelines.” -Player in Turig Pharmaceuticals suit-- wrote to FDA and FTC -“Worried that the balance of power is mov- ing too far away from consumers”-- in respect to mergers Bernie Sanders (D): -Biggest talking point: Prescription drug pric- ing -“The era of charging unconscionable prices must end.” -“Drug costs are out of control because that’s the way pharmaceutical companies want it.” -“Drug lobbyists have been able to block all of these common-sense solutions that we must work to pass into law. That is unacceptable and that has got to change.” -“Medicare for all” -HIV/AIDS: “Working to create an AIDS and HIV-free generation.” -Proposed prize fund to support innovation in drug research. -Overall theme of making large corporations pay their fair share Donald Trump (R): -Biggest talking point: repealing Obamacare -Free market principles for the industry -Nearly silent on prescription drug pricing and drug research -Only health-related issue on website: health- care reform Ted Cruz (R): -Biggest talking point: repealing Obamacare -Nearly silent on prescription drug pricing and drug research -No health-related issue on website 05
  • 7. Key Insights Survey Results The survey was administered using Qualtrics. It was posted on Facebook and emailed on UGA ListServs. One hundred and three people completed the survey. A large majority of respondents were female, with the percentage being 89%. 50% of the respondents are current students who listed them- selves completing as some college. 67% of respondents are between the ages of 18 and 24. Drug Pricing and Development Attitude -69% of survey respondents said drug pricing is too high -76% said they prefer higher priced drugs that have longer testing periods -50% of people are neutral about drugs being made by a large company vs. a small one -More than half of people would have a longer testing period -67% said drug prices are too high, 29% said not sure -78% said drug testing is important -Over 75% of people lean towards having more FDA regulation Industry Engagement -75% of respondents listed the healthcare industry as relevant or extremely relevant to their daily lives, -46% said they had only a little knowledge -47% of respondents get their information from social media, 52% from mainstream online news sites -40% of respondents think the the healthcare industry is somewhat relevant -63% of people are more likely to click on a link by a friend -46% said personal connection to healthcare issues is the most motivating to stay up to date Industry Attitude -Education, healthcare, and military (in order) are the 3 industries that deliver the most value to society -17% of survey respondents listed transparency from healthcare corporations as the biggest issue facing healthcare corporations (3rd place behind Obamacare and rising drug prices) -84% of respondents rated the healthcare industry as very important or higher -Biggest issues facing healthcare industry: 36% Obamacare, 21% rising drug prices -46% said they only have a little knowledge of the healthcare industry 06
  • 9. Key Audiences When addressing the issues of pharmaceutical medicine pricing and medicine’s value to society, it is essential to employ different strategies with different key audiences. From our research, we have identified the following key audiences: Demographic Age: Age correlates to how one engages with the health industry, thus we felt it necessary to segment audiences based on this variable. Eighteen through twenty-five-year-olds are typically still under their parents’ health care. Twenty-six-year-olds through fifty-year-olds have become more autonomous decision-makers, handle employee healthcare benefits, and begin starting families of their own. Fifty through seventy-five-year-olds have entered mature adulthood and their personal health, as well as their parents, may become more complicated. Those older than 75 hold firmly to their perceptions of the healthcare industry and are least likely to change their minds-- nevertheless many are still autonomous decision-makers when it comes to medicine. -18-25 years -26-50 years -50-75 years -75+ years Education level: Forty-six percent of our survey respondents said they only felt “a little knowledgeable” on the healthcare industry. Fifty- seven percent of respondents indicated a “some higher education” as their maximum education level. -Higher education -Master’s, Doctorate, etc. -Some higher education -Some college, Associate/Technical, Bachelor’s -No higher education Psychographic Political views: While healthcare is an important industry to most audiences (81 percent of survey respondents rated health care as “very important”) opinions on the industry’s issues are often divided. Based on our insights on the current political discourse, we segmented this audience based on political views. Those who lean right are hearing different messaging than those who lean left. Those aligning left are more exposed to discussion on rising drug prices, mergers between giant pharmaceutical corporations, and pharmaceutical corporations moving offshore. Those aligning right are less exposed to these discussions that bring negative light to the industry, and are more exposed to conversation on allowing the market more freedom, less government intervention and combatting “Obamacare.” -Right wing -Left wing From the above identified key audiences, our team recommends prioritizing the following key audience– millennials ages 18-25. While Millennials are broadly defined as anyone born between 1980-2000, we recommend focusing on those born between 1991-1998-- 18- 25 year-olds. Millennials have not yet closed their minds on the industry like generations before them, thus presenting ample opportunity to cultivate a more transparent, trustworthy relationship. The conversation is still very much open. Millennials are listening to what’s going on in the industry, because they will soon be off of their parents’ healthcare and forced to make autonomous decisions in respect to medicine, health care plans and policies. Millennials will soon make health-related decisions for their families as well and are the emerging key decision-makers in households. Additionally, millennials’ role in the current presidential election race propels them as a priority audience. In February 2016, Sen. Bernie Sanders outpolled Hillary Clinton by 85-15 percent among millennials. Sanders’ anti-establishment messages, especially on the pharmaceutical industry, are strongly resonating with millennials. Millennials distrust the establishment, disfavor major brands/corporations, but are often brought back into the relationship when that brand exhibits corporate social responsibility. More specifically, we advise prioritizing millennials in Grady College and journalism/ mass communication institutions due to their rising careers as key influencers in conversations on pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. These institutions cultivate the newest generation of reporters, critics, advocates, public relations specialists– the entire media environment– thus the imperativeness of establishing trust, knowledge and transparency between the industry and the megaphone. 08
  • 10. 1.Increase knowledge among consumers on the process behind drug pricing. (Informational). Objective 1: Enable millennials to understand the reasoning behind drug pricing and price increases through strategic communication platforms. ●Strategy: Forty-six percent of survey respondents said they only felt “a little knowledgeable” on the industry. Utilizing strategic communication platforms that cater specifically to the target audience will allow more millennials to hear and engage with the industry’s messages. ●Tactic 1: Engaging whiteboard videos and infographics. ●Tactic 2: Create a Twitter account solely dedicated to customer care where consumers can Tweet their questions and have them answered. Objective 2: Increase transparency between pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies to consumers. ●Strategy: By increasing transparency, more knowledge is transmitted to the consumer, thus contributing to the overall goal. Furthermore, the recent scandals in the industry have damaged consumers’ trust, and increased transparency is a method of resolution. ●Tactic 1: Publish and distribute a consumer protection plan that explains how pharmaceutical companies are going above and beyond to protect the consumer. Include sections on safety, labeling, price determination, testing periods, investments/stock, policy changes and more. Distribute on company website, PhRMA website, in hospitals/doctors offices and pharmacies. 2.Shift the public’s attitude on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries from skepticism to understanding. (Motivational) Objective 1: Target millennials’ distrust toward the industry. ●Strategy: Sixty-two percent of survey respondents are more trustworthy of a link posted by a friend on social media. While the key messages are developed from the corporation, it is essential that they are spread and gain momentum through millennials. Furthermore, felons like Martin Shkreli have siphoned the momentum of thousands of doctors and researchers. The industry must restore the balance and tip it in the favor of trusted medical professionals. Our survey indicated that the public trusts their personal primary care physician more than any other source, ranking it 4.05 out of 5.00. ●Tactic 1: Have millennials post articles and create conversations on the positive practices in the industry. ●Tactic 2: Cultivate thought-leaders to advance, sustain and strengthen strategic conversations. Objective 2: Shift media attention to corporate goodwill programs and corporate social responsibility efforts. ●Strategy: Research shows that millennials care about CSR. Brands can re-engage with millennials and reposition themselves through CSR. Amgen has not put out a goodwill press release in 2016. ●Tactic 1: Push out goodwill press releases at least once per month. ●Tactic 2: Implement The Amgen Challenge. The vision of the Amgen Challenge is for Amgen to start a movement within the industry, challenging the major pharmaceutical companies to invest fifteen percent of advertising expenses into research and development. a.This is a big, coordinated stunt across the industry, with Amgen positioned as the leader. Goals,Objectives,Strategies,Tactics 09
  • 11. Objective 3: Bring more attention to the cutting edge technology and strides in research and development. ●Strategy: Behind the tobacco industry, the oil and the pharmaceutical industries are the two industries with the worst reputations among the public. The oil industry has adopted strategic communications that focus on innovation in technology and how that innovation betters the world. Survey respondents ranked the health industry as the second most valuable industry to society after education, thus the need to capitalize on the significant and transformative value that medicine delivers. ●Tactic 1: Create advertising content that focuses on how the industry’s research and development benefits the world. Do not focus DTC ads on a specific prescription, but rather the general value of the industry’s medicine to society. a.Ex: Exxon mobil commercials: b.“Powering the world responsibly is our job.” c.Egg commercial: “Because boiling an egg, isn’t as simple as just boiling an egg.” d.Uses same formula across commercials: “Because ___ isn’t as simple as just _____.” e.“[The lab] is a place where we’re not afraid to fail. Some of these experiments may not work, but a few might shape the future.” f.“Ideas Exxon mobil scientists are working on to make energy go further... no matter how many tries it takes.” g.Global focus, futuristic focus, focused on progress h.Focuses on the small, unnoticeable daily things that are made possible by the company’s research and innovation 3.Take back control of the narrative on drug pricing. (Informational) Objective 1: Select key messages that focus on the value of drugs to society. ●Strategy: Once the key messages are developed, it is imperative to ensure these messages are directly delivered to the media. While key research and development, new discoveries, CSR are all relevant and pivotal to the target audience’s attitude, potential lawsuits, scandals and crises have exponentially higher potential to impact the public. Thus, it is essential these are handled properly and strategically to ensure the progress that’s been made with the public is not tarnished by one event. ●Tactic 1: Host a media conference before a threat/crisis completely flourishes to clearly address and control the issue. Invite Amgen, PhRMA, physicians, and additional thought-leaders to facilitate the discussion. Inviting the media to come will ensure the media is receiving accurate information. a.See recommendations for suggested key messages. Objective 2: Utilize strategic key words in conversations about drug development and pricing. ●Strategy: Twenty-one percent of survey respondents said drug pricing is the largest issue facing the health industry. Sixty-seven percent said drug prices are too high. It is crucial that the industry be hyper-strategic on conversations on this sensitive issue in particular. a.See recommendations for suggested keywords. 10
  • 12. Recommendations 11 Frame: Gain ■Focus on the cures, the additional life as a result of modern medicine ■Focus on the multiple gain layers-- individual, societal, global ■Focus on the daily, overlooked benefits and progress that is made possible by modern medicine Key messages: ■Option 1: “Putting the right medicine in your hands, because you put your life in ours.” ■Hands imply trust, responsibility, relationship ■Option 2: “Healing the world responsibly is our job.” ■“Healing the world is our job.” ■“Curing the world is our job.” ■Global focus, healing ■Option 3: “Putting responsible medicine in your hands.” ■Option 4: “Pioneering more cures than ever before.” ■Option 5: “Scientists working to make your health go further.” ■B: “Working to make your health go further.” Key words: ■Life ■Cure ■Medicine ■Responsible ■Progress ■Value Avoid: ■Drug ■Prescription ■Aging ■Sales ■Cost ■Referring to the past Voice: Relatable, friendly, approachable, yet intelligent ■Establish that Amgen Inc. cares for the consumer, that all of the research and development is so the consumer receives the best medicine possible. ■Spokesperson: A fellow millennial
  • 13. Evaluation 12 In order to evaluate the success of the communications plan, there are two areas that need to be examined throughout the course of the plan: output and outcome. OUTPUT The first area, output, revolves around where the strategy is being implemented within media channels by monitoring factors such as: frequency, visits, click rates, impressions, tonality, message impact and journalist inquiries. More specifically, the Twitter account set up for customer care and feedback should be analyzed for growth and public interaction. Ideally, the outcome will be a change in audience’s tone regarding the pharmaceutical industry from skepticism to genuine curiosity on the industry and will be measured by a scoring system. Click rates and impressions should be tracked for content that is focused on corporate social responsibility programs, educational information and projects involving new research discoveries, progress and milestones to ensure that the information is reaching the target public. With the expected increase in social media interaction, the frequency of journalist inquiries and responses should be examined for changes to ensure that key messages and ideas concerning goodwill and social responsibility are being re-distributed and shared through other media channels as well. OUTCOME During the campaign, the target audience should be monitored for changes in perspective regarding the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. It is recommended to conduct a post-plan survey that mirrors the survey conducted in this plan’s primary research. The survey should address the same key themes: trust, engagement, attitudes on drug pricing and development, familiarity and overall attitude on the industry. This survey will foster insight on overall awareness, changes in perceived image and the impact of key messages.
  • 14. 13 Research Appendix Survey In your opinion, which three industries deliver the most value to society? Military/defense Education Healthcare Technology Environment Social services Infrastructure Do you consider the healthcare industry important? Likert scale: 1 (not important at all) - 5 (extremely important) Is this healthcare industry relevant to your daily life? Likert scale: 1 (not at all relevant) - 5 (extremely relevant) How competent do you feel in your knowledge of the healthcare industry? Highly knowledgeable Somewhat knowledgeable A little knowledgeable Not at all knowledgeable How frequently do you follow news/current events happening in the healthcare industry? Never A couple of times a year Monthly Weekly A couple of times a week Daily Where do you get your information about the healthcare industry? Check all that apply. Mainstream online news sites Newspaper TV Email newsletters Social media Word of mouth Other (please specify): How much do you trust the following sources when it comes to current events/issues in the healthcare industry? Likert Scale-- 1 (not at all) to 5 (completely) Mainstream media Personal primary care physician Celebrity health professional Family Friends Academic professor/advisor Government/government agencies Pharmaceutical companies Healthcare insurance companies Hospitals/medical centers Other healthcare companies Other (fill in) Name the mainstream news source(s) you go to most frequently for healthcare industry news. (Example: CNN, USA Today, CBS News, etc.) Short answer: On social media, which of the following are you likely to click to learn more? Link shared by a friend Post created by a friend Post created by an organization’s page A sponsored ad How much do you know about your current health insurance policy/coverage? 1 - Nothing 2 - A little 3 - Moderate knowledge 4 - Detailed comprehension 5 - Fully understand my policy/coverage Choose the most important factor that motivates you to stay up-to-date with the healthcare industry. Comprehensibility of the subject matter Personal connection to health issues Professional interest Political interest Other (Please specify):
  • 15. 14 In your opinion, what is the biggest issue facing the healthcare industry? Too much unnecessary care Rising drug prices The Affordable Care Act (AKA: “Obamacare”) Merging healthcare insurance companies Lack of transparency from healthcare corporations Lack of transparency from the government Other (Please specify)_____________ Do you think drug prices are too high? Yes No Not sure Which do you prefer: High priced drug with longer testing period. Lower priced drug with shorter testing period. How important do you believe drug testing is for the certification process? Very important Moderately important Not at all important No opinion Please select your preferences on the following factors related to pharmaceutical drugs. Short testing period ------------------- long testing period Made by large pharmaceutical corporation ---- made by smaller pharmaceutical corporation Drugs that suppresses symptoms ------ drug that cures disease Less FDA regulation ------ Greater FDA regulation Name brand drug ------ generic drug Have you heard of the new therapy to cure people with Hepatitis C? Yes No Have you heard of the launch of a new class of drugs to reduce cholesterol? Yes No What is your age? 11 - 17 18 - 24 25 - 30 31 - 40 41 - 50 50+ What is your gender? Male Female Prefer not to answer What is your highest level of education? PhD, JD, MD or professional degree Masters Degree Bachelors Degree Associate/Technical Degree Some college High school Degree Other What is your current occupation? Fill in the blank If you’d like to enter to win a $10 Jittery Joe’s gift card, please enter your email: We will not use your email for any other purpose than to get in touch with you if you win.
  • 16. Elliott, S. (2014). Pfizer to Inject Youth Into the Aging Process. Retrieved April 10, 2016. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/16/business/media/pfizer-to-inject-youth-into-the-aging-process. html?_r=0 Kessel, M. (2014). Restoring the pharmaceutical industry's reputation. Nature Biotechnology, 32(10), 983-990. doi:10.1038/nbt.3036 (2014). Enabling Everyday Progress [Online video]. Exxon Mobil. Retrieved April 2, 2016. Health Care (2016.). In Hillary Clinton. Retrieved from https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/health-care/ Fighting to Lower Prescription Drug Prices (2016). In Bernie Sanders . Retrieved from https://berniesanders. com/issues/fighting-to-lower-prescription-drug-prices/ Issues (2016). In Donald Trump. Retrieved from https://www.donaldjtrump.com/issues/ A Conservative Approach To Better Health Care (2016). In John Kasich. Retrieved from https://www.johnkasich. com/HealthCare/ Issues (2016). In Ted Cruz. Retrieved from https://www.tedcruz.org/issues/ Shough, A. (Narrator). (2015). Making the world’s energy go further [Online video]. Exxon Mobil. Retrieved April 2, 2016. 15 Research Appendix Refrences