Large Numbers of People Do Not Trust the Institutions They Identify as Most Responsible for Drug Safety

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – April 25, 2007— In a survey conducted by Harris Interactive^®, people were asked for their opinions regarding institutions responsible for drug safety in the United States. We found that institutions believed to have the greatest responsibility in drug safety are often those that are least trusted to do so. Among a list of four entities integral to drug safety –The Federal Drug Administration (FDA), pharmaceutical companies, doctors and other healthcare providers, and Congress – people identified the FDA and pharmaceutical companies as the entities that should bear the most responsibility for drug safety in the United States today.

However, when asked about their corresponding levels of trust in these entities, both faired poorly. Furthermore, people are skeptical that pharmaceutical companies will release information, positive or negative, about the safety of their products. Doctors and other healthcare providers, on the other hand, were also seen as bearing a high amount of responsibility for drug safety, but unlike the FDA and pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers received high trust ratings.

These are just some of the results of a nationwide survey of 1,726 adults interviewed online between October 20 and October 30, 2006. The survey was conducted for the Pharmaceutical Safety Institute and was designed to represent the general public, except that it excluded people who work in the health care industry, for a regulatory agency or who are health care providers.

Substantial majorities believe the FDA and U.S. pharmaceutical companies should bear the most responsibility for regulating the safety of prescription drugs in the United States. These two entities were deemed to bear a greater responsibility for drug safety than healthcare professionals and the Congress of the United States. However, large numbers of people still feel both of them also share responsibility for drug safety:

• 60 percent of people believe the U.S. FDA has a great deal of responsibility for prescription drug safety;
• 53 percent of people believe U.S. pharmaceutical companies have a great deal of responsibility for prescription drug safety;
• 30 percent of people believe U.S. healthcare professionals have a great deal of responsibility for prescription drug safety; and
• 22 percent of people believe the Congress of the United States has a great deal of responsibility for prescription drug safety.

In addition, substantial numbers believe these four groups have "quite of bit" of responsibility.

In light of recent reports of adverse reactions related to some frequently used prescription drugs, large numbers of people report that they do not trust the entities they identify as most responsible for ensuring drug safety. Only 45 percent of people somewhat trust or very strongly trust the U.S. FDA. Only 27 percent of people somewhat or very strongly trust pharmaceutical companies. Only 20 percent of people somewhat or very strongly trust Congress. However, many more people, a 58 percent majority, somewhat or very strongly trust doctors or other professionals who prescribe drugs.

Majorities of the public also do not have much confidence that drug companies will release or disseminate information they have regarding the safety of their drugs. Only 43 percent of people are fairly, very or extremely confident that drug companies will release any information about adverse reactions to their drugs. Only 44 percent of people are fairly, very or extremely confident that drug companies will eventually disseminate all information – positive or negative – they have regarding drug safety.

These Harris Interactive survey results show that substantial numbers of the public do not have confidence that it is adequately protected when it comes to drug safety. It is also evident that the entities people identify as most responsible for ensuring drug safety have a long way to go to win the public’s trust. People have little confidence that they will do all they can to protect the public from adverse reactions to prescription medications. This is particularly true for the two entities considered to be most responsible for drug safety, the FDA and pharmaceutical companies.

"In your opinion, how much responsibility do you think each of the following groups has in regulating the safety of prescription drugs in the United States today?"

Base: All Adults*

*Excludes people who work in the health care industry, for a regulatory agency or who are health care providers.

"There have been recent reports of potential adverse reactions related to some frequently used prescription drugs, such as Vioxx, Bextra, Celebrex, and Naproxen. Using the scale below, how would you describe your current level of trust associated with the following entities?"

Base: All Adults*

*Excludes people who work in the health care industry, for a regulatory agency or who are health care providers.

"Using the scale below, please indicate your level of confidence with each of the following statements."

Base: All Adults*

*Excludes people who work in the health care industry, for a regulatory agency or who are health care providers.

This Harris Poll^® was conducted online within the United States between October 20 and October 30, 2006 among a nationwide cross section of 1,726 adults (aged 18 and over). The survey was designed to represent the general public, except that it excluded people who work in the health care industry, for a regulatory agency or who are health care providers. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.

All surveys are subject to several sources of error. These include: sampling error (because only a sample of a population is interviewed); measurement error due to question wording and/or question order, deliberately or unintentionally inaccurate responses, non-responses (including refusals), interviewer effects (when live interviewers are used) and weighting.

With one exception (sampling error) the magnitude of the errors that result cannot be estimated. There is, therefore, no way to calculate a finite "margin of error" for any survey and the use of these words should be avoided.

With pure probability samples, with 100 percent response rates, it is possible to calculate the probability that the sampling error (but not other sources of error) is not greater than some number. With a pure probability sample of 1,726 adults one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- two percentage points. However that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides innovative research, insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what it believes to be the world’s largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiaries Novatris in France and MediaTransfer AG in Germany, and through a global network of independent market research firms. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com.

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Press Contacts:

Tracey McNerney
Harris Interactive
585-214-7756