While it's still not good, public perception of pharma improving

While it's still not good, public perception of pharma improving

Public perception of the pharma industry is up for the second year in a row, after bottoming out in 2004, according to Harris Interactive's annual survey. That's not to say the public thinks highly of the industry: Pharma companies had a net positive rating of only 25% in 2006. Still, that's up from last year's 13% and 2004's low of minus 4%. According to Harris Interactive, the public's perception of pharma has been more volatile than any other industry, plunging steadily until last year from a 60% net positive rating in 1997. Although Vioxx was pulled from the market in 2004, unfavorable publicity about drug prices--not drug safety--that likely fuels the public's dissatisfaction with the industry, according to Harris Interactive.