A Spoonful of PR to Make For-Profit Medicine Seem Good

Rising healthcare costs, drug recalls and a low public opinion of the healthcare industry mean that there will be "less money in [direct-to-consumer advertising]" and "more money in PR" in the future, predicts Chandler Chicco's Jeff Nesbit. Nesbit says the pharmaceutical industry is already "putting more resources into building alliances with third-party partners, particularly in the non-profit sector" and promoting "corporate social responsibility programs." APCO Worldwide's Mike Tuffin warns, "Polls show that Americans are increasingly receptive to government in healthcare. ... You've got to help [industry] make a strong push about why the market-based approach is better."