Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Pharma Looks To Flip The Script With Multi-Million Dollar Ad Campaign
The Washington Post: To Fight Their Negative Image On Prices, Drug Companies Launch A Major Ad Campaign That Doesn’t Mention Them
Just two weeks after President Trump said the pharmaceutical industry is “getting away with murder” on drug prices, the industry's major lobbying group launched its largest-ever ad campaign aimed at rebranding drug companies' image — without even mentioning the topic. Instead of drug prices — which have been the subject of multiple congressional hearings, an issue debated in the presidential campaign and a top concern of consumers — the first television ad focuses on science, patients and the heroism of researchers. (Johnson, 1/23)
Wall Street Journal: Industry Group PhRMA Tries To Counter Drug-Pricing Outcry
The group, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA – the industry’s primary lobbying group in Washington — said it began planning the public relations push over six months ago, in response to several price-hike controversies, including the soaring costs of EpiPens, that brought negative attention to drug makers more broadly. (Hackman, 1/23)
The Hill: Drug Lobby Launches Major Ad Blitz Amid Trump Criticism
PhRMA, the largest drug lobby organization, launched the "Go Boldly" campaign Monday, aimed at highlighting "advances in science" by pharmaceutical companies. (Hellmann, 1/23)
Bloomberg: Pharma Lobby Fights Back Against Trump Criticism With TV Ads
“We are going on offense,” Ubl said. “We are launching the most comprehensive campaign we’ve ever embarked on.” (Hopkins and Edney, 1/23)
Stat: Drug Industry Unveils Massive Campaign To Counter Criticism
“Less hoodie, more lab coats” is how PhRMA President and CEO Stephen Ubl described the advertising campaign in a briefing with reporters. (Shkreli, not missing an opportunity for publicity, responded with a hastily produced website detailing how double-digit price increases are hardly unique to companies outside PhRMA’s membership.) (Scott, 1/23)
Politico Pro: New PhRMA Campaign ‘Tone Deaf’ To Drug Pricing Debate, Critics Contend
The drug industry rolled out a multimillion-dollar five-year advertising campaign Monday, its biggest public relations campaign to date, highlighting the value of its medicines and contribution to longer lives. The campaign is “designed to get people excited about the science” and focused on the value new drug brings to both patients and society through longer lives and less health care costs in other parts of the system, PhRMA CEO Stephen Ubl told reporters. (Karlin-Smith, 1/23)
