The latest from DTC Perspectives

Free Drugs, Fine Idea!

Pfizer is showing terrific smarts in starting a program providing free drugs for the unemployed. The program is for current users who have had a history of using the Pfizer drug for at least three months prior to losing their job. I like this kind of thinking. It rewards current customers and makes the company name more important to consumers. Studies have shown most consumers do not know the name of the company that makes their drug. This type of program helps the company derive some goodwill value from their name.

I assume this program will be quickly copied by other major drug companies and that will be good for an industry seen as callous and profit mad. It is critical that drug companies deal with the true issues facing the American consumer. The key issues are and will be price and safety. Americans never disputed the need for their prescription drugs. They never quarreled with the idea drug companies spend a lot on speculative research and have many more failures than successes.

Companies that would spend money in these times telling folks how valuable their research is, would be communicating a mistimed message. The best approach now would be to deal with price and effective communication of risks and benefits. The Pfizer plan certainly shows the company is willing to develop a practical solution to keep the newly unemployed on their medications. I certainly think anyone who is subsidized by Pfizer during their unemployed times will give them more long term loyalty. Drug companies know how hard it is to convince someone to start and retain drug use. At the low production cost for pills, it makes excellent business sense to give it free for a few months rather than lose that patient long term. The patient, society and the drug company all win in this program.

PhRMA should be developing an industry wide plan to deal with these economic times. I hope they will announce an expansion of this program to include other companies. It would also make sense for consumers to have one stop shopping so they do not have to deal with each drug company separately.

Pfizer is showing it is attuned to the criticisms of drug companies and is responding well. Thanks Pfizer.