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Drug industry overtakes federal government as worst US sector in public's view

Americans' opinion of biopharmaceutical manufacturers is the lowest it has ever been, with the drug industry — under immense pricing pressure — now at the bottom of a list of 25 sectors ranked annually by Gallup Inc.

The drug industry has overtaken the federal government as the worst sector in the public's view, according to the poll, whose results were revealed Sept. 3.

The survey showed that 58% of Americans viewed the biopharmaceutical industry negatively versus 27% positively — a net rating of negative 31%.

The federal government was regarded poorly by 52% of Americans, while 25% held positive views of that sector.

The overall healthcare sector was the third lowest in the public's opinion, with 48% viewing it negatively, compared with 38% who said they had a positive opinion of that industry.

Americans' opinion of drugmakers in the new poll was the lowest it has been since 2001, when Gallup first started surveying the nation's views of U.S. industries.

The restaurant, computer and grocery industries ranked the highest in positive views held by Americans in the Gallup poll.

The results of the poll were based on telephone interviews conducted over two weeks, from Aug. 1 to Aug. 14, with a random sample of 1,522 adults 18 years or older living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, Gallup said.

High drug prices

Americans have been pressing Congress to adopt legislation to address high U.S. drug prices.

Three U.S. Senate committees have advanced bills to the chamber's floor, though they must be reconciled into one large legislative package before a vote can be taken.

U.S. House leaders are expected to unveil a legislative package this month aimed at lowering drug prices, though some bills have already been adopted separately by that chamber.

The Trump administration is also pursuing its own efforts to try to reduce Americans' drug costs, including potentially testing an international pricing index model, a proposal the industry said would be akin to imposing foreign price controls.

The administration has also outlined two pathways for importing prescription medicines from foreign nations, primarily Canada, which has strongly objected to the idea and is working on a plan to protect its drug supply from being depleted by Americans seeking cheaper medications.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also intends to appeal a district court's ruling that vacated a requirement for drugmakers to disclose the list prices of their products in TV commercials aimed at consumers.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar said forcing drugmakers to disclose the list prices of their drugs in TV ads would shame them into lowering them.

Opioid crisis a factor

The results of the Gallup poll also come as makers of opioids are fighting lawsuits accusing the manufacturers of spurring the U.S. addiction epidemic, a crisis in which nearly 200 Americans die every day.

Last week, an Oklahoma judge ruled that Johnson & Johnson must pay $572 million for engaging in aggressive marketing of its painkillers.

The company said it would appeal, but J&J and other manufacturers, including Purdue Pharma LP and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., have been in discussions to potentially settle hundreds of other lawsuits brought by states.

But the drug industry may find it too difficult to repair its poor image until it has fully addressed the opioid epidemic and political pressure on prices has been lifted, Gallup analyst Justin McCarthy said.