Pfizer takes the first steps toward establishing trust with a skeptical public

Pfizer Inc announced today that it will launch an innovative program to help eligible unemployed Americans and their families who have lost their health insurance maintain access to their Pfizer medic

By Richard Meyer on May 14, 2009

Pfizer Inc announced today that it will launch an innovative program to help eligible unemployed Americans and their families who have lost their health insurance maintain access to their Pfizer medicines for free. Well, thank you Pfizer ! This is a great way to reach out to Americans who have lost their jobs and this is a very much needed first step on the road to establishing trust that has been damaged over time through pharma missteps. Now if the other pharma companies can join in this truly would be a great way to say "we're in this together and staying healthy is always a priority".

As companies continue to layoff employees the last thing on an out of work employee maybe staying compliant with medications. When you're out of work staying on medications tends to drop down on the list of worries compared with finding a job and ensuring that you can provide for your family. Pfizer is to be commended for coming out with this program and leading the charge. Those of us who have been following the economic downturn closely have seen in media reports the effects of going from a great life to one in which you're wondering how you going to put food on the table. With all these worries the last thing you want to worry about is "how am I going to get my blood pressure medications?"

I want to remind the pharma industry, however, that while this is a great first step it is still nonetheless a first step. All the good will that Pfizer is generating with this program can easily be wiped out by another sensational media story about another pharma product. These type of programs, reaching out to patients, have to become part of drug companies desire to acknowledge that good medicine leads to good profits and that the people who take our drugs are our customers and we had better treat them with respect and caring.

Thank you Pfizer for taking this step and offering free medication to those who are unemployed. An outreached hand is a great first step in establishing a dialogue with patients and getting back on the road to trust.