In today's environment there is a dichotomy for the pharmaceutical industry when it comes to good corporate social responsibility. Here it is. In the aggregate, the pharmaceutical and biotech industry actually provide a very very large contributions through philanthropy that brings access to medications to people around the globe yet ironically, awareness of that philanthropy is exceptionally low. In addition, corproate social responsibility for the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries is an increasingly important and necessary element in strategic planning. These two facts mean that now, more than ever, it is important to get it right.
According to the new Web site – "When non-profit health organizations and industry come together in partnership to help educate, motivate and move patients to better health, patients win… Rx4Good helps patient-focused non-profits get noticed by industry so that innovative and evidence-based campaigns and causes can reach more patients in more communities in ways that prompt better health behavior."
The site, among other things, allows for non-profits to register programs and causes that are making a difference so that potential partners and funding sources can learn about them in one space and showcases some of them each month such as a partnership between Gilda's Club and the Wellness community and a program called the Recovery Partnership for Employment, a project of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey.
Lastly, Ann has started a blog where Ann provides thoughts on trends and developments in the non-profit health care world. The organization has a diverse board of advisors that includes people experienced in both industry and non-profit as well as professional public relations executives.
For those who have responsibility on either the industry side or the non-profit side to find the right partnerships, Rx4Good has the potential to be an important resource to follow. I will say Ann has great foresight, she was after all, one of the two people responsible for recruiting and grooming me in public affairs!
Good luck to all.
Yes, it all sounds very good but how much of this philanthropy is tactics by ‘big pharma’ to counter common people’s incresing awareness of their behind the doors lobbying to not allow generics or more up to date prescribing alternatives to emerge as viable alternatives? Also it’s food for thought that they spend almost twice as much on advertising than they do on reserach, as reported here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080105140107.htm However, I do applaud Ann Moravick for what she’s trying to achieve.