Merck CEO : fix the trust deficit with the public

Merck CEO, trust deficit article from WSJ blog:

"To the applause of fellow drug-company officials today, Merck CEO Dick Clark told executives that the industry needs to fix its “trust deficit” with the public.

Industry leaders have complained privately about the public shellacking of drug makers, which have been criticized for the safety of drugs like Merck’s Vioxx that eventually were withdrawn, as well as for undisclosed payments to doctors and misleading advertising directly to consumers. The corporate leaders say the industry’s good works developing life-saving medicines have been unfairly overlooked in all the criticism.

Clark sounded an image-restoring call to arms at a conference in San Antonio sponsored by Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the industry trade association known as PhRMA. Clark is at the end of this term as chairman of the group."

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David Brennan, Chief Executive Officer, AstraZeneca, was elected board chairman of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)

"Washington, D.C. (April 3, 2009) — David Brennan, Chief Executive Officer, AstraZeneca, was elected board chairman of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) today at the trade association’s annual meeting "(replacing Clark)

"The pharmaceutical industry is uniquely poised to be both a source of innovative medicines and a trusted member of the health care community.", said David Brennan.
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Trust deficit indeed.