Despite mixed views on pharmaceutical companies in general, nine in ten (91%) adults say that drug companies make a “very” (60%) or “somewhat” (31%) important contribution by researching and developing new drugs. Just over one in twenty (6%) say this contribution is “not too” or “not at all” important.

However, attitudes about the motivation behind drug companies’ work are less positive. Seven in ten (70%) say drug companies put profits ahead of people, while about a quarter (24%) say that drug companies are most concerned with developing new drugs that save lives and improve quality of life and that profits come second.