Our media monitoring and social listening analysis, (October 2023 to October 2024), has uncovered a transformation in pharmaceutical industry media coverage. It demonstrates that COVID-related subjects account for 16.4% of industry dialogue. 11.2% focused on pandemic aftermath and 5.2% specifically addressing vaccinations. Most notably, 98% of these discussions carry negative sentiment, centring on rumours, legal challenges, and manufacturer grievances.
Key Events Shaping Pharmaceutical Industry Media Coverage
Our media monitoring analysis shows how major announcements and developments shaped pharmaceutical coverage throughout the year:
COVID-Related Milestones:
- October 2023: Nobel Prize awarded to scientists behind mRNA COVID vaccines, generating substantial industry-wide discussion.
- May 2024: AstraZeneca withdraws COVID vaccine worldwide, citing surplus of newer vaccines
Strategic Corporate Developments:
- December 2023: Pfizer closes Seagen deal, creates new cancer division
- January 2024: Merck acquires cancer immunotherapy biotech Harpoon March 2024: Boehringer introduces $35 monthly cap on inhaler costs
- March 2024: Takeda partners with India’s Biological E. to expand dengue vaccine access
- September 2024: Merck announces 65% stock rise and projected 5% annual sales growth
These events and their resulting coverage patterns demonstrate how both COVID-related news and corporate developments continue to shape pharmaceutical industry visibility and public sentiment.
Weight-Loss Breakthroughs in the Shadow of COVID-19
GLP-1 medications represent a significant medical advance. And they’ve been featured heavily in pharmaceutical industry media coverage this year (social and mainstream). But their commercial achievements continue to be eclipsed by the COVID-19 aftermath.
Our social listening analysis demonstrates a striking disparity. Medications such as Ozempic (242,244 mentions) and Wegovy (137,835 mentions) lead conversations about prescription treatments. However, they account for just 9% of overall pharmaceutical industry discussions – less than half the volume of COVID-related discussions.
The sentiment surrounding this topic tells a compelling story: discussions around weight-loss medications predominantly focus on clinical efficacy and patient outcomes (17% of conversations). This stands in marked contrast to the persistent negativity surrounding COVID-related topics.
To find out more about the media impact of GLP-1 weight-loss medications over the last 12 months, download our full pharmaceutical industry report.
Public Sentiment Surrounding Pharmaceutical Companies
Pfizer Dominates Pharmaceutical Industry Media Coverage
Pfizer leads pharmaceutical conversations with 13.9 million social media mentions and 944,000 mainstream media mentions.
This massive volume of discussion has been significantly shaped by COVID-19. Our analysis shows that 53% of all Pfizer-related conversations focus negatively on COVID vaccines. Unlike traditional medication discussions where 87.4% of mentions reference drug names only. COVID has created a new pattern – people mainly refer to ‘Pfizer’s COVID vaccine’ rather than the product name Comirnaty, which appears in only 5.5% of vaccine discussions.
The intensity of COVID-related discussions is reflected in Pfizer’s top hashtags:
- #Pfizer leads with 272,945 mentions
- #Moderna follows at 95,599 mentions
- #Covid19 ranks third with 92,859 mentions
This interconnected pattern of vaccine-related hashtags demonstrates how deeply COVID discussions are embedded in Pfizer’s public perception.
AstraZeneca’s Complex Vaccination Legacy
With 2.3 million social media mentions and 575,000 mainstream media mentions, AstraZeneca faces the industry’s strongest vaccine-related backlash. Their May 2024 worldwide vaccine withdrawal sparked intense discussion, with 56% of all mentions focusing negatively on COVID vaccines – the highest proportion among major pharmaceutical companies. This overwhelming focus on vaccines persists in their social media footprint, with #Covid and #vaccine ranking among their top 5 hashtags.
While the company continues to advance other key treatments like Imfinzi and Tagrisso for cancer, and Farxiga for Type II diabetes, these positive developments struggle to overcome vaccine-related sentiment.
Merck’s Positive Narrative in Modern Medicine
A closer look at Merck & Co. reveals a different narrative. Unlike the vaccine controversies surrounding other companies, Merck generates primarily positive healthcare-focused conversations. As the top pharmaceutical company in terms of 2023 sales, their coverage is focused on breakthrough treatments. Their cancer medication Keytruda has become the industry’s bestseller, surpassing Humira. Discussions also highlight their Gardasil vaccine and diabetes medication Januvia.
Mainstream Media shows Different Priorities
Whilst social media channels remain preoccupied with COVID-19 controversies, our mainstream media monitoring analysis reveals distinctly different editorial priorities:
- Clinical trials lead coverage (9.6%), reflecting industry innovation focus
- Regulatory body interactions rank second (6.7%)
- Partnerships and collaborations command significant attention (5.6%)
- Oncology developments maintain steady coverage (4.3%)
This contrast between mainstream media focus and social media discussions highlights the gap between industry developments and public perception. While traditional media highlights scientific progress and regulatory compliance, social conversations remain dominated by COVID-related concerns.
The Evolution of Public Dialogue Surrounding Pharma
Our social listening analysis (58 pharma companies and 242 medications) reveals a stark contrast between traditional medication discussions and COVID vaccine conversations. This shift represents a fundamental change in how the public engages with pharmaceutical brands.
Traditional patterns show that 87.4% of posts and comments typically mention medication names, with only 0.6% connecting those to their manufacturers. This disconnect is evident even with breakthrough treatments – only 3% of conversations about GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy mention their manufacturer, Novo Nordisk.
The Transformation in Vaccine Conversations
COVID-19 vaccines broke this pattern. Only 5.5% of consumers mention specific vaccine names such as Comirnaty. Instead, 68% reference manufacturer vaccines directly. They say ‘Pfizer’s COVID vaccine’ rather than the product name.
Looking Forward: Restoring Trust in the Pharma Industry
The pharmaceutical industry faces unprecedented challenges in rebuilding public trust. Our analysis suggests several critical strategies:
- Strategic Communications
- Implement transparent messaging protocols
- Balance corporate visibility with medicine-focused communication
- Proactively address public concerns
- Leverage successful communication strategies from industry leaders
- Reputation Enhancement
- Build on successful communication models from companies like Merck
- Highlight breakthrough treatments while acknowledging public concerns
- Develop clear crisis communication protocols
- Future Priorities
- Maintain transparency about both COVID and non-COVID developments
- Leverage positive coverage of breakthrough treatments
- Build sustainable trust through consistent, honest engagement
Multi-Channel Analysis of Pharmaceutical Industry Media Coverage
Our mainstream media analysis reveals distinct patterns in how different media channels cover the pharmaceutical industry. While social media amplifies public sentiment, traditional media channels show different priorities:
<H3> Specialist Press vs Mass Media
The highly technical nature of the pharmaceutical industry is reflected in its media coverage. Scientific and specialist press account for 45% of all industry coverage. This significant proportion demonstrates the importance of expert perspectives in pharmaceutical communications.
Priority Topics in Professional Coverage
Three categories dominate professional pharmaceutical industry media coverage:
- Business news leads reporting, with focus on:
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- Financial results
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Market share developments
- IPO activities
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- R&D developments maintain steady coverage through:
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- Clinical trial updates
- Pipeline announcements
- Portfolio developments
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- New product launches generate significant attention:
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- Novel molecule introductions
- Treatment breakthroughs
- Innovation in medication delivery systems
This more technical, business-focused coverage provides a striking contrast to the COVID-dominated social media narrative, highlighting the gap between professional discourse and public perception.
Download the Full Pharmaceutical Industry Media Coverage Report
For comprehensive insights into the transformation of pharmaceutical industry media coverage, including detailed analysis of eight major companies, download the full report.
- Complete share of voice data across eight major pharma brands
- Emerging conversation trends
- Top ranking drugs by mention volume
- Key journalist contacts
- Upcoming, relevant industry events
The full report provides detailed analysis of:
- COVID-related events that drove pharmaceutical industry media coverage
- The GLP-1 weight-loss medication revolution in the media
- Company-specific social media and news coverage data
- Complete breakdown of discussion patterns across all major pharmaceutical topics
- Comprehensive media monitoring insights across mainstream and social channels
Download the complete pharmaceutical industry media coverage report now.