July 2025:

The global cancer burden is rising. The fourth edition of The Cancer Atlas, produced by The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), estimates that the number of people diagnosed with cancer will reach 33 million annually by 2050 (the figure for 2022 was 19 million annually). Cancer-related deaths are also projected to rise, reaching 18 million per year by 2050 (compared to 9.7 million in 2022)[1].

Despite advances being made in the drugs used to treat cancer, both the financial cost of cancer treatment, and the question of whether access to cancer care is equitable, remain pressing challenges for many patients worldwide. For example, 23 low- and middle-income countries (primarily in sub-Saharan Africa) still lacked access to radiotherapy in 2024[2]—with essential cancer medicines also often unavailable, due to their high costs, and to supply-chain issues[3].

In June 2025, PatientView released its latest annual ‘Corporate Reputation of Pharma: Cancer Edition’ report (that of 2024), outlining the perspectives of cancer patient groups on how the pharmaceutical industry performed in 2024 across 10 key indicators of corporate reputation.

Drawing on survey responses collected between December 2024 and March 2025, the 2024 report reflects the views of 550 cancer patient groups from across the globe (including those specialising in blood, breast, lung, and prostate cancers). Each year, the survey aims to assess how patient groups (and in the case of the Cancer Edition, cancer patient groups) perceive the pharma industry’s performance—particularly in the areas of patient safety, fair pricing, and the development of new cancer treatments.

The 2024 ‘Corporate Reputation’ Cancer Edition contains a detailed analysis of the differences in perception held by the varying types of cancer patient group—with feedback coming from 85 blood-cancer patient groups, 102 breast-cancer patient groups, 23 lung-cancer patient groups, and 34 prostate-cancer patient groups. This blog highlights some key findings from the 2024 ‘Corporate Reputation’ Cancer report, with a focus on the differing opinions of the various cancer-specific patient groups, and their recommendations for improving collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry.

Industry-wide results

The pharmaceutical industry’s overall corporate reputation, according to cancer patient groups responding to the ‘Corporate Reputation’ survey each year, has improved since 2020—though only slightly. 58% of cancer patient groups responding in 2020 rated the industry’s reputation as “Excellent” or “Good”; 2024’s figure of 62% was only a small increase on that.

The majority of cancer patient groups responding to the 2024 survey acknowledged the industry’s strengths in two areas: firstly, at innovation (that is, the industry’s ability to develop breakthrough cancer therapies); and, secondly, the industry’s ability to create products that reflects patient needs—truly bringing benefits to patients who have cancer. Thus:

  • 62% rated the industry as “Excellent” or “Good” for innovation; and
  • 69% rated the industry as “Excellent” or “Good” for provision of products that benefit patients with cancer.

However, fair pricing remains a topic of concern to 2024’s respondent cancer patient groups:

  • Only 12% rated the industry as “Excellent” or “Good” at having fair pricing policies.

What do cancer patient groups say about pharma companies?

Blood-cancer patient groups

“Further development of CAR T-cell therapy and bispecific antibodies (specifically, further research regarding drug combinations). Taking into account quality-of-life maintenance or improvement when developing therapies. Better consideration of the requirements for managing side effects (more in-depth training for doctors would be helpful, here).”—National blood-cancer patient group, Austria

Breast-cancer patient groups

“We believe the industry is distant from patients. Access and work programs with patients, understanding their journeys, and enabling access to treatment management and information, would be ideal, and a great step forward. We believe that the industry’s medical areas can be a bridge between the industry and patients, and this would also impact positively the relationship with health-insurance plans. Outside of clinical studies, the industry does not understand patients’ daily reality during their journeys. Today, when it comes to metastatic breast cancer, we have many patients living long lives, with quality. And, finally, we understand that the industry’s active participation in the associations which experience the reality of patients seeking help beyond hospitals and clinics, would be extremely important, because, more than merely offering technology and quality products, we would strive to provide information, quality of life and, monitoring of the patient’s journey.”—Local breast-cancer patient group, Brazil

Lung-cancer patient groups

“Work with patient organisations—from drug development, to throughout the life cycle of medicines. Engage with patient organisations before support resources are developed. Regular dialogue with patient organisations—not just when you need to demonstrate that patients have been involved in a project.”—National lung-cancer patient group, UK

Prostate-cancer patient groups

“In 2024, several pharmaceutical companies were recognized for their efforts to improve equitable access to medicines, ensuring that a broader patient population could benefit from essential treatments.”—National prostate-cancer patient group, USA

How cancer patient groups rank pharma companies on corporate reputation

The 2024 ‘Corporate Reputation’ Cancer Edition ranks pharmaceutical companies on their current corporate reputation—all as judged by respondent cancer patient groups familiar, and/or working, with the companies. The companies featured in the top rankings are shown below.

PatientView’s 2024 ‘Corporate Reputation of Pharma: Cancer Edition’ offers valuable insights into how cancer patient groups view the pharmaceutical industry, and their take on the industry’s efforts to improve care for patients with cancer. Despite the industry’s progress in innovation, and in the provision of products that benefit patients with cancer, longstanding challenges persist for the industry—particularly around its ability to achieve fair pricing, and its competence at ensuring that patients are able to access essential cancer treatments.

A note of Moving Forward

By aligning more closely with the needs and perspectives of patients and patient groups, companies can improve their corporate reputation, and contribute more effectively to global cancer care. An online dashboard released in June 2025 by PatientView, entitled Moving Forward, can help here. The Moving Forward online dashboard analyses feedback from patient groups (including cancer patient groups), and offers actionable steps on how these patient groups think pharma companies can improve their relationships with patient groups. The dashboard contains over 1,000 commentaries from cancer patient groups—bringing insights into how companies perform at 10 indicators of corporate reputation, and where companies can improve across each of the 10 indicators.

If you are interested in learning more about the Moving Forward online dashboard, and the steps your company can take to improve its reputation among cancer patient groups, please contact Alex Wyke at PatientView, via email (report [at] patient-view.com).

[1] https://canceratlas.cancer.org/

[2] https://pressroom.cancer.org/2025CancerAtlasReport

[3] https://canceratlas.cancer.org/taking-action/management-and-treatment/#block-7