DUBLIN, June 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cv83ng/corporate) has announced the addition of the "Corporate Reputation of Pharma in 2014 - a Perspective of HIV/AIDS Patient Groups - 2nd Edition " report to their offering.

This independent study, funded by the author, represents the perspectives from 70 patient groups with an interest in HIV/AIDS on the corporate reputation of nine individual pharma companies and of the pharma industry as a whole in 2014. The results from the HIV/AIDS patient organisations are compared in this report with those from the entire body of 1,150 patient groups, covering all therapy areas, which responded to the author's report: The Corporate Reputation of Pharma in 2014 - the Patient Perspective, published in February 2015, and with the responses of HIV/AIDS patient groups in the previous year's survey (2013).

About the corporate stars

- ViiV Plus' retains the top position for a second year as overall best performer in terms of corporate reputation, according to 70 HIV/AIDS patient groups worldwide. They rate the UK-headquartered global and independent R&D company, which combines the HIV/AIDS expertise of GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and Shionogi, in the top spot for four indicators - patient-centred strategy, records of patient safety and transparency with external stakeholders and for integrity. The firm's policy of collaborating and engaging with the HIV/AIDS community in the development of innovative new treatment options, improving access and providing patient and community support is strongly appreciated.

- ViiV Healthcare moves up to second place overall in 2014, from third in 2013. In particular, the UK-headquartered global R&D company, which is focused entirely on the development of treatments for people with HIV/AIDS though its partners GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and Shionogi, is awarded top spot by the HIV/AIDS groups for its provision of high-quality information for patients.

- Gilead Sciences drops to third place overall for 2014 from second in 2013. The HIV/AIDS patient organisations applaud the US-based, research-oriented biopharma company's strong R&D performance, ranking it first this year for the usefulness of its products. However, Gilead continues to face strong criticism for its pricing and patent protection policies.

- AbbVie remains in fourth position overall for a second year. The highest ranking awarded to the US-based biopharma company by the HIV/AIDS patient groups is for its record on patient safety, where it is placed third. The firm wins patient groups' approval for its awareness-raising and treatment access initiatives, including signing-up to the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool in December 2014. However, its recently-introduced price increases are highly controversial.

- Janssen is in fifth place overall, the same position as the US Johnson & Johnson member company held in in 2013. It wins its highest rating (third) for its patient-centred strategy and is applauded for its leadership position in paediatric HIV/AIDS treatment, but it remains one of the few HIV drugmakers not to sign up to the Medicines Patent Pool, an initiative which began in 2010.

What matters to HIV/AIDS patient groups

- HIV/AIDS patient groups consider a patient-centred strategy to be the single most important initiative that a pharma company should adopt in order to improve its corporate reputation. This is cited as the top priority by 20% of the organisations, close to the 19% of the universe of patient groups representing all therapy areas which also consider patient centricity to be most important.

- Also crucial are fair pricing policies, as cited by 18.6% of the HIV/AIDS patient groups, a higher share that the 15.8% of HIV/AIDS patient organisations overall giving such policies this rating. HIV/AIDS groups have developed formidable lobbying and negotiating skills and have won significant battles over product pricing, but the industry including the five companies which the groups rank top for corporate reputation in 2014 - continues to face considerable criticism over pricing issues.

- HIV/AIDS groups consider the conduct of philanthropic activities to be far more important, than patient organisations in general, as a way of improving corporate reputation, at 11.4% compared to 4.4%. In contrast, and perhaps surprisingly, strategies which are seen by HV/AIDS organisations to be less vital than by other patient groups include patient safety, acting with integrity and the provision of useful products and of high-quality information.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Introduction
2. Understanding The Results
3. Methodology
4. Appendices:
5. Reputation of Pharma in 2014
6. Rankings of 14 Companies
7. Profiles of 14 Companies
8. Profile of Respondents

Companies Mentioned

- AbbVie
- Boehringer-Ingelheim
- Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Gilead Sciences
- Janssen
- Merck & Co (US)
- Roche
- ViiV Healthcare
- ViiV Plus'

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cv83ng/corporate

Media Contact: Laura Wood , +353-1-481-1716, press@researchandmarkets.net

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SOURCE Research and Markets