A study from FutureBrand found that the perception of pharma and healthcare companies improved since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Using data collected during lockdown, the 2020 FutureBrand Index found that pharma’s reputation has improved during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The industry has been cast into the global spotlight over the past few months as the race to find effective COVID-19 treatments and vaccines continues.

Although only two healthcare companies entered the index’s top 20 – Danaher and Medtronic – a number of pharma companies have also seen a rise on the list.

This includes Swiss pharma company Roche, which was up 49 places since 2018 and AstraZeneca, which climbed by 20 places. Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk and French pharma giant Sanofi were also both up by 18 places, respectively.

Although some pharma and healthcare companies surged during the lockdown period, Gilead slipped three places down the index. Gilead is currently developing the investigational antiviral medication remdesivir as a treatment for COVID-19.

“The biggest link between the best performing companies in the index is that they’ve all shown a highly individual response to COVID-19 as well as other significant market and societal shifts,” said Jon Tipple, Global Chief Strategy Officer at FutureBrand.

“This means prioritising what their staff and customers need and want most and delivering with oodles of authentic personality even if it means breaking with category conventions and norms. While these traits were once a ‘nice-to-have’, they are now crucial for corporate success,” he added.