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Last May, I had an extended conversation with Gwen Fisher, assistant vice president, public relations, at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals about the Depression is Real Coalition, an alliance of seven non-profit organizations working to reduce the stigma associated with depression.  Fisher regularly comments publicly about the company’s activities in the mental health arena.  Following is a transcript of our conversation.

Wyeth’s Reasons For Supporting The Coalition

1. Why did Wyeth feel it was important to help form the Depression is Real Coalition? 

We’d been hearing from advocacy groups that there seemed to be a number of popular misconceptions about depression such as it’s simply the blues or isn’t a real illness.  It was clear that people don’t understand the scientific basis of depression. 

In addition, after the FDA’s hearings on the pediatric safety of antidepressants, many people became frightened about these medications.  This, coupled with the fact that there is a perception that depression isn’t real, were the reasons we decided to help form the Coalition.

We wanted to bring many [patient] groups together around this issue.  However, we also know that each group has its own agenda and competes for limited resources.  Overall, we decided that we could be a facilitator in order to help educate the public that depression is a real and serious condition. 

2. What unique perspective and resources does Wyeth bring to the Coalition?  

Primarily, we were able to bring financial resources to the Coalition.  Also, because [the Coalition considers] Wyeth [as a] neutral party, we were able to bring all of the parties together. 

In addition, the Coalition members have long thought about how they can do more joint work together.  Wyeth helped serve as a catalyst to help the partners see what was possible.  We’ve seen coalitions in other disease categories, but not in mental health. 

The Coalition’s Purpose & Impact

1. Wyeth has funded a number of depression-related educational programs, including GOAL! (Go On and Live).  What is the Coalition doing that is unique from previous Wyeth-sponsored efforts?

The primary difference between the Depression is Real campaign and other efforts we’ve supported is the collaborative aspect of the project.  In this case, we’ve brought groups together around a public educational campaign. 

The key difference here is in the power we gain in numbers.  Another is that each group serves a different constituency.  Overall, all of the partners believe that this message [depression is real] is important to communicate to as many different audiences as possible.  Wyeth is helping the Coalition members sing from the same hymn book – everyone is saying the same thing.

2. From Wyeth's perspective what has been the impact of the program thus far from a policy, educational and visibility perspective?

Wyeth has put resources into measuring the impact of the campaign.  We’ve seen the Coalition's public service announcement (PSA) placed in a number of markets, but it’s too early to say whether it has improved general public understanding of depression. 

However, response from the Coalition partners has been positive, as the program has given them a model for working together.  We also paid for advertisements that were published in the Washington Quarterly featuring Dr. Paul Greenguard.  We understand that the advertisement was particularly impactful among policymakers. 

The Relationship Between Wyeth & The Coalition

1. How is Wyeth supporting the campaign?  Specifically, what types of human and financial resources is Wyeth donating to the program?

Wyeth helped to support the campaign by paying for material distribution, including dissemination of the PSA.  We also are paying for [the public relations agency] Porter Novelli to help keep the effort going from a logistical perspective.  However, the Coalition is responsible for driving creative development of the campaign.  Wyeth does not review or approve Coalition materials before they are published. 

2. I understand that Wyeth's public relations agency, Porter Novelli is assisting with program and content development.  What is Wyeth's response to people who may assert that Porter Novelli's involvement in the campaign compromises the program's independence?

Yes, Porter Novelli is our agency of record.  However, we are also very keen to preserve the integrity of Coalition members.  In addition, the Coalition was very adamant that the project not be compromised by any branding effort.  In fact, we’ve spoken to Coalition members who have said that product messages tend to creep in when they are working with other pharmaceutical companies and are happy this hasn’t happened in this case. 

It’s safe to say that there are no brand or treatment recommendations in program materials.  The Coalition focuses on peer support, medication or “talk therapy” as methods of treating depression.  The program would neither be successful or credible if we tried to put branded messages in the middle of the campaign. I don’t think Coalition members would want to be part of the program if we did. 
 
Critics may say that Porter Novelli’s involvement is suspect, but Wyeth is simply providing the Coalition with resources to help them with the program.

3. What procedures and policies does Wyeth have in place to protect the integrity and credibility of the Coalition's work?

One way we preserve the integrity of the program is by not putting it through our [legal/regulatory] review process. If we did that we would compromise the Coalition’s independence. 

4. Would Wyeth be open to working with other pharmaceutical companies to sponsor the campaign?

This hasn’t come up for us.  Wyeth is open to a number of new ways to help people get educated about depression.  We wouldn’t want to say no [to involvement from another pharmaceutical company] but we would want to know what is being proposed. 

5. Currently, there is not much information about Wyeth's role in the campaign on the Depression is Real Website.  Are there plans to provide more information about Wyeth's support on the Coalition or corporate Website?

We want to be transparent, but we don’t want the Depression Is Real program to be seen as a Wyeth-led effort.  Given this, it doesn’t make a lot of sense of have a large amount of information about Wyeth’s involvement on the Coalition’s Website. We feel this may compromise the integrity of the effort. 

Answers To Key Critiques Of Depression Education Programs

1. Wyeth manufactures and markets the antidepressant medication Effexor.  Critics have alleged that pharmaceutical companies like Wyeth fund projects like the Depression is Real Coalition solely to sell more of their medicines.  What is your response to this assertion?

The Depression is Real campaign is not focused on antidepressants.  It’s a campaign that helps to reinforce the seriousness of depression and to get people to help – whether it’s talk psychotherapy or medication. 

This is the whole point because it’s not about Wyeth, but more about helping people understand the seriousness of depression. 

2. Critics have alleged that pharma funded mental health non-profits focus too much attention on the pharmacologic treatment of depression and related disorders and underemphasize the side effects of antidepressant medications.  How is Wyeth attempting to address these concerns via the Depression is Real educational program?

I think the Coalition would feel compromised if we started to talk about [a specific] medication.  And, as I’ve said before, we’re not focused on drug treatment.  And, when we discuss our medications in general [outside of the context of the campaign] we always talk about their risks and benefits.  Overall, the goal of the campaign is not to talk about [specific] antidepressant treatments. 

 

Next Up
 

The next installment of this series will feature commentary from Barbara Hyland of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.