Points of View Life Science Communication

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Yuji Takasago, Senior Researcher, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation Policy

Introduction

The pharmaceutical industry continues to contribute to the development and diffusion of various cutting-edge science and technology, not only through the creation of innovative drugs, but also in collaboration with various stakeholders through R&D activities for new drugs. In particular, life science, which has been developed to elucidate life phenomena, is a technological field closely related to human survival and applied to a wide range of industries. Naturally, today's pharmaceutical industry also utilizes cutting-edge life science technologies to create and deliver pharmaceuticals to patients.

In response to the recent pandemic of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) (COVID-19), many pharmaceutical companies have been pushing forward with research and development in response to the public's awareness of the need for drugs and vaccines to treat the disease. At the same time, the public is becoming increasingly interested in the life sciences that the pharmaceutical industry is involved in. The pharmaceutical industry has been disseminating a great deal of reliable information based on life sciences to society through websites and other media. In addition, the public may have a hard time sorting out the most reliable information from the wide variety of life science-related findings being disseminated through a wide range of media. Particularly in the current COVID-19 pandemic, the public will face challenges in identifying and understanding more reliable scientific information as accurately as possible.

What can the pharmaceutical industry do to help meet these challenges? One way is through life science communication between the public and the pharmaceutical industry. The pharmaceutical industry should communicate its life science activities more accurately and in an easy-to-understand manner so that the public can become familiar with them and select reliable information from a wide variety of scientific findings related to life science. We believe it is important to realize a future in which the public can take the initiative in making their own decisions about treatment, including drug selection, with the support of healthcare professionals. In this paper, we summarize the life science communication conducted by the pharmaceutical industry, which will help to realize such a future vision, and discuss the significance of such efforts.

What is Life Science Communication?

Science communication" refers to "activities aimed at informing people about the excitement of science and issues surrounding science and technology, and raising awareness and thinking together," and is sometimes called science communication or science and technology communication. It is important for scientists not only to introduce their research results, but also to think together among various stakeholders about the issues and the impact of their research on society, and to deepen their ^{understanding1)}.

Science communication has always been clearly stated in the "Basic Plan for Science and Technology," which has been formulated by the government every five years since 1996 (renamed the "Basic Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation" from the sixth period formulated in 2021) ²⁾. According to the ^data3) of the Special Committee on General Policy (32nd meeting) of the Council for Science and Technology Policy of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), as shown in Figure 1, science communication is defined as the promotion of public understanding of science and technology (1st period: 1996~), two-way communication between science and technology and society (2nd period: 2001 ～The second phase (from 2001), the dialogue between researchers and the public (from 2006), the participation of the public in the policy process (from 2011), and the co-creation through dialogue and collaboration among various stakeholders (from 2016). In addition, in the 6th period, it is stated that "multi-layered" science communication will be strengthened, indicating that the entire country is working on science communication. However, although there are examples of science communication efforts by researchers and engineers belonging to industry, up to the present, efforts have mainly been made by researchers in academia.

Specifically, public events such as exhibitions at science museums and research institutes, and science cafes where scientists and the general public discuss science over drinks at cafes and other venues have been established. In addition, science communication can also include science education, lectures, and experiments in which scientists directly communicate the excitement of science to the general public, as well as efforts through various media.

This paper focuses on science communication between the public and the pharmaceutical industry. Since the pharmaceutical industry often conducts research and development specifically in the life science field, it is defined as "life science communication.

The Pharmaceutical Industry as Imaged by the Public

The Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) regularly conducts a "Survey on Sei-katsu-sha Attitudes toward Drugs and the Pharmaceutical Industry. " ⁴⁾ According to this survey conducted in July 2021, the public's image of the pharmaceutical industry is "an industry with high social necessity," "an industry with strong technological capabilities," "an industry dedicated to research and development," etc., with a positive The percentage of positive responses was as high as 80-90%. On the other hand, the percentage of affirmative votes for "an industry that proactively provides information" and "an industry that tries to listen to consumers" were all in the 50% range, suggesting that there is room for improvement in two-way communication between the public and the pharmaceutical industry. (Table 1)

What kind of information can the pharmaceutical industry provide to the public? According to the regulations on pharmaceutical ^{advertising5)} based on the "Act on Quality, Efficacy and Safety Assurance of Drugs and Medical Devices" (Pharmaceutical Affairs Agency Law), ethical drugs must be clearly intended to induce customers (to arouse their desire to purchase), the specific product name must be clear, and the public must be able to recognize the product6 ⁾. ⁶⁾, and it is difficult for pharmaceutical companies to communicate information related to their products to the public. Under such circumstances, the pharmaceutical industry, which is recognized as having high technological capabilities and conducting research and development with enthusiasm, needs to gain a better understanding from the public on how it conducts research and development and what kind of technologies it is strong in. The author believes that life science communication initiatives that enable interactive collaboration, such as informing the public about how life science is being utilized and answering their questions, are one effective means for the public and the pharmaceutical industry to collaborate.

Information dissemination through pharmaceutical company websites

One of the tools used by pharmaceutical companies to disseminate information on life science is their websites. Therefore, in order to confirm the current status of life science information dissemination on the websites of 21 Japanese pharmaceutical ^companies7), we investigated whether information in the three categories of disease, drug discovery and formulation technology, and scientific materials was being disseminated on the websites of the 21 companies. Figure 2 shows the results. The largest number of companies, 16 (76.2%), disseminated information related to various diseases. Information related to drug discovery and formulation technologies, including modalities, was identified by 10 companies (47.6%). On the other hand, 5 (23.8%) of the companies provided scientific educational materials such as information on the mechanisms of the body and the relationship between pharmaceuticals and the body. While many companies provide disease information mainly for patients and their family members, fewer companies provide technology of pharmaceutical companies or scientific educational content, which the public, including young people without diseases, may also seek.

Although the figures are not clear from the standpoint of comprehensiveness, the websites of the companies indicate that five companies offer tours of their research laboratories and factories, four companies provide on-site classes for elementary and junior high school students, and four companies conduct science experiments for elementary and junior high school students. These results indicate that Japanese pharmaceutical companies are not only disseminating life science-related information on their websites, but are also practicing life science communication that enables interactive collaboration between the public and pharmaceutical companies, such as on-site classes and science experiments.

Examples of Interactive Life Science Communication by the Pharmaceutical Industry

Most of the methods utilizing websites as described above are unidirectional information dissemination from the pharmaceutical industry to the public, and are not included in life science communication in the narrow sense of the term, which is intended for two-way collaboration. So, what kind of life science communication initiatives are actually implemented by the pharmaceutical industry? Examples of public events and on-site classes, which are typical examples of interactive collaboration, will be introduced.

1. public events

The Japanese Society for Immunology holds an exhibition and hands-on event "Immuno-Fushigi Mirai" once a ^year8) as part of its science communication efforts. This year, due to the influence of COVID-19, the event was held both on-site at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) and online, including a talk corner where academia researchers and the general public could directly discuss the topics, from the basics of immunology to the frontiers of immunology applied to cancer, allergies, and the treatment of new coronaviruses. The event provides all kinds of information related to immunology, from the basics of immunology to the forefront of immunology applied to the treatment of cancer, allergies, and even the new coronavirus, and shares the excitement of immunology with the public, from young people to adults.

It is noteworthy that MSD Corporation ("MSD") is participating in this event as a pharmaceutical company, exhibiting panels on "cancer and immunity" and holding a fun learning program on the mechanism of antibodies that protect the body from viruses.

In addition, science communicators from the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan), who are responsible for connecting science and society by utilizing their expertise in science and technology and communication skills, are also participating in "Immuno-Fushigi Mirai". As a pharmaceutical company, we can learn directly from these experts how they discuss and deepen cooperation with the public. In addition, by receiving support from the experts and practicing on their own and directly interacting with the public, it is a good opportunity to convey the background of the pharmaceutical industry's contribution to the efforts of academia to implement immunology into society as a pharmaceutical product.

In Cambridge, Massachusetts, the United States, for example, the Cambridge Science Festival is held once a ^year9) and introduces cutting-edge science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) to all members of the public, from young people to adults, through a variety of exhibits. The event will be held in the city's basement. While many pharmaceutical companies based in the region participate in the event as sponsors, each pharmaceutical company, along with Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and other academic institutions, set up their own booths to provide the public with opportunities to experience the life sciences. Such large-scale science communication efforts held around life science clusters are almost unprecedented in Japan, and the fostering of a community involving the public is eagerly awaited in Japan, where the formation of clusters is being promoted.

2. visiting lectures

Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Sumitomo Pharma") has been conducting on-site classes on bioethics at junior high schools and high schools on an ongoing basis since ^201210), with employees from various professions as well as research personnel serving as lecturers. In this program, titled "Science, Technology, and Human Happiness," the lecturers not only give lectures on basic knowledge of genome analysis and genetics, but also ask the participants questions such as "If whole genome analysis were made mandatory for all citizens, would you accept the results of the analysis or not? Participants are asked to think about the question, listen to the opinions of other participants, understand the advantages and disadvantages of whole genome analysis, and reconsider their own opinions. In other words, the objective is not only to acquire knowledge, but also to understand that there are various ways of thinking about things through an example of bioethics, and to develop the moral and practical skills to derive one's own opinions. Needless to say, Sumitomo Pharma employees, who serve as lecturers, comment back on the opinions of the participants, thereby establishing interactive communication. In addition to lectures on the progress of life science, the program also covers the ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) that may arise when implementing advanced life science in society, which is difficult for young people who are still developing their sensitivity to the importance of life. Although this program is difficult for young people who are still in the process of developing their sensitivity to the importance of life, it is one of the elements that only a pharmaceutical company in a life-related industry can tackle.

In implementing this program, materials and videos used in the classes were prepared under the supervision of experts in genetic medicine, and classes were conducted in collaboration with school faculty and staff. I would like to add that a forum for life science communication has been formed in collaboration with various stakeholders.

In the new Courses of ^Study11) for high schools, which were announced in March 2018 and will be implemented from April 2022, the existing "time for integrated studies" has been revised to "time for integrated inquiry" to foster the ability to discover and explore questions on one's own while combining, integrating, and working with "ways of seeing and thinking" in relation to the direction of one's own career development. The new curriculum guidelines for high school students, which will be implemented in April 2022,11) call for the development of students' ability to discover and explore questions on their own while combining, integrating, and engaging their "ways of seeing and thinking" in relation to the direction of their career development. The new system ^also states that "it is important to utilize various educational resources, such as the local community, academia researchers, and companies, in order to effectively implement the time for comprehensive inquiry " ¹²⁾. According to information from the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) ¹³⁾, it can be seen that industries other than pharmaceuticals are also implementing a wide variety of science communication initiatives through science education. From the perspective of fostering the next generation that will support the pharmaceutical industry in the future, it is necessary to make efforts that are not inferior to those of other industries in terms of both quality and quantity. Just as the revised Courses of Study have enhanced financial education in order to improve the financial literacy of the ^public14), we hope that in the future, an environment will be created in which students can learn more about the life sciences handled by the pharmaceutical industry from elementary and secondary school curricula.

Significance of Life Science Communication

In this section, we would like to consider the significance of implementing life science communication initiatives.

The ethical pharmaceuticals created by the pharmaceutical industry are prescribed to people with specific diseases, and have almost no contact with the general public who do not have any specific diseases. Therefore, first, there is a certain significance in being able to approach healthy citizens through life science communication. Although it is not possible to disseminate information on specific drugs from the viewpoint of advertising regulations, it can be expected to improve the life science ^literacy15) of the public by helping them understand even a little about the cutting-edge life science surrounding drugs. By doing so, we can envision a future in which healthy citizens can distinguish between plausible science and questionable non-science when they are afflicted with a disease in the future, and can take the initiative in deciding their own treatment plan with the support of medical professionals. To realize this vision, life science communication by the pharmaceutical industry, a group of life-related companies, will be one of the ways to support the public.

Secondly, the pharmaceutical industry can reaffirm the relationship between drug discovery and society. The pharmaceutical industry is constantly engaged in research and development for the benefit of patients and their families in order to transform cutting-edge life sciences into value for patients. However, in some cases, the evolution of life science may cause confusion in society. The aforementioned bioethical issues arising from genomic medicine, such as the subject of Sumitomo Pharma's on-site lecture, is an appropriate case in point. Life science communication is a necessary means for the pharmaceutical industry to improve social ^literacy16), i.e., to understand the social impact of drug discovery conducted by the pharmaceutical industry and how the public perceives the life sciences handled by the pharmaceutical industry (Figure 3 ⁾. In other words, life science communication is a necessary means for the pharmaceutical industry to improve its social literacy16) (Figure 3). In addition, academia researchers have a responsibility to explain to the public in an easy-to-understand manner the significance of using public funds as research ^funds16). We would like to add that companies would have the same responsibility.

Conclusion

In this paper, we summarize the life science communication with the public that the pharmaceutical industry is engaged in.

A survey of the websites of domestic pharmaceutical companies revealed the current status of the dissemination of various types of life science-related information, and among these, it was clear that few companies disseminate scientific educational material content. One of the possible reasons for this is the concern that similar content, which focuses on the acquisition of basic knowledge common to pharmaceuticals, is duplicated and transmitted on each company's website. For example, it may be necessary to devise a way to make the content specialized in the drug discovery technologies that each pharmaceutical company is focusing on available on each company's website, while the content common to all pharmaceuticals is disseminated through the existing content of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan ⁽ PMAJ) ¹⁷⁾.

In addition, we introduced specific examples of interactive life science communication by the pharmaceutical industry and discussed the significance of such interactive life science communication. We hope to see an increase in initiatives in line with the With Corona and After Corona, including the use of online interactive collaboration.

So far, we have focused on life science communication between elementary, junior high, and high school students and the pharmaceutical industry, mainly as an adjunct to science education. For example, for university students, including those in the pharmaceutical department, it is necessary to consider what subjects to promote life science communication for each generation, such as introducing new modalities such as gene therapy, which the pharmaceutical industry has made remarkable progress in recent years, and for working adults, deepening understanding of how various pharmaceutical products are used in various diseases. It is also necessary to consider what subjects to promote life science communication for each generation.

As life sciences evolve, deepen, and become more complex, it is expected that communication between the public and the pharmaceutical industry will become increasingly difficult in the future. There are some issues that prevent companies from going beyond the framework of social contribution activities, such as short-term investment effects, synergistic effects with drug discovery, or inefficiencies such as the small number of people who can participate in each event. However, after reaffirming the significance of such activities, why not further promote life science communication that can communicate and collaborate with the public in an easy-to-understand manner about the life sciences that are most plausible at the time and the pharmaceutical industry's research and development that utilizes these sciences? By doing so, each and every citizen will be able to understand how pharmaceuticals work and how they are created using a variety of technologies. It is our hope that the pharmaceutical industry can make a small contribution through life science communication to medical care that will enable people, when they are diagnosed with a disease in the future, to interpret information on clinical trials of pharmaceuticals and to select a treatment plan, including drug selection, on their own initiative.

Column: Science Communication and Risk Communication

Science communication is not only about communicating the merits of science, but also about communicating the demerits of science. In this sense, risk communication, which seeks mutual understanding among diverse stakeholders regarding risks surrounding society, is considered to be positioned to be included in science communication.

In Tamura's ^report18) in 2018, he discusses the state of pharmaceutical advertising regulations from the perspective of risk communication between patients and pharmaceutical companies. In his report, he suggests that, under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law, "it is now the responsibility of the public to deepen their knowledge and understanding of pharmaceuticals for the proper use of pharmaceuticals," thereby reconsidering the system that "allows patients to access appropriate information in an appropriate form."

In 2020, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Pharmaceuticals and Consumer Health Bureau issued an Office ^{Announcement19)} stating that, "Although advertising of ethical drugs to the general public other than pharmaceutical professionals is prohibited by law and notice, the provision of information to contribute to proper use is distinguished from advertising, and in particular, provision of necessary information to patients (including patients' family members) by pharmaceutical manufacturers and sellers in response to inquiries from patients (including patients' family members) does not, in principle, constitute advertising, but is possible. In particular, the provision of necessary information to patients by a pharmaceutical manufacturer or seller in response to inquiries from patients (including patients' family members) does not, in principle, constitute an advertisement, but is possible. In other words, it is now possible for pharmaceutical companies to respond to requests from patients based on scientific evidence.

As in this case, it is hoped that the interpretation of regulations and other developments will continue to be promoted so that risk communication between the public, including patients, and pharmaceutical companies can be further deepened.

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