Why I Partner with Otsuka Pharmaceuticals: A Mental Health Advocate’s Perspective on Patient-Pharma Collaboration

November 3, 2024

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Today I published a social media post sponsored by Otsuka Pharmaceuticals. I realize this bothers some people. Some people have the idea that “big pharma” is the enemy. I know that now that I am working publicly with them, I am the enemy, also. I understand this perspective. In fact, I once swore I would never work with a pharmaceutical company. But I have not taken this collaboration with a pharmaceutical company lightly. There are many legitimate reasons why a patient might collaborate with a pharmaceutical company.

This patient-pharmacist collaboration has to do with World Mental Health Day

today The social media post is about World Mental Health Day.. Includes tips like “communicate” and “start conversations.” It does not speak in any way of an Otsuka product. In fact, let me tell you a little secret: I couldn’t talk about an Otsuka product even if I wanted to. The laws about what drug companies can and cannot say are incredibly strict, and a regular person like me could never be considered talking about their product in a sponsored manner. Going through the process to have this social media post approved by Otsuka and his attorneys has made it very clear to me that there are many obstacles they must overcome, and they do.

Therefore, this collaboration with Otsuka is not a continuous or global sponsorship, but is present only in very specific activities. (You’ll see anything involving Otsuka clearly marked as such.)

Why collaborate between the patient and the pharmaceutical company?

There are many reasons why a patient might want to collaborate with a pharmaceutical company. For example, pharmaceutical companies keep me alive. It is absolutely in my interest to ensure that they continue to do so for me and others. In addition, pharmaceutical companies drive innovation and research. Patients desperately need it. It is absolutely in our interest to ensure that this continues to happen, particularly in the area of mental illness (in our case). Furthermore, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals will research, manufacture and sell medicines to patients no matter what. It is absolutely in our best interest to ensure that the patient’s voice has a place at the table when the company collects the data that drives important decisions.

But finally, and I know this is the one you’ve been waiting for, the drug companies have the money. That’s all. Money. If the teddy bear lobby had a lot of money and wanted to give it to me, I would work with them and everyone would be happy. But that’s not how capitalism works. In this case, the pharmaceutical companies have all the money. I need money. There is a natural relationship.

Believe me, it is very difficult to make a living as a mental health advocate, let alone a disabled person. It is very difficult to make a living as a writer. It is very difficult to make a living as a speaker. Yes, speaking, writing, editing, consulting and other things I have done generate income. But these incomes are irregular and scarce. But do you know what is not irregular? Mortgage payments. The bank doesn’t really care if I’m having a bad month. They just want your money and they certainly don’t care where it comes from.

I wish I had the luxury of a regular full-time job, but I don’t. My disability doesn’t allow it.

I need money. Otsuka Pharmaceuticals is willing to give me some. I’ll take it.

The benefits of collaborations between big pharma and mental health advocacy

I know some people don’t want to hear this, but there are benefits to patients when mental health advocates carefully and thoughtfully collaborate with “Big Pharma.”

In addition to simply supporting mental health advocacy and allowing people like me to continue our work, patient-pharmacist collaborations can also:

Amplifies patient voices
Raise awareness beyond what a single person does
Create educational materials for patients.

“But big pharma is bad”

I can understand this perspective. En masse, over time, pharmaceutical companies have done terrible things. You just have to look the sackler family to see how evil pharmaceutical companies can be. That said, not all companies are the same. Some companies follow the law and really only research and offer treatments to sick people who need them. Do you have a problem with the laws? I understand. But that is not a problem for big pharmaceutical companies, it is a problem for their government.

I have often thought that “big pharma” was bad. But at the end of the day, I wouldn’t be alive without them, and neither would millions of other people. There may be problems with the way some companies do certain things, but let’s not forget the immeasurable gifts they also bring to saving lives.

What about Otsuka pharmaceuticals?

I cannot claim to be an expert on Otsuka Pharmaceuticals. What I know about them comes from my personal interactions. And in them, I can tell you that they have been incredibly respectful and responsive to the patient and advocate perspective. I consider myself lucky to be able to work with them.

Anti-patient-pharmaceutical collaboration: the hate I’m about to receive

Yes, I expect backlash for deciding to publicly work with a pharmaceutical company. I’ve taken people’s temperature on this topic in the past, and people are not fans of this type of collaboration. I understand. They think I’m going to be biased now. They think they can’t trust me anymore. They think this is going to change my content.

I appreciate your concerns. I really do.

(But I’d also appreciate it if you wouldn’t be too nasty about it. Feel free to leave your thoughts below, but if they’re abusive, they’ll be moderated.)

What am I doing to ensure I remain impartial despite pharmaceutical money?

My relationship with Otsuka Pharmaceuticals has not and will not influence my editorial choices, period.

That being said, I understand that no matter how impartial I tell you I am, some people are not going to believe me. So here’s the deal:

My relationship with Otsuka Pharmaceuticals is clearly detailed in my conflicts of interest section (linked at the bottom of each page).
I won’t talk about Otsuka products here at all. I can talk about categories where they offer products in general, but I won’t talk about any Otsuka offerings.
Every time Otsuka sponsors something, it will be very clear. (Believe it or not, there are very strict laws about this, and drug companies are very careful to follow them. They have many lawyers. So does the government.)

Mental health advocacy can coexist with pharmaceutical company sponsorship

Look, I’m not the first mental health advocate to work with a pharmaceutical company. In fact, major mental health organizations dedicated to helping patients, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Mental Health America (MHA)they both get pharma money (a lot of it) just like almost everyone else. I understand that in a perfect world that might not be the case, but this job just isn’t perfect.