Medisafe Survey: Politics Driving Mistrust Of COVID-19 Vaccine

Sixty five percent of patients say they will wait to receive the forthcoming COVID-19 vaccine even if it becomes available before the end of 2020, according to a new survey from Medisafe, a leading digital therapeutics platform that supports users with advanced medication management.

The majority of survey participants cited uncertainty in its overall effectiveness and potential side-effects from the vaccine as top reasons for delay.

Sixty percent of respondents say they don't expect a vaccine to be available before the end of 2020. While 21% said they would receive the vaccine as soon as it becomes available, 11% of respondents said they would never take the vaccine. Forty nine percent believe the COVID-19 vaccine is being rushed to market, side-stepping normal regulations and testing, creating additional concern and hesitancy to become vaccinated. Many respondents also cited confusion over the handling of the pandemic in the U.S. as a primary reason to resist taking the vaccine.

"Despite the apolitical nature of the survey, the open-ended responses and results clearly show that users feel many issues surrounding the vaccine have been politicized, created additional challenges in driving utilization of the vaccine once it becomes available," said Medisafe Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Butler.  "This survey provides greater visibility into users' concerns with taking the vaccine and its potential interaction with chronic conditions and medication therapy, creating opportunities to build awareness and support throughout their journey. Medisafe aims to help manufacturers in creating personalized guidance in formats that are beneficial and accessible to patients, whenever any new challenges arise."

In open ended responses, users cited greater trust in Dr. Anthony Fauci and established protocols as a leading factor in determining whether to take the vaccine, and listed President Trump as the leading detractor in driving skepticism and hesitancy in its effectiveness. Survey participants prefer to obtain recommendations from their own physicians to determine if the vaccine is suitable for them and their families, and when it's appropriate to take the vaccine.

Despite the concern and hesitancy over the COVID-19 vaccine, survey respondents overwhelming said they would get an annual vaccine. 72 percent of users said they would get a flu shot or have already received one, demonstrating the effectiveness of proper patient education to support public health action. The survey, conducted from Sept. 27 – Oct. 2, 2020, included more than 16,000 U.S. patients who use Medisafe's digital therapeutics platform to regularly manage their medication therapy.

This new survey is the latest in a series of reports conducted by Medisafe on users' viewpoints and insights in adapting to the pandemic, measuring elements such as changes in medication habits, virtual doctor visits, increased use of digital health tools, and trust in pharmaceutical companies. The company is a leading digital therapeutic platform with more than seven million users who utilize the system to help manage their medication therapy, stay engaged on their medication therapy, and engage with other users to create a virtual support system in living healthier lives, while managing acute and chronic conditions.

The full report and methodology are available at:  https://www.medisafe.com/covid-vaccine-survey

About Medisafe
Medisafe is the leading evidence-based digital therapeutics company providing medication management solutions across the healthcare continuum, a $300 billion problem in the US alone.  Medisafe supports patient journey's with AI driven technology that dynamically engages patients during the course of their treatment based on each patient's regimen, condition and specific circumstance.  Medisafe fosters collaboration among patients, their loved ones and healthcare professionals, and partners with the healthcare ecosystem, from pharma companies to payers and providers, to improve outcomes. Over six million registered patient and caregiver users have recorded on Medisafe's platform over two billion successful medication doses on their iOS and Android smartphones and tablets and contributed 350,000 user reviews that average 4.7 out of 5 stars in the App Store and Google Play stores. Medisafe is a HIPAA and GDPR compliant solution and ISO 27001:2013 certified.  For more information please visit www.medisafe.com.