Advil Pain Equity Project campaign resurfaces, sparks ‘racism’ debate online
In the Believe My Pain campaign video, which has now gone viral, Advil hosted a “roundtable discussion about systemic pain bias in healthcare”
Advil launched the Pain Equity Project in 2023 to address racial bias in healthcare. The multi-year initiative, which aims to help mitigate discrimination in the diagnosis and treatment of pain, debuted with the Believe My Pain campaign last year. Fast forward to 2024, clips from the campaign have resurfaced on social media, sparking a major debate on racism.
Advil's Believe My Pain advertisement goes viral on social media
The campaign, which involves contributions from advocate Elaine Welteroth and Dr. Uché Blackstock, has ignited a debate on racial discrimination and whether it truly exists in healthcare.
As part of its project, Advil conducted a survey alongside the Morehouse School of Medicine to help identify the issue. The study revealed that “3 in 4 Black people suffering from pain believe there is bias in how pain is diagnosed and treated.”
The study also highlighted that “only 51% of Black people suffering from pain feel supported by their healthcare professional” and “2 out of 3 Black people suffering from pain say that their pain became worse or stayed the same after a negative healthcare experience.”
As part of its initiative, Advil has promised to award grants to the Morehouse School of Medicine and BLKHLTH for “the development of patient resources and a course on pain equity for medical students,” per Fierce Healthcare.
In the campaign video, which has now gone viral, Advil hosted a “roundtable discussion about systemic pain bias in healthcare.” The video begins with participants sharing their negative and biased healthcare experiences.
Netizens slam Advil for ‘saying pain is racist’
As the video resurfaced online, netizens flocked to social media and shared their views on the pain bias, as claimed by Advil. One X, formerly Twitter user said, “Supposedly people say that doctors think black people that ask for help with pain management are looked at by the doctors as being potential drug addicts more they white people. I live in West Virginia. The pharmacist already thinks everyone is an addict.” Another user slammed the medicine brand, saying, “Pain isn't racist, Advil is jockeying for more sales to certain races.”
Netizens defend Advil campaign amid outcry, say ‘Advil is not racist’
Amid the intense debate on social media, many users came forward in defence of Advil. They pointed out that the brand is not racist or claiming that “pain is racist” rather it is highlighting the bias Black people face in healthcare. A user wrote on the platform, “OMG! You are completely missing the point! It is well documented that the medical community does not listen to POC when it comes to pain. This is one of the reasons more women of colour die in childbirth. Pain is the same but only some people are typically believed.”