As many as 84% of Americans blame the pharmaceutical industry for the country’s healthcare woes, a new survey has found.

Results of The Harris Poll, held in August, show Americans blame many different parties for the problems of the current healthcare system in the USA, with pharma coming second in the blame game with 84% of adults pointing the finger at pharma. Even more than 50% believed the industry deserves a “great deal” of blame.

Industry was piped to the post by the health insurance industry where 90% of adults believed it was the main cause of issues and 60% believed it deserves a “great deal” of blame.

But there were other parties also considered to have played a role: Republicans in Congress (74%), business (72%), hospitals (70%), Democrats in Congress (69%), President George W. Bush (66%), and doctors (61%). However, less than 30% believed any of these deserve a “great deal” of blame.

The poll comes at a time when President Barack Obama is moving to reform the US health system. The Harris Poll also questioned public perceptions of these proposals.

A 58% to 19% majority believes that President Obama’s plans would create a “government-run health care system” but a 49% to 40% plurality of adults support President Obama’s proposals.

A slender 54% to 46% majority rates Obama’s proposals as “good” but only 19% believe they are “very good”. However, a 54% majority rates the proposals by the Democrats in Congress as “bad” and a larger 69% majority rates the proposals of the Republicans in Congress as “bad”.