Health

Rapidly growing healthcare providers are reinvesting in online marketing: Incumbents must embrace social and search marketing to ward off competition from telehealth and D2C providers.

Brand-name drug prices could see the biggest jumps under newly promised tariffs: The Trump administration’s renewed push for pharma tariffs would mean higher drug manufacturing costs across the board, but especially for brand-name medicines.

Online health information drives consumer decision-making: It’s an opportunity for healthcare and pharma brands and marketers to turn consumers into customers—and patients.

Physicians aren’t burning out at the same rate as the COVID years: While doctor burnout rates are improving, it’s likely not enough progress to significantly impact turnover rates, and expense, to the healthcare system.

Novartis is the latest Big Pharma company to invest billions in US production capacity: The largest drugmakers continue moving manufacturing to the US as the industry awaits Trump’s tariff plan for pharma. Generic drugmakers—which supply 90% of US prescriptions—won’t have the same maneuverability.

The number of ‘cost desperate’ patients reaches a new high: Healthcare affordability challenges are worsening for many of the folks who need the most support. We explore how healthcare providers and marketers can step up.

Digital health investing grew to $3 billion in Q1: However, the market stability investors count on to make long-term investments is in short supply amid sweeping federal spending and agency changes.

New CMS head suggests AI avatars could replace clinicians: He’s not alone, but we’re dubious—and of the mindset that human relationships are still the bedrock of a high-quality patient experience.

Patients want more digital health support from drug companies: Respondents in a recent survey say it would improve their worsening perception of pharma.

HHS’ massive FDA layoffs could delay food and drug inspections, approvals: HHS denies cuts will affect food and drug safety inspections and drug approvals, but a swath of FDA experts are concerned about drug innovation, review processes, and manufacturing safety.

Medicare and Medicaid won’t have to cover GLP-1s for weight loss: The Trump administration rejected a proposal that would have improved access to the drugs for millions of Americans. The consequences will be greater for patients than for Big Pharma.

Healthcare companies slashed marketing budgets in 2024: This points to lower spending, but also more efficiency as companies move from traditional expensive TV plans to more targeted TV, digital, and social media.

GoodRx rolls out expanded online pharmacy services: Consumers fill medications and pay for them on GoodRx’s platform. Struggling drugstore chains can partner with GoodRx and improve their customers’ pharmacy experiences.

Senate confirms Dr. Oz to lead CMS: Reducing Medicare Advantage overpayments could be a priority for Oz and his team. Looming cuts to Medicaid will be tougher to justify.

Hims to offer brand-name GLP-1s despite snub from Eli Lilly: Hims appears to have burned bridges with the two biggest GLP-1 drugmakers and consequently could lose customers to rivals selling weight loss drugs at a discount.

Pharma companies sidestepped the Trump administration's broad tariff orders: It’s a pharma win for tariffs, but the president’s comments on foreign tax breaks and manufacturing reshoring demands still signal potential for challenges ahead.

FTC pauses lawsuit against Big 3 PBMs: But we don’t envision the case falling apart. There’s too much bipartisan support around lessening the influence PBMs have over drug pricing and pharmacy reimbursement.

Once valued at $100 billion in 2015, Walgreens Boots Alliance has seen its market value plummet to approximately $10 billion today, with shares down 45% in the last 12 months—making it the worst-performing stock in the S&P 500 in 2024.

AI medical scribes reduce doctor burnout, but cost savings are unclear: A new report highlights tactical benefits of the tech for health systems, but tech companies need to demonstrate how their tools deliver long-term financial benefits.