The data: Prescription drug brands’ spending on linear and streaming TV ads stabilized in Q3 at $1.99 billion, virtually flat from $2.04 billion in Q2 and down from $2.52 billion in Q1, according to iSpot.tv data shared with EMARKETER. However, where those dollars were spent continued to shift: Streaming’s share of total prescription drug TV ad spend jumped to 42% in Q3, up from 32% in Q1.

Why it matters: Many prescription drug advertisers are shifting a larger share of their ad budgets to streaming as viewing habits change. And that tracks with broader healthcare and pharma industry TV advertising trends. EMARKETER forecasts CTV ad spending will grow 23.7% YoY in 2026, while linear TV spending declines 6.6%. CTV spending will surpass linear in 2028, reaching $6.24 billion compared with $5.45 billion for linear.