Consumers turn to search engines first for answers to health-related questions, even as social, video, and AI tools gain ground. Meanwhile, streaming TV is reshaping healthcare ad reach. Digital drives health-related action—but trust gaps shadow every channel.

Cost-cutting measures even include rationing meds—pharma firms must pair affordability tools with safety education.

Even with deep discounts, sharper digital marketing will be needed to raise awareness among cash-pay patients.

The offering lets employers subsidize employees’ cash-pay price—sidestepping opaque PBM rebates and helping rein in rising pharmacy costs.

Its recent Pfizer and TrumpRx partnerships show how pharma companies are betting on D2C distribution and consumer-facing pricing.

The cash-pay discount hub will offer fewer drugs than GoodRx and have limited reach, but drugmakers must still promote it to drive prescription volumes, especially for uninsured drugs.

AI’s growing clout in healthcare and pharma and candid confessions from drugmaker CEOs dominated the narrative at JPM 2026.

Women use more healthcare, spend more on prescriptions, and are spurring telehealth companies to deliver tailored virtual services.

Hims & Hers and GoodRx each moved into new categories of prescription drug sales. Hims and Hers is now offering care for menopause and perimenopause under its Hers brand, while GoodRx launched a subscription for men’s hair loss treatment. GoodRx is a new player in an expanding market of companies selling prescription drugs, but we think the company has staying power. GoodRx’s vast user base offers a cheaper, more efficient path to converting consumers into subscription members than other D2C healthcare competitors.

Healthcare marketing faces unique challenges as skeptical consumers find it hard to trust much of the messaging sent their way.

Prescription drug prices along with other healthcare costs like hospital services and nursing homes, are growing faster than overall inflation, but slower than consumer costs like housing, food, and coffee, per GoodRx Research’s latest data. Pharma marketers need to use empathy to connect with the growing group of underinsured consumers. They should be transparent about prices and acknowledge the frustration consumers feel around the complexity of the US healthcare and insurance system. Proactively highlight help offered for consumers like financial assistance, savings tools, and patient support programs.

GoodRx is partnering with Kroger pharmacies to roll out a medication savings program for branded drugs, including Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy. Kroger has a great opportunity to market healthy food offerings through its grocery business to people picking up GLP-1 prescriptions at its pharmacy. This might involve pharmacist-led medication management, tailored marketing for store products that support GLP-1 use (e.g., high-protein, low-calorie, fiber-rich), and access to nutrition guidance and resources.

Our midyear report revisits the top trends we named in early 2025 to see what’s shaping the market, evolving fast, or fading in the rearview mirror.

The news: GoodRx is rolling out a subscription service for erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment. Our take: GoodRx is in a great position to compete with the top D2C telehealth players since consumers are already on the site or app searching for prescription drug discounts—it has over 6 million active monthly consumers who use a coupon code. GoodRx might also be more trusted than pure-play telehealth companies in the eyes of consumers since its services help people save money on their healthcare.

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.

Consumers are turning to digital channels for medical information and advice and to research healthcare products, treatments, and services. Here’s what healthcare and pharma marketers need to know about converting information-seeking consumers into customers.

We look at how adjusted pricing, launching in new categories and markets, and growing its debit card made this possible

Sanofi’s Opella secures FDA nod to pursue OTC Cialis study: If Cialis’ shift from a prescription drug to over-the-counter product comes to fruition, both consumers and D2C retailers could benefit.

Meta’s healthcare ad changes go into effect: Healthcare advertisers will need to get creative and experiment with different approaches to effectively reach their target audiences in light of the changes.

Patients overspent on GLP-1 meds by $200M in the past year: Lower prices for weight loss drugs are possible, but it’s up to stakeholders in the pharma industry to direct consumers to Rx savings tools and resources.