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.

Steady telehealth use among patients supports many market players, but winners will pair Rx access with user experience, AI, and caring providers.

Health influencers drive real behavior, but trust rests with doctors and patients. As creators gain reach, healthcare marketers must harness influence while protecting credibility, safety, and compliance in a high-risk category.

Weight loss hype pushed Lilly well ahead of Novo, yet Novo’s early pill win signals a turn toward more affordable, convenient obesity treatments.

Pharma and health brands return to the Super Bowl, ditching drug pitches for brand storytelling campaigns.

Novo’s oral drug is wildly outperforming weekly sales needed to hit forecasts, signaling strong early demand for GLP-1 pills.

Novo and Lilly prohibit telehealth partners from offering compounded GLP-1s, eroding compounders’ ability to distribute.

Pharma, startups, and the federal government piled into virtual care with new platforms and partnerships.

GoodRx is launching a weight loss telehealth membership plan and discounting the cash-pay price for low doses of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy to $199 per month. GoodRx is newer to telehealth, but already making waves and forging closer relationships with drugmakers.

Telehealth provider Hims & Hers is adding direct-to-consumer lab testing services in a new partnership with Quest Diagnostics. While the ability to self-order lab tests through platforms like Hims offers convenience and new insight into potential health risks, it also puts more responsibility on consumers.

The news: Telehealth company Ro signed tennis superstar Serena Williams as a celebrity patient spokesperson for its GLP-1 weight loss meds. Our take: As an athlete, Williams speaks to potential GLP-1 customers who may not relate to advertising that focuses on people with obesity. Ro’s strategy is a win for Lilly and Novo since the drugmakers can stick to brand-safe body positivity and anti-stigma messages via obesity awareness campaigns, while their telehealth partners take on flashier campaigns with mega-celebrities while not having to adhere to the same strict FDA ad regulations.

The news: Rush University System for Health in Chicago is launching a subscription health model for patients seeking virtual urgent care. Our take: Legacy health systems are playing catch-up to D2C healthcare companies, and likely can’t offer a better customer experience. Telehealth is now a commodity, and success in the subscription healthcare space could come down to factors such as easy access to in-demand drug categories (e.g., GLP-1s, sexual health meds) and spending on digital channels such as social media to create brand awareness and more effectively reach younger customers.

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.

Tens of millions of Americans will use weight loss drugs in the coming years. Here’s what pharma, food and beverage, wellness, and fitness brands and marketers need to know about GLP-1 patients’ changing behaviors alongside their medication use.

Novo Nordisk and Hims go from competitors to partners: The deal signals Novo’s desire to capture patients transitioning off compounded GLP-1s. All eyes turn to Eli Lilly, which at last check said it’s not affiliating with Hims.

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.

Eli Lilly and Ro join forces to offer lower price vials of Zepbound: Seeing competitors become business partners may seem surprising, but we detail why the deal makes sense for both parties.

Amazon’s telehealth service offers upfront pricing for Prime members: This puts it in direct competition with companies like Hims & Hers and Ro. Here’s why they should be worried.

Ochsner expands its virtual weight management solution: The health system’s focus on selectively prescribing GLP-1s through affiliated physicians is a discerning financial move.

Which companies are and aren’t threatening health systems? Incumbent providers should be keeping tabs on retail and tech conglomerates instead of telehealth-focused players.