Fierce Pharma highlights pharma’s shift toward direct-to-patient models
A recent Fierce Pharma article examines how pharmaceutical companies are increasingly experimenting with, and scaling, direct-to-patient (DTP) models as part of a broader evolution in commercial strategy.
The piece notes that major manufacturers, including Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Genentech, Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and Novo Nordisk, have launched or expanded DTP initiatives that allow patients to engage directly with branded digital experiences. These models often combine education, telehealth access, and prescription fulfillment, signaling a departure from traditional awareness-only DTC advertising.
According to the article, DTP programs are gaining traction as brands look to close the gap between marketing and treatment. Rather than driving patients to disconnected next steps, these programs create more direct pathways to care, while also giving manufacturers greater visibility into patient behavior and access barriers.
ixlayer’s recent survey of pharmaceutical executives cited in the article shows that 73% of pharma leaders were running or planning to launch a DTP program in 2026, and 50% of respondents said DTP will be standard practice within five years.
The coverage also highlights that this wave of DTP activity goes beyond earlier direct sales experiments. Recent launches reflect a broader strategic commitment, with ixlayer’s recent survey of pharmaceutical executives cited in the article showing that 73% of pharma leaders said they were running or planning to launch a DTP program in the next year and half of respondents said direct sales will be standard practice within five years.
As DTP adoption accelerates, Fierce Pharma underscores the need for marketing strategies that integrate clinical access, patient experience, and operational rigor, reinforcing the industry’s shift from awareness-driven campaigns to models that support measurable patient action.
Read ixlayer’s EOY research report: Closing the Awareness Gap: What Pharma Executives and Patients Expect from Direct-to-Patient Programs in 2025
Read Fierce Pharma’s coverage of ixlayer: https://www.fiercepharma.com/marketing/pharma-clicks-patients-direct-sales-model-shifts-marketing-strategies
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