Health Union, a leading digital health company specializing in online community activation and data, and solli, a community-driven media platform for the pharmaceutical marketing sector, announced the launch of the 2026 Pharma Marketing Pulse Report. The report draws on more than 1,500 data points collected from senior industry leaders and provides a comprehensive guide for pharmaceutical brands navigating the evolving landscape shaped by technology, regulatory change, and the increasing need for patient trust. Insights were gathered from over 50 experienced pharma marketers, 75 percent of whom hold director-level positions or higher, revealing an industry that remains resilient. Eighty percent of respondents anticipate stable or increased marketing budgets in 2026 despite regulatory uncertainty and shifts driven by AI and digital technologies.
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Olivier Chateau, CEO and co-founder of Health Union, said that the 2026 report demonstrates how AI is transforming both patient and healthcare professional engagement. He explained that marketers are moving beyond simple reach and visibility to focus on verified authority. According to Chateau, trusted specialty platforms that can connect high-level engagement with tangible outcomes such as prescription lift and ROI are becoming central to strategy. By leveraging environments grounded in lived experience, brands can achieve deeper and more qualified engagement rather than relying on surface-level interactions.
Key findings from the 2026 Pharma Marketing Pulse Report include the increasing role of AI in marketing budgets. Sixty-eight percent of respondents are reallocating funds from general search engines toward specialized, high-authority content platforms in response to the rise of AI-powered search and zero-click results. Community-based strategies have also become a strategic priority, with 67 percent of marketers rating condition-specific communities as extremely important. This figure rises to 75 percent for Oncology and Rare Disease marketers who dedicate nearly twice the budget to community platforms compared to other therapeutic areas.
The report also highlights the HCP and direct-to-consumer synergy gap. While nearly half of marketers prioritize aligning HCP and DTC strategies, 93 percent of budgets remain siloed. Marketers are now focusing on vocabulary alignment to ensure patients and doctors share a common language that facilitates better conversations at the point of care. Trust is emerging as a critical metric for marketing quality. Forty-five percent of marketers are increasing investment in platforms with high medical authority and validated content review systems. Additionally, 93 percent of those leveraging influencers now require a formal medical and regulatory review process to ensure credibility.
Richard Springham, CEO of solli, noted that the research highlights a fundamental shift in pharmaceutical media from vanity metrics toward verified authority and truly qualified engagement. He explained that as AI continues to influence information discovery and trust becomes increasingly valuable, the report provides clarity for marketers seeking accountable, data-driven strategies in 2026 and beyond. The report is intended to guide pharmaceutical leaders in building campaigns that are both more effective and more aligned with patient and healthcare professional needs.
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