Category: Blog

Product communications aren’t one-size-fits-all. Whether you’re launching a hospital-based treatment for a rare condition or a patient activated therapy with high name recognition, understanding when and how to communicate directly with patients versus providers is critical. 

We recently sat down with Tara DiFlumeri, Head, Early Stage and Specialty Pharmaceuticals and Natalia Forsyth, Head, Digital Strategy to unpack how they approach product communications through a lens looking at products from B2B (business-to-business) vs. B2C (business-to-consumer) and where the line between the two often blurs.

1. What’s the distinction between B2B and B2C in a healthcare setting?

Tara: “B2B is typically when a pharma or biotech company is targeting healthcare providers or institutions directly, especially for complex or rare conditions, or when the drug is administered in a hospital setting. These are scenarios where specialty physicians drive decision making, and trusted, peer-to-peer education is key. In these cases, patients don’t always ask for products by name; they receive them based on clinical judgment. B2C, on the other hand, is anything designed to reach patients or caregivers directly, usually for products where consumer choice plays a larger role.” 

Natalia: “We’ve worked on several true B2B examples, like medications primarily accessed in a public health or clinic setting.  It’s about meeting HCPs or institutions, where they are not trying to drive patient demand.”

2. How does this change your strategy in practice? Are there examples of campaigns that evolved over time?

Tara: “It absolutely changes our strategy. One good example is an established product we work on used across multiple autoimmune conditions, for which we recently helped launch a self-injection device. This meant educating physicians on safety and convenience, while also preparing direct-to-patient education for people with dexterity issues due to multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis. So, we ran a parallel track of provider trust and patient empowerment, both necessary to drive adoption.” 

Natalia: “I once worked on a low libido treatment for women. We initially focused only on provider outreach, especially sexual health specialists, but faced major skepticism. When we switched to a bold, patient-first direct-to-consumer campaign encouraging women to advocate for what they deserved, it finally resonated.”

3. When do you want patients to know your product by name? How does that work in a regulated environment like healthcare?

Natalia: “Consumer driven spaces like GLP-1s, contraception, migraines, or hormone therapy—you absolutely want patients walking into offices asking for the product by name. Millennials especially are now both patients and caregivers, and they expect to be part of the conversation. They’re digital natives, and the way they access healthcare is changing fast.” 

Tara: “But for some medications, particularly in acute care and hospital settings, patients might never even hear the name, let alone remember it. In those cases, all communications energy should go toward educating HCPs and institutions, not patient awareness.”

4. How do you bring digital and the patient voice into your strategy and when?

Natalia: “The gold standard is to involve patients and advocacy groups early, co-creating campaigns that feel true to lived experience. It’s not always possible, but when it is, the difference in sentiment and uptake is clear. And even later on, we use social listening and AI to surface real-world feedback often preferring organic, user generated content over polished testimonial videos.” 

Tara: “It can get tricky with consumer facing digital. Clients might want to use influencers or push the envelope creatively, but healthcare comms comes with serious regulatory considerations. We have to build review and monitoring systems that account for those risks, especially when real people are talking about real products in real time.”

5. Where do teams go wrong in mapping out B2B and B2C strategies?

Tara: “Sometimes people use ‘B2B’ to mean any healthcare provider communication, when it could also mean institution-to-institution, or pharma-to-pharma, depending on your objectives. Green Room looks at ‘B2B’ as anything that touches audiences who are not patient-facing. I find it more helpful to think in terms of your actual audiences: HCPs, advocacy groups, patients, caregivers. Not just which bucket they fall into.” 

Natalia: “And sometimes teams chase name recognition even when it doesn’t matter. If your product is hospital based or only prescribed in rare situations, patients don’t need to know the brand. The right play is to educate the right gatekeepers and stop trying to make every drug a household name.” 

The TL;DR?
Product communications in healthcare can’t be treated as plug-and-play. Every therapy has its own context, timeline, and audience whether you’re educating a specialist, informing a caregiver or empowering a patient to speak up at their next appointment. At Green Room, we start with the same question every time: Who needs to hear this first? 

Let’s face it—when the headlines are on fire, so are our inboxes, and our first instinct is to push communications externally. In uncertain times like these, healthcare communications professionals are rightfully laser-focused on ramping up external communications. There are patients to reach, shareholders to inform, and sales to protect. But in the frenzy to respond externally, there’s often a sneaky casualty that can hurt long-term success: internal communications. 

It’s easy to dismiss town halls, newsletters, email updates, and internal-facing posts as “nice to have” at best, or “adding to the noise” at worst. Yet, in today’s high-pressure, high-noise environment, these “tactics” are your strategic secret weapons for retaining and attracting the talent that remains foundational to your success. 

A Town Hall Is More Than a Microphone
At a recent client town hall, a senior leader unpacked healthcare policy changes coming down the pike that have implications for patients and the industry at large. She dedicated the time to acknowledge the external climate while connecting it to the company’s strategy and mission, and she did it in plain language, with just the right dose of transparency and optimism. The result? Employees left the meeting not just informed—but energized. They understood the factors that continue to shape the company’s next moves and, more importantly, how they can personally contribute. 

That’s business acumen in action. And in healthcare, where science, policy, and purpose collide daily, helping your people make sense of complexity isn’t optional—it’s everything. Whether that means acknowledging uncertainty, offering clarity amidst the unknown, or simply meeting them where they are. 

Newsletters = Navigation Tools
Yes, newsletters may sound “old school,” perhaps even boring. But, familiarity can bring comfort and a sense of steadiness in turbulent times. When done right, newsletters become invaluable navigation tools. Think of them as your company’s GPS through change. Highlighting regulatory updates, market trends, and leadership POVs tailored for different teams means fewer surprises for your employees. Consider a sales rep who now understands how policy changes could impact access in their territory. Or, a marketing employee grasps the why behind the new creative campaign. Your workforce stops guessing and starts aligning with organizational strategy when they are in the know. 

Turning Internal Platforms into Comms Powerhouses
When used incorrectly (or as an afterthought), popular internal platforms such as Viva Engage and SharePoint, can become digital clutter. But when used right, they’re amplifiers of a culture grounded in learning. Viva Engage posts from leaders celebrating colleagues and showcasing strategy in action, while encouraging feedback and two-way communication, help build trust, pride, and understanding around what good looks like. SharePoint pages that break down company strategy and make it easy to access on-demand resources, help employees prioritize, build business acumen, and feel empowered to learn on their own time.  

Because when the world outside is continuously evolving, what employees need most is a reminder that their company has a plan—and that they’re not just part of it, but drivers of it. 

Confidence Is an Inside Job
Here’s an undisputed fact: employees who feel informed, involved, and inspired become your most powerful ambassadors and your greatest competitive asset. They serve your patients and customers better. They make smarter and more confident decisions. They weather changes and challenges with resilience. 

When you deprioritize internal comms in tough times, it’s like trying to steer a ship without a rudder. When you invest in your employees first, you build a crew that rows in sync even when the tides get choppy. 

So yes, polish the press release and prep your media spokesperson. 

But don’t forget your team on the inside. Because the best external outcomes often start with the right internal conversation. 

Disclaimer: These images are for illustrative purposes only.

If you read through each of those and noticed a glaring error, join the Green Room crowd! In the first instance, the word “cures” is used as an unsubstantiated, absolute claim. It implies FDA approval and guaranteed results, which is prohibited if the product is still investigational and the call-to-action suggests commercial availability where there may be none.

In the second example, the press release overstates results from an exploratory Phase 2 trial and in the third, the web copy suggests efficacy and safety are proven, even though the product is still in clinical trials.

What do they all have in common?
They are non-compliant, misleading, overly promotional or unbalanced.

In our industry, proactively communicating pipeline progress and new data is essential for attracting investors, enabling scientific collaboration, laying the groundwork for approval and reinforcing corporate credibility. But companies must do so while navigating strict regulatory guidance from the FDA. Getting it wrong can result in reputational damage, investor concern or even regulatory action.

However, the FDA’s guidance on investigational product communication can be complex and open to interpretation. Missteps like overstating efficacy, omitting risks or promoting unapproved drugs can lead to public-facing enforcement like warning or untitled letters.

Coloring Within the Lines
The FDA expects that external communications about investigational or approved products ensure:

• Accuracy: All claims must be scientifically valid and evidence-based
• Non-misleading language: Avoid overstating benefits or minimizing risks
• Balanced presentation: Benefits must be accompanied by risks
• Adherence to pre-market restrictions: No promotion of unapproved drugs

Seasoned healthcare PR practitioners can mitigate risk. At Green Room, we regularly work with clients to appropriately share phase 1/2 data at major medical meetings and highlight topline results into a press release. Our team is trained to ensure the release is compliant by clearly separating exploratory findings from statistically significant endpoints and avoiding promotional language about unapproved use.

Having an agency well versed in cross-functional Medical, Legal and Regulatory (MLR) collaboration is also key here. Regulatory, legal and PR and communications teams must work together with shared commitment to transparency and consistency.

Best Practices to Ensure Compliance at Every Turn
Our Green Room team can reduce regulatory risk by:

• Implementing robust internal review processes for all public-facing content
• Training employees on FDA standards across functions
• Engaging regulatory affairs early in content planning
• Monitoring enforcement trends and adapting accordingly

Proactive, transparent communication builds trust. But to protect reputation and ensure long-term success, companies must pair transparency with compliance. That means grounding communications in both science and regulatory strategy because compelling storytelling only works when it stays within the lines.

Three hundred scientists. Four months. One global hiring campaign.

That was the ask from a top 10 pharma company facing a critical talent crunch. To deliver, Green Room scanned competitive blind spots, zeroed in on what Gen X and Millennial scientists actually care about and then crafted a bold creative platform that made it personal. We launched everywhere: on-site, online, in-feed, and hit our hiring goals with speed and precision.

Another client, a clinical-stage biotech gearing up for launch, came to us with a different challenge: build a diverse workforce that reflects its mission. We turned social into their recruiting engine. First came culture calibration. Real employees, real stories, no stock photos. Then a three-year LinkedIn campaign targeted to the people who mattered most. The result? 90% of hires sourced through social. Brand awareness was up 1,751% and zero spend was wasted on the wrong eyeballs.

This is not your old-school job posting strategy. This is social-first recruitment and it’s changing the game for biopharma. 

Recruitment as a Brand Strategy
A few years ago, recruiting in life sciences followed a predictable pattern. Post a role. Maybe splurge on a recruiter if the role was urgent.

Fast forward to today, and the paradigm has flipped. Recruitment is no longer an HR function, it’s brand strategy, reputation management and audience targeting. And it’s playing out in the feeds of scientists, PhDs, and emerging leaders who are talking shop, sharing breakthroughs, and evaluating you long before they click “apply.” 

 Let’s talk facts: 

• 79% of job seekers use social media in their job search (CareerArc) 

• 50% lower cost per hire for companies that invest in employer branding on social (LinkedIn) 

• 58% of candidates vet your social presence before submitting an application (Glassdoor)

In biopharma, where the talent pool is specialized, competitive, and often passive your social channels aren’t just a nice-to-have. They’re your front door.  

Five Moves to Make Your Recruiting Strategy Actually Social-First
Here’s how we help our clients flip the script: 

• Treat your careers page like a campaign landing page. Lead with outcomes, not org charts. 

• Show, don’t tell. Highlight employees, not just executives. Bonus points for behind-the-scenes shots and raw testimonials. 

• Post strategically, not sporadically. A single well-timed post can outperform ten generic ones. 

• Engage, don’t just broadcast. If someone comments, respond. Make your brand feel human. 

• Use paid wisely. Micro-targeted ads on LinkedIn or Instagram can surface your roles to the right candidates before they’re even job hunting. 

The Takeaway: Will They Stop on Your Post?
Biopharma companies that embrace social-first recruiting aren’t just filling roles faster, they’re building communities of curious, mission-aligned talent. In an industry where timing is everything, from clinical trials to commercialization, attracting the right people quickly and authentically can be a game-changer. 

And the best part? Many of these social tactics are more cost-effective than traditional methods, offering better reach, sharper targeting, and longer-lasting brand value. 

The talent is out there. They’re already scrolling. Will they stop on your post or someone else’s? 

Imagine planning a surprise party but forgetting to send the invites until the night before. The cake’s perfect, the decorations are up…but the room’s still empty. 

That’s the trap too many early-stage companies fall into when they delay communications until top-line data is in hand. But in today’s crowded, noisy landscape, visibility can’t wait. Stakeholders from investors and media to future partners and trial participants need to know you exist before there’s data to talk about. 

So, what do you communicate before you have results? 

You communicate your vision. Your leadership. Your promise. 

At Green Room, here’s how we guide our clients to show up early and strategically. 

Start Early. Engage Often. 

For early-stage companies, engagement isn’t just possible pre-data, it’s essential. One privately held biopharma came to us while still shaping its identity. With a subcutaneous therapy platform and clinical milestones approaching, the company needed a cohesive story. 

We helped leadership align on messaging that articulated both corporate vision and scientific potential. From there, we brought the message to life across stakeholder segments: short-term (investors, talent, media) and long-term (patients, HCPs). Each group received a tailored version of the same core story delivered in language that spoke to their individualized needs.  

Just like in corporate America, journalists are being forced to do more with less. They need time to understand the science and the unmet needs of a potential drug in a therapeutic area before reporting on it. That education takes time. Reporters need to get up to speed on your science and your story well before the data is available.  Holding up your message and media strategy creates major blind spots in accurate reporting or can even turn a journalist off from covering your news. You don’t want to leave your audience scrambling for context. 

Offer a Point of View, Not Just Updates 

Being visible isn’t enough. You need to stand for something. 

Our Green Room team worked with a pre-commercial gene therapy company operating in a rare disease space. While waiting for data, we worked with their CEO to publish op-eds, appear at investor forums and partner with advocacy leaders to elevate the disease’s unmet need and spotlight their novel approach. Afterall, without a product, audiences look for “a reason to believe.” In many cases, that means looking at the company’s leadership and their track records to build credibility on past successes. Sharing that vision as well as unique perspectives give stakeholders a glimpse into where the company could go. It provides the roadmap and sets the stage for future data milestones.  

The result? Momentum. Media interest. Trial recruitment.  

Thought leadership, when done right, builds authority and community. 

Build a Digital Presence That Scales with You 

We get it. When you are pre-revenue, web traffic may not feel like a priority. But a neglected digital presence is a liability. Whether it’s attracting top talent, supporting trial recruitment or shaping how AI interprets your brand online, a polished, findable and future-proof website is non-negotiable. 

With 80% of consumers relying on AI tools for search, your site is either fueling credibility—or fading into digital irrelevance. 

The bottom line: If you’re not telling your story, someone else will and they won’t get it right. 

Start communicating before the data drops. Establish your voice, build the foundation, and send out those invitations well before the party starts. Letting people know what to expect is always a best practice and will be sure to optimize not only your attendance at the proverbial party but getting your story in front of the right people. 

We’ve said it many times and we’ll say it again: social media is experiencing an unprecedented transformation. From Elon Musk’s takeover and rebranding of Twitter as X, to Meta’s evolving moderation policies, the landscape is still rapidly shifting. These developments have spurred the rise of new platforms like Threads and Bluesky, while strengthening the presence of TikTok, LinkedIn, and emerging community-driven tools like Grok and Community Notes.

For healthcare communicators, navigating this volatile environment isn’t just about brand strategy, it’s about maintaining vital connections to patients who desperately need information, support, and access to medical breakthroughs and relevant information. While the digital landscape evolves and political uncertainty looms, one truth remains constant: patients cannot and should not wait. Here are five essential steps to safeguard your social strategy in times of uncertainty: 

Diversify Your Channel Strategy
To remain resilient, healthcare communicators must diversify their presence across multiple social media channels. Over-reliance on a single platform can leave companies vulnerable to sudden policy changes, algorithm updates, or changes in public sentiment—and more importantly, it risks severing crucial lifelines to patient communities who depend on consistent, reliable information. A post can be a lifeline for a patient who is looking for support. Embrace a broad channel strategy to ensure continuous outreach and engagement with those who need it most. 

Modular Content Creation
Given the unpredictable nature of social media platforms, content must be modular and adaptable. Design your content so each asset can be quickly tailored for various platforms with minor adjustments. For patients seeking information on a clinical trial or navigating complex healthcare decisions, interrupted access to information isn’t just inconvenient, it can be life-altering. Modular social media content is like building blocks for your brand’s messaging. Instead of creating one-off posts, develop reusable content pieces—like headlines, images, and captions—that can be mixed, matched, and repurposed across different platforms and formats. This makes content creation more efficient, scalable, and adaptable to different audiences and ensures vital messages reach patient communities without delay, regardless of platform disruptions. 

Update Your Monitoring and Moderation Approach
As new tools like Grok and Community Notes – a crowdsourced fact-checking system on X that allows users to add context to potentially misleading posts – is reshaping how content is moderated and flagged, healthcare organizations must rewrite their monitoring strategies. In a world where misinformation about treatments and conditions spreads rapidly, patients can’t afford to wait for corrections or clarifications. Adapting to evolving moderation tools can help organizations quickly address misinformation and respond effectively to real-time feedback, ultimately protecting not just a brand’s integrity, but the health outcomes of vulnerable communities who rely on accurate information. 

Proactive Crisis Planning
Healthcare communicators need clearly defined strategies to handle criticism around sensitive topics like DEI&B, vaccines, and women’s health. While political administrations and policies change, diseases and conditions don’t pause their progression. Preparing now for how your organization will communicate transparently and responsibly during contentious moments ensures that vital health information continues flowing to patients, regardless of the political climate. Patients fighting cancer, rare diseases, or chronic conditions can’t put their health journeys on hold while digital controversies are navigated. 

Embrace AI for Efficiency and Agility
Leveraging artificial intelligence platforms significantly enhances your capability to create personalized, impactful content swiftly. For patients searching for treatment options or critical information, everyday counts. AI-driven tools facilitate deeper engagement through targeted messaging, quicker content iteration, and better insights into audience sentiment—ultimately getting critical information to patients faster. AI can also streamline social listening and moderation processes, providing real-time alerts that empower swift, informed responses to patient concerns. 

While it’s impossible to predict every shift in social media or political landscape, these proactive strategies can ensure healthcare organizations remain responsive to patient needs without interruption. By diversifying channels, modularizing content, adapting moderation strategies, planning proactively for crises, and harnessing AI’s capabilities, a company’s social media strategy will continue serving those who matter most—patients whose health challenges demand attention regardless of digital disruptions or changing administrations. 

Remember: In healthcare communications, timeliness isn’t just about staying relevant, it’s about acknowledging that behind every view, click, and share is someone whose life may depend on the information provided. Patients can’t wait, and neither should your communications strategy. 

As National Science Foundation staff review thousands of active research projects against lists of scrutinized terminology, healthcare communicators face a stark reminder: words carry meaning. But while federal agencies examine grant language and research proposals, time marches relentlessly forward for patients awaiting breakthroughs. Right now, there’s a child in a hospital room who is missing out on a potential lifesaving therapy as we sort out a path forward. We now find ourselves at a critical juncture where our industry is evolving – the words we use, the processes, but at the core, the what and the why remains unchanged: ensuring that lifesaving innovations reach the patients who need them.

When my son Cannon was diagnosed with hypophosphatasia (HPP), there were no approved treatments. Today, there’s one approved treatment, one in clinical trials and others in discovery. This profound shift from hopelessness to hope illustrates why we can’t get bogged down in process, over-thinking, or linguistic debates. These are distractions that slow down medical progress. Every day spent debating terminology is a day lost to a patient somewhere waiting for a breakthrough.

In today’s healthcare world, communications leaders face unprecedented challenges on the daily. Words that once seemed straightforward now carry unexpected weight. Terms we would argue are relatively neutral like “advocate” have become lightning rods, potentially affecting everything from grant funding to clinical trial recruitment. During my pre-med track in college, we learned that the science of biology teaches us that medical responses may vary across populations. For rare disease research, this presents a particular challenge. When you’re already working with a small patient population, ensuring diverse representation in clinical trials becomes even more complex. Diversity isn’t about checking boxes—it’s about developing treatments that work safely and effectively for everyone.

Our role is to thoughtfully navigate how and when to engage in political discourse but most of all, it is to ensure that essential healthcare messages reach those who need them. When words become charged, we must find new ways to convey unchanging truths: every patient deserves access to safe, effective medicine, regardless of their background.

Savvy healthcare communications leaders recognize that crisis communications isn’t just a response strategy anymore—it’s THE strategy. The days of the war room are over as we now engage in triaging strategy and rapid-fire response as a way of working. As we help our clients navigate this frenzied moment while keeping patient needs at the forefront, we are finding that now more than ever we must:

• Ensure that semantic debates don’t delay patient care or scientific progress
• Bring the humanity back to healthcare narratives
• Remember our “why”. The purpose behind what we do is something that unites us while other distractions seemingly divide.
• Support companies in maintaining their commitment to patient care while navigating sensitive discussions

Most healthcare professionals I know didn’t choose this field for financial gain. They chose it because they want to help people and make a difference in this world. Like the physician’s creed to “do no harm,” our communications creed must be to never let wordsmithing stand in the way of patient care.

Looking ahead, our industry faces complex challenges without easy answers. But our north star remains constant: doing what’s right for patients. Whether we’re discussing rare disease research, clinical trial access, or treatment availability, our focus must remain on the fundamental goal of helping people live healthier lives.

In the coming weeks, our “Patients Can’t Wait” series will explore these challenges through the eyes of our Practice Leads, each bringing their unique perspective to this conversation. But regardless of how healthcare communications shifts, one truth remains: Every minute spent debating is borrowed from someone waiting for a cure.

I think of my son Cannon, and how different his future looks today compared to his diagnosis day 18 years ago. I think of countless other families still waiting for their breakthrough moment. They remind us that in healthcare, time isn’t just money—it’s life itself. And that’s something none of us can afford to waste.

As corporate leaders stand at the dawn of 2025, they find themselves navigating unchartered waters as new policy changes have forced companies to reexamine their core identities and public positions particularly on the topic of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). While many of us use the New Year to contemplate personal transformations, companies and brands are faced with a different kind of reflection: one that examines their core identity, purpose, and the mark they wish to leave on the world.

Adaptability isn’t just about surviving change – it’s about thoughtfully evolving while staying true to organizational values. As stakeholder expectations transform, businesses face a crucial question: how do you refresh your story without losing the essence of who you are?

However, there should not be a New Year, New Narrative without cause. Meaning, in our perspective, only a significant business change would warrant a wholesale updated narrative. A refresh is a moment in time to reframe who your company portrays itself to be.

The Shifting Corporate Landscape
The corporate landscape is experiencing a seismic shift in how organizations approach DEI initiatives. Meta Platforms Inc. sent shockwaves through the business world by dismantling its DEI programs, including the dissolution of dedicated teams and the termination of diverse supplier initiatives. This decisive move has sparked a chain reaction, with industry giants like Amazon, Target, McDonald’s, and Ford following suit.

In the wake of these transformative changes, our clients are grappling with profound questions about their own positioning. They’re seeking guidance not just on policy adjustments, but on the delicate art of communicating these changes to increasingly diverse stakeholders. The challenge lies in striking a balance between evolution and authenticity —ensuring that any shifts in approach remain rooted in founding principles while embracing a forward-looking vision that provides a moment to put a fresh focus on core values, culture and ways of working. This is a moment not just to update, but to reaffirm what matters most to your company.

Interestingly, while headlines spotlight major corporations stepping back from DEI, data tells a different story. According to the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP), 96% of surveyed companies report no reduction in DEI budgets or goals. What we’re witnessing isn’t the end of DEI, but rather its transformation – a strategic shift from standalone initiatives to integrated business practices.

Building a Resilient Narrative
At Green Room, we advocate for a nuanced approach. Your corporate identity shouldn’t sway with every changing wind but rather stand firm on its foundational values while adapting its expression to the current climate. Think of it as refreshing your company’s voice without changing its soul.

This process demands regular attention – quarterly reviews at minimum for companies of a certain market cap while emerging or smaller companies may revisit annually – and should respond nimbly to significant developments affecting your brand. Consider it an ongoing dialogue with your stakeholders rather than an annual monologue.

Strategic Considerations for Your Narrative
Key reflections should include:

• How your business objectives resonate with or diverge from current societal dynamics
• The alignment between your core mission and your company’s growth trajectory
• The impact of both triumphs and setbacks on your brand story
• The resilience of your values in an increasingly complex social landscape
• The enduring value you deliver to employees, shareholders, and customers

The magic happens when leadership teams engage in candid discussions about these elements, creating productive tension between current perceptions and aspirational legacy. This is where your narrative truly comes alive.

And here’s the exciting part – once we’ve crafted this authentic, refreshed narrative, we get to bring it to life through compelling storytelling. Because at the heart of every refined narrative and strategic shift should be the people we ultimately serve—patients—where clear and thoughtful communication helps ensure that they remain the priority. A strong narrative isn’t just about positioning; it’s about reinforcing commitment to the people who rely on these innovations and essential services every day. When we get a narrative right, we don’t just align with business goals—we reaffirm our role in improving patient outcomes in a meaningful way.

For our 2025 clients, the journey ahead promises to be both challenging and infinitely rewarding!

The atmosphere in San Francisco was buzzing with healthcare’s brightest minds collaborating and striking deals to help usher in the next generation of innovative medicines and technologies. After attending Fierce Life Sciences JPM Week events, meeting with colleagues and soaking in the excitement of the biggest healthcare investor event of the year, I was left with a lot to think about. Here’s what I took away:

Mergers and Acquisition Have Rebounded to Historic Highs
Right out of the gate, Johnson & Johnson set the tone for this year’s dealmaking playoffs with its announcement of a $14.6 billion acquisition of Intra-Cellular Therapies, bringing Caplyta into its portfolio. PwC’s M&A Report predicts that 2025 is going to be the year of corporate courtships – lower interest rates and post-election clarity are setting the stage for some serious healthcare hookups. What I’m most interested in is a potential shift toward investment in earlier stage assets that may come with a lower price tag, but hold incredible promise to change the treatment paradigm in therapeutic areas of high unmet need like oncology and rare diseases. This trend signals an increased need for strategic healthcare communications that can effectively position early-stage assets, build investor confidence, and differentiate innovations in crowded markets. PR efforts will need to focus on storytelling that highlights the long-term value and patient impact of these emerging therapies.

AI Will Continue to Shape Healthcare Advancements
No surprises here — AI was everywhere at this year’s conference. Morgan Health’s CEO Dan Mendelson announced that the company wants to do more in AI, and several companies introduced new AI-based products and initiatives. Tempus AI unveiled new upgrades to Tempus One, its generative AI tool for clinical decision-making, while Nvidia announced partnerships with IQVIA, Illumina, Mayo Clinic and the Arc Institute to push digital pathology, drug discovery, and multiomics analysis forward. Talkspace is rolling out an AI-powered tool to help therapists with pre-session prep and post-session notes.

AI’s influence on healthcare is undeniable—however, speakers at JPM also emphasized that real-world impact depends on thoughtful implementation and ongoing technological refinement.

Health Insurers Remain Under Scrutiny
The tension between insurers and healthcare providers is reaching a boiling point and it was palpable at JPM. The recent assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson cast a sobering shadow over discussions and prompted some insurers like CVS Health and UnitedHealth Group to forgo the event entirely. Meanwhile, protesters outside the conference called for prioritizing patients over profits. The friction between payors and providers is only intensifying as costs rise and contract disputes escalate. How this dynamic plays out in the coming months will be critical.

Women’s Health Is in the Spotlight
Women’s health was a standout topic at the conference. At Fierce Life Sciences JPM Week, Dr. Jill Biden reaffirmed her commitment to push for more investment in women’s health research, calling it an area with too much potential to ignore. In a powerful visual statement, women from the Biotech CEO Sisterhood showed up in pink to call out the ongoing gender gap at the conference.

On the product front, Bayer announced that its new menopause drug, elinzanetant, is under FDA review. Meanwhile, Morgan Health is actively looking at startups like Kindbody, a fertility and family-building healthcare provider as potential investment opportunities. Conversations estimate the size of the women’s health market will grow from $9 billion to $29 billion in just eight years due to momentum from founders and funders.

The GLP-1 Market Will Evolve, But Where Is It Headed?
The GLP-1 obesity drug market is still booming, but Eli Lilly’s CEO David Ricks said the long-term trajectory is still uncertain. He emphasized that despite the hype, predicting consumer demand and sales patterns for obesity drugs remains tricky. Ricks also pointed to an overestimation of the market’s short-term growth, which has led to some financial setbacks.

GSK’s Chief Scientific Officer Tony Wood said the company is steering clear of the overcrowded obesity market for now and instead focusing on obesity-related conditions rather than diving directly into weight loss treatments.

The Takeaway
As healthcare stands at the intersection of technological innovation and human-centered care, the 43rd J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference revealed a future where AI, strategic investments, and patient-focused solutions will redefine medical advancement. The industry is not just adapting to change but actively shaping a more precise, efficient, and inclusive healthcare ecosystem. These transformative trends signal a pivotal moment where technology and compassionate care converge to unlock unprecedented potential in medical science and patient outcomes. For communications professionals, this evolving landscape will require a shift toward corporate and investor relations communications to support investment narratives, while heightened M&A activity will demand a sharper focus on internal communications to ensure seamless integration of operations and corporate cultures.

The communications landscape underwent a seismic shift in 2024. From the emergence of AI-powered content generation to the transformation of traditional journalists into personal brand powerhouses, these changes are fundamentally reshaping how organizations communicate with their audiences. As transparency and authenticity become increasingly vital, companies and their communicators must adapt to a new reality where technology and human connection are inextricably linked. Here are the most significant trends we saw in 2024: 

New Focus on the Safety of Executives
As Amazon workers are striking in an effort to unionize, they follow a growing trend among Americans who are collectively frustrated and becoming more vocal about shareholder capitalism. The recent tragic murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has heightened discussions on the safety of company executives, particularly in healthcare. This could lead to limitations on access and transparency, such as more thorough screening of social media connection requests and careful topic selection. We are currently working through these discussions with our clients to assess executive visibility on a case-by-case basis particularly as we prepare for JP Morgan Healthcare in January. 

Proposed TikTok Ban
The Supreme Court announced it will review TikTok’s challenge to the federal court that could ban the app, scheduling oral arguments for January 10, just days before the law is set to go into effect. “Designed to address legitimate national security and privacy concerns,” the ban was introduced by the Biden Administration in April. Several companies, including Amazon, are purported to be in talks with parent company ByteDance to purchase the platform and operate it as a US company. 

The Growing Need for Transparency
The most successful crisis communications strategies in 2024 have been those that prioritize transparency and authenticity. The numbers can attest, with 70% of consumers more likely to trust a company that communicates transparently during a crisis, according to the Institute of Public Relations. With exponential growth in social media use, companies must take accountability and immediate action that makes their efforts to combat the issue at hand clear. 

AI and Responsible Creation
Artificial intelligence has become a game-changer in media production with outlets strategically leveraging AI tools to generate content. The key challenge is striking a delicate balance between technological efficiency and maintaining the human touch that audiences crave. Audiences are increasingly looking for ways to trust their information sources and there’s mounting pressure on media sources, influencers, and companies to validate their stories authentically. These trends emphasize the need for clear ethical use guidelines and transparent communication strategies. Within healthcare, the FDA has issued several guidelines this year on the use of AI in medical products and drug development aimed to balance patient safety with the use of innovative technologies. We believe the Agency will continue to remain supportive yet cautious. 

The Rise of the Personal Brand Journalist
Traditional journalism is undergoing a radical transformation. Journalists are no longer just reporters; they’re becoming personal brands and content creators. Among local news reporters, many have TikTok accounts sharing behind the scenes intelligence gathering. This provides a new level of intimate, personality-driven connection to audiences, which over time could influence who and which journalists they trust.

The shift is driven by independent newsletters that offer direct audience connection, podcasts that provide in-depth, personality-driven storytelling and platforms like Substack that enable direct monetization of expertise. In our world, we’re watching heavy weight reporters like Endpoint’s Beth Snyder Bulik launch her own newsletter, Marketing and Pharma, to former FDA staff launching a Substack about regulatory initiatives. The modern journalist must now navigate the complex terrain of being both a credible expert and an engaging personality, creating unique content that stands out in an increasingly crowded media landscape.

Show and Tell 2.0
Visual storytelling has reached new heights with virtual and augmented reality technologies. Particularly in complex fields like healthcare, these technologies offer unprecedented ways to explain intricate concepts visually, create engaging, quick-to-consume content, and connect with audiences, especially younger demographics who prefer short-form video experiences. AR and VR are even being used in modern medicine studies where surgeons can simulate surgery before it is performed to help them think about various scenarios. 

Evolving Influencer Dynamics
Influencer culture is no longer just about popularity—it’s about creating genuine connections. Trends show a growing need for authentic storytelling, partnerships between companies and influencers for educational content and emphasis on building trust through transparent and ethical communication. Look no further than political influencers who received priority access to this year’s Democratic National Convention over mainstream journalists; this is just the start of a more significant shift towards influencer generated content particularly as it resonates among younger generations. In the case of influential TikToker Nina Pool, who become the subject of controversy after she gave her followers advice for over-the-counter PMDD treatments, is calling into question the regulation of content offering medical advice or treatment recommendations from non-professionals.  

Short-Form Video Revolution
Quick, immersive content continues to dominate, with platforms prioritizing bite-sized, engaging video narratives, storytelling that captures audience attention in seconds and leveraging technologies like VR and AR to enhance visual communication. The future of communications is not just about broadcasting messages—it’s about creating meaningful, immersive experiences that resonate with audiences on a deeper level. 

Needless to say, it was a dynamic year with a lot of unexpected turns. We’ll be back in January with rested heads, fresh eyes and a new blog! Until then, we wish all our readers a wonderful, restful holiday season.

Whether you’re navigating the complexities of AI in content creation, developing an authentic executive communications strategy, or exploring innovative ways to tell your story through emerging technologies, Green Room is here to help shape your communications approach for 2025 and beyond. Let’s connect!