As regulations tighten on pharma advertising, education delivered in partnership with advocacy groups emerges as the trusted path forward.
Pharma brand teams invest more than $6 billion each year¹ on direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising. With the current administration’s heightened scrutiny of DTC putting that spend at risk, billions in media investment are suddenly up for reallocation.
With planning for 2026 well underway, brands that fail to adapt could quickly fall behind competitors who pivot first. Marketers have already begun shifting to patient-focused education. The question now is whether they will seize this inflection point to double down on their investment in patient learning and engagement, transforming regulatory pressure into an opportunity to accelerate broader therapeutic adoption.
The Regulatory Shift: Implications for Brand Marketers
As digital and social platforms face heightened regulatory scrutiny, new barriers emerge to communicating directly with patients. Proposed changes include eliminating the “adequate provision” rule, which previously allowed ads to point patients to secondary risk information; stricter enforcement of the Clear, Conspicuous, Neutral (CCN) Rule, which requires risks to be presented as clearly as benefits; and expanding FDA oversight of digital channels, flagging ads that blur the line between branded content and education²˒³˒⁴.
As uncertainty threatens patient awareness and ultimately therapeutic adoption, brands are redirecting spend into education-led approaches that build deeper patient engagement and sustained trust.
Patient Education as a Proven Alternative
Many leading pharma brands have already leveraged patient learning programs with great success. Research consistently demonstrates that structured education improves adherence, reduces hospitalizations, and strengthens patient confidence in treatment decisions⁵.
One recent industry–sponsored patient education initiative, built on the MedliveNeuro learning channel, demonstrated true impact where DTC falls short. The 60-minute live and on-demand program provided education to help patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) and their caregivers better understand the rationale for and role of individualized dosing, ultimately supporting improved outcomes by optimizing therapeutic options.
Case Study: Maximizing Patient Outcomes with Individualized Dosing in gMG
- Advocacy-Backed: Program launched in partnership with the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA), anchoring the content in credibility and trust.
- Insight Generation: Before launch, patients and caregivers were surveyed on their current treatment practices and expectations. These insights shaped the program design, ensuring the education spoke directly to real concerns and unmet needs – like the fact that over 60% of patients felt that gMG symptoms affect their daily life or activities.
- Deep Reach in Patient Communities: 1,300+ views of the education on Medlive, and nearly 150,000 additional social views, with 84% of participants patients or caregivers, demonstrating strong resonance with those directly impacted by gMG.
- Measurable Impact: After participation in the program, 90% felt empowered to discuss treatment options, and 73% were newly likely to speak with a doctor about individualized dosing (up from 40%).
This pivot delivered what traditional DTC could not: deeper engagement, stronger trust, and clear signals of adoption intent. Download our case study, here.
Advocacy Partnerships: The Game Changer
The key to education’s effectiveness lies in partnerships with trusted advocacy groups. These organizations bring credibility, community reach, and authentic patient voice.
Medlive has pioneered this model, partnering with more than 150 advocacy organizations across rare disease, immunology, oncology, neurology, cardiology, and more. These alliances allow brands to embed their science within the communities patients already trust.
Looking Ahead
The path forward for patient engagement is clear: pharma leaders who shift spend into education-driven, advocacy-backed initiatives will not only reduce regulatory risk, they will unlock stronger patient empowerment, shared decision-making, and accelerate adoption.
Medlive reaffirms our mission to improve health outcomes through trusted digital education—a mission more urgent than ever. With partners like NORD, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), and the American Macular Degeneration Foundation (AMDF), we are proving that the most powerful campaigns don’t just deliver impressions; they drive action, adoption, and empowerment.
Connect with our team today to learn how to pivot your 2026 plans and avoid being left behind.
References
- “Prescription Drugs: Medicare Spending on Drugs with Direct-to-Consumer Advertising.” United States Government Accountability Office, May 2021, www.gao.gov/assets/gao-21-380.pdf.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “FDA Launches Crackdown on Deceptive Drug Advertising.” FDA.Gov, FDA, 9 Sept. 2025, www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-launches-crackdown-deceptive-drug-advertising.
- DiSabatino, Dominick, and Justine Lei. “FDA Issues Final Rule and Guidance on Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertisements.” FDA Law Update, Sheppard Mullin, 18 Jan. 2024, www.fdalawblog.com/2024/01/articles/prescription-and-otc-drugs/fda-issues-final-rule-and-guidance-on-direct-to-consumer-prescription-drug-advertisements/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Fact Sheet : Ensuring Patient Safety through Reform of Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertisement Policies.” HHS.Gov, 9 Sept. 2025, www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-fda-drug-ad-transparency-fact-sheet.html.
- Fahad Alhassoon, Bushra Saleh, et al. “The effectiveness of patient education in improving health outcomes.” Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, vol. 29, no. 4, 18 Oct. 2022, pp. 2174–2179, https://doi.org/10.53555/jptcp.v29i04.5308.
