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Navigating Pharma Media: Six Takeaways from solli

Richard Springham

By Richard Springham, Founder of solli

Published April 23, 2025

navigating pharam

In pharmaceutical media — a space defined by complexity, strict regulation, and entrenched silos — genuine connection often takes a back seat. Solli was created to change that, bringing the industry together around shared conversations, challenges, and progress.

These conversations, rooted in candor and curiosity, have revealed six key takeaways that anyone working in pharma media today should keep front of mind.

It’s Time to Be Proud of Pharma Media

There’s a humility in pharma media — sometimes to a fault. But the conversations solli has been part of suggest a turning point. From health equity to rare disease awareness, this industry is delivering meaningful, measurable impact. It’s time we start celebrating our wins, showcasing creative excellence, and owning the crucial role media plays in advancing health outcomes.

First-Party Data Return to Center Stage

As cookies disappear and privacy regulations evolve state by state, first-party data are quickly becoming the most reliable and strategic assets in pharma media. With growing compliance pressures, platforms that capture accurate, consented, and contextual data are positioned to lead. The brands and publishers who prioritize this shift and understand how to harness it will have a decisive edge in both targeting and measurement.

Point-of-Care Media’s Time Has Come

Media at the point of care (POC) is no longer a niche channel — it’s an essential bridge between patient engagement and clinical relevance. But to truly fulfill its potential, POC must connect to the broader media ecosystem. This means tighter integration with omnichannel strategies, clearer measurement frameworks, and breaking down the perception that POC exists in a silo. The opportunity is here. It’s time to plug in.

Health Information Discovery Is Evolving

The sheer volume of health information available today is growing at an unprecedented pace. From large language models to chat interfaces and AI-driven platforms, patients and health care professionals (HCPs) have more ways than ever to access medical content. While this creates more competition for traditional endemic platforms, it also amplifies their importance. In a world flooded with information, trusted environments — curated by medical experts and backed by verified sources — are more vital than ever. As discovery channels multiply, the industry must double down on credibility, accuracy, and context to remain a reliable touchpoint in the health information journey.

We’re All Tackling the Same Problems

Despite the fragmentation of companies, roles, and objectives, one truth stands out: everyone is wrestling with similar challenges. Through the conversations solli is having across the market — with pharma brands, agencies, publishers, and tech partners — it’s clear that issues like measurement, channel mix, HCP engagement, and compliance are universal. There’s more shared experience than we often acknowledge. Recognizing this opens the door to collective problem-solving, smarter benchmarking, and faster progress.

The Industry Is Evolving — Fast

Pharma media is transforming at a speed and scale that we’ve never experienced before. From proposed direct-to-consumer policy shifts to a patchwork of state-by-state regulations and AI’s disruption of creative, targeting, and planning — the ground is shifting fast. Add to that the consolidation of agency holding groups, growing mandates around health equity, and shifting audience behaviors, and it’s clear: the rulebook is being rewritten in real time. The conversations solli is having across the industry reflect a shared urgency — not just to keep up, but to shape what comes next. Adaptability, openness, and collaboration will be essential as we navigate this next era together.

Conclusion: A Call to Collaborate and Reflect

What’s clear from these conversations is that the future of pharma media won’t be shaped by any single player, platform, or policy, but by how we respond collectively. The pace of change is accelerating, the pressures are mounting, and yet the opportunity has never been greater. This is a moment that calls for more collaboration, deeper curiosity, and a commitment to staying both nimble and grounded.

But it’s not just about reacting to the world around us, it’s also about looking inward. As we build toward what’s next, we must take the time to reflect on how we work, how we lead, and how we support one another as a community. Solli was founded to help make that possible — and with the groundwork in place, this is the time to build, lead, and move forward, together.

About solli

Founded with a mission to consolidate, elevate, and educate the pharma media landscape, solli creates space for meaningful dialogue — through interviews, events, and industry-wide conversations. In doing so, it has rapidly positioned itself as a trusted convener of voices across the ecosystem. From in-depth discussions with pharma brands, media agencies, publishers, and health-tech innovators, solli’s team — led by founder Richard Springham — has gathered insights that stretch beyond individual companies and touch on universal truths.

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