Richard Meyer

Pharma loves the term patient-centered. You see it in mission statements. Brand plans. Launch decks. Advisory boards. Corporate value propositions. Conference presentations. But here's a tougher question: How do we identify the marketers that ARE patient-centered? Not the ones who just use the words. I'm talking about the ones who prove it through their decisions and actions. Patient-centered marketing shouldn't just be an adjective to describe how you work. It should be a performance standard.

Ask if physicians trust "Big Pharma," and you're pretty much guaranteed an overgeneralized response. New data reveal something more impactful: Physicians value industry information and innovation like never before - and they're also becoming more concerned about marketing's impact on professional credibility. It's not a conflict. It's a more evolved relationship-one that welcomes access to expertise, but doesn't tolerate influence without transparency.

AI is entering medicine faster than regulations can keep up. New physician data confirms that. 81% of physicians used AI at work in 2026. That's up from 38% in 2023. Physicians now average 2.3 AI use cases. Three years ago, they averaged 1.1 use cases. The majority - over three- quarters - think AI makes them better caregivers. But there's a catch hiding in that third quarter. Only 17% of physicians report using AI for assistive diagnosis.