The rise of direct-to-patient models in life sciences, and what it means for digital design

For years, direct-to-patient (DTP) in pharma meant one thing: advertising. 

In the United States, that usually meant television campaigns encouraging patients to “ask your doctor” about a specific medicine. Outside the US, it largely meant nothing at all, because branded prescription advertising is prohibited in most markets.

That definition no longer holds.

What we are seeing now is a broader shift towards DTP or direct-to-consumer (DTC) engagement. It goes beyond advertising and into something more strategic: building digital platforms, services and experiences that connect pharma organisations more directly with the people who use their medicines.

In the US, this shift is visible through branded campaigns that link directly to telehealth consultations, digital pharmacies and patient portals. Organisations including Pfizer, Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Astellas are leading the way here with their direct-to-patient platform launches over the past 2 years. 

In Europe and other regulated markets, it shows up differently — unbranded condition education, patient support programmes, digital health tools and ecosystem partnerships that sit within regulatory boundaries, for example.

Different routes, but with a similar direction: closer, more continuous relationships with patients.

So, what is driving this change?

Patients expect consumer-grade digital experiences

Healthcare no longer exists in isolation from the rest of the digital world. People book travel, manage finances and stream entertainment through seamless, personalised platforms. They now expect healthcare to feel just as intuitive.

Symptom checkers, telemedicine, online prescription management and health apps have shifted behaviour. Patients are more comfortable researching and acting online. If pharma is absent from those touchpoints, someone else will fill the gap.

The traditional model offers limited visibility

Historically, pharma’s relationship with patients has been mediated through healthcare professionals (HCPs), payers and distributors. That model limits insight. Companies know what they promote and what they sell, but not always how patients experience treatment in real life.

DTP changes that. It creates opportunities to understand behaviour, barriers to adherence, emotional drivers and unmet needs. That insight can inform better services, more relevant content and improved product strategy.

Commercial pressure and competition are increasing

Access and pricing pressures continue to intensify. Payers are demanding clearer value. Many therapeutic areas are crowded. At the same time, digital health startups and retail health providers are setting new expectations around speed, convenience and transparency.

Against that backdrop, DTP is evolving beyond a pure marketing function.. It gives organisations greater visibility of patient behaviour, more influence over the experience beyond the prescription moment, and a way to remain competitive in a more consumer-driven healthcare landscape.

Engagement is becoming a measurable asset

Pharma organisations are under pressure to demonstrate measurable impact, not just activity. Direct engagement platforms can provide data on interaction, progression, drop-off and support uptake. That moves conversations from impressions and reach to outcomes and value.

Moving closer to patients brings opportunity. It also brings responsibility. Designing digital experiences in life sciences is not the same as designing for retail or entertainment.

Here are five considerations that matter.

1. Design for trust first

Trust is fragile in healthcare. Patients are sharing personal data, navigating complex diagnoses and making life-impacting decisions. 

Design has a direct impact on perceived credibility. Clarity of language, transparency around data use, visible compliance markers and consistent branding all influence whether users feel safe.

This goes beyond adding a privacy link in the footer. It means making consent processes understandable, avoiding manipulative patterns and being explicit about what the platform is and is not. Is it educational? Is it connected to a prescription pathway? Is it collecting data for research? Say so.

In global markets, this also means designing in line with local regulation, from FDA requirements in the US to GDPR in Europe. Compliance should feel integral.

2. Balance personalisation with privacy

Personalisation drives engagement. Tailored content, relevant reminders and contextual support can improve experience and adherence.

But in healthcare, personalisation must be handled carefully. Overly intrusive messaging or opaque data practices can undermine trust quickly.

Design teams need to work closely with legal, regulatory and data teams to define what level of personalisation is appropriate in each market. If data is being used to tailor content, make that clear. Give users control.

The goal is not to know everything about a patient,  but to know enough to provide meaningful support without crossing boundaries.

3. Design for the full patient journey, not a campaign moment

Many DTP initiatives still start with a campaign mindset: attract attention, drive traffic, convert.

Patient journeys do not follow campaign timelines. They are long, emotional and often uncertain. Diagnosis may take months. Treatment may last years.

Digital experiences need to reflect that reality. Map the journey from symptom recognition to diagnosis, treatment initiation, ongoing management and potential switching or discontinuation.

What questions does a patient have at each stage? What emotional state are they likely to be in? What information do they need, and in what format?

In the US, this might include clear pathways from awareness to teleconsultation. Outside the US, it may focus more on educational depth and support tools that sit alongside clinical care.

Design should support continuity, not just conversion.

4. Make complexity invisible

Life sciences organisations operate within layers of complexity: multiple brands, markets, approval processes and regulatory requirements. Patients should not feel any of that.

Design Systems play a crucial role here. Modular, pre-approved components can ensure consistency, speed up delivery and reduce risk, especially when scaling across regions.

Clear information architecture, simple navigation and progressive disclosure help make complex medical information accessible without overwhelming users.

Avoid jargon where possible. When medical terminology is necessary, explain it plainly. Respect the user’s cognitive load. If a patient has to work hard to understand your platform, they will leave.

5. Ground design decisions in real patient insight

DTP promises closer relationships with patients. That only works if the experience is grounded in real understanding.

User research is critical. That includes qualitative interviews, usability testing, accessibility reviews and ongoing feedback loops.

Different conditions, age groups and cultural contexts create very different needs. A digital support platform for an ultra-rare disease community will require a different tone and level of sensitivity compared to a lifestyle-related chronic condition.

Global organisations must also consider localisation carefully. Translation is not enough. Cultural norms, health literacy levels and digital behaviour vary across markets.

If you are building for a global audience, involve local insight early. Otherwise, you risk designing for a hypothetical “average” patient who does not exist.

There is significant opportunity for life sciences organisations to improve education, strengthen adherence, surface insight and build long-term trust through direct digital engagement with patients. 

But, it requires a mindset shift. 

This is not about replicating consumer marketing tactics in healthcare. It is about rethinking how digital experiences can responsibly support people at vulnerable moments in their lives.

The organisations that succeed will be the ones that treat design as strategic infrastructure, not surface styling. They will ask harder questions about trust, privacy and value. And they will build platforms that feel less like campaigns and more like services.