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Following Congress’ failure to pass funding measures, FDA announced it will continue only essential public health and safety functions. This amid a pause on imposing 100% tariff rates.

FDA Operations Scale Back Amid Government Shutdown, Halting New Drug Application Reviews

Few times in the evolution of a pharmaceutical company are as exciting as during the flurry of launch readiness activities focused on bringing a new drug to market. From the new drug application (NDA) submission to the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date, the brand team is fully engaged—selecting a product name, developing marketing programs, planning outreach, and onboarding and training sales reps.

The work is relentless, the dedication unwavering, all driven by a singular purpose: delivering innovative treatments to the patients who need them most. We understand. We’ve been there.

But here’s the reality: all that preparation doesn’t guarantee success. Surprised? Then maybe you haven’t been on a team that watched its drug miss the mark on pre-launch sales forecasts or analyst expectations.

According to a Deloitte Insights report, “Rethinking Market Access,” at least 34% of new drugs fall into that category.

One often overlooked major reason many drug launches underperform comes down to communications.

A brand launch strategy may seem solid, but if it focuses too much on external audiences, there is a risk for overlooking a critical internal one. Relying solely on the brand team and sales reps often leaves the broader employee base out. Yet when everyone understands and believes in the brand, they become powerful advocates.

Investing a bit more time, budget, and energy into engaging one’s entire workforce can pay off—transforming a launch from good to great.

Involving your entire workforce in a brand launch may seem daunting, but the payoff is significant. Informed, empowered, and excited employees become authentic brand ambassadors—building trust, boosting credibility, and amplifying your message beyond what any campaign can achieve.

According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer,

 most respondents believe that when industry leaders speak on health topics, their statements are often perceived as “false or gross exaggerations.” However, the report also highlights a powerful insight: trust increases significantly when the messenger demonstrates empathy and when the message is echoed by multiple credible voices. In fact, it states that when people hear the same information three or more times from different sources, trust levels rise dramatically, from 44% to 79%.

 Just as the likelihood of a healthcare provider prescribing a new drug increases with more frequent and resonant interactions, empowering more employees to confidently communicate about a condition or therapy enhances the chances of building public trust through consistent and empathetic messaging.

The key is to start early. Even before launch, you have valuable opportunities to educate your broader teams—including finance, legal and human resources—about the unmet needs of the patient community, and how new research and innovative therapies can make a meaningful difference. Hearing directly from a patient about their journey, and how your team’s years of R&D and launch preparation could change their life, can have a profound emotional impact, cementing both company pride and commitment.

This impact is even greater when the therapy addresses a population with limited or no previous treatment options. Hearing firsthand how their work could change lives helps employees feel the true purpose behind the product, and that connection can inspire extraordinary commitment.

One of our pharmaceutical clients faced a unique challenge: a small brand team supporting a new therapy for a US patient population of just over 100 people. Despite the limited scale, the team was deeply committed to building company-wide support. They created a powerful, heartfelt video featuring one of those patients. The story captured the hearts and minds of employees across the organization, many of whom had little awareness of the brand. It transformed awareness into advocacy, proving that even a small patient population can inspire a big impact.

While excitement naturally peaks around launch, your strategy should also focus on sustaining long-term enthusiasm for the brand. Invest in communications and initiatives that not only maintain that momentum but also reinforce the culture you want to cultivate. In one client example, these ongoing efforts—combined with the arrival of new sales reps—led to a 6% increase in employee engagement and a 5% boost in company pride year-over-year. The takeaway? Strategic, sustained investment in internal engagement pays off.

Training your teams to talk (and feel) like advocates, compliantly

Naturally, expanding the employee base involved in a brand launch can raise compliance concerns—and rightly so. It’s essential to proactively design and deliver comprehensive, compliant training that covers the disease state, unmet needs and therapeutic options.

A dynamic launch event with interactive modules, immersive experiences, and VR-based disease-state simulations can transform traditional training into an engaging, collaborative experience. Bringing teams together in a celebratory setting not only strengthens cross-functional connections but also boosts knowledge retention and emotional investment in the brand.

However, these efforts must not take place in a compliance vacuum. All buzz-building activities must align with applicable government regulations and internal company policies. Reinforcing social media guidelines, clarifying expectations for event participation, and reviewing rules around Transfers of Value to healthcare professionals are critical safeguards. These steps help protect your organization’s reputation while ensuring the launch is both impactful and compliant.

Moreover, committing to training all employees—not just those on the brand team or in sales—sends a powerful message: their perspectives and contributions are valued and integral to the brand’s success. With proper compliance programs, policies, training, the broader employee population will better understand the appropriate guardrails guiding their engagement.

Employees take cues from leadership and when leaders visibly demonstrate commitment to an initiative, it reinforces its importance across the organization. Conversely, when leadership engagement in communications is lacking, it sends an unintended message that participation is optional, undermining motivation, alignment, and momentum.

More importantly, it misses a critical opportunity to spotlight the essential roles of R&D, pipeline investments, and support functions in bringing a brand to launch. This is a pivotal moment for your organization. Leadership must embody its significance—not just through town halls or approval-day messages, but through meaningful, high-impact experiences that reflect the magnitude of the milestone.

Remember, the success of today’s launch will help fuel future R&D work that will accelerate the next launch. Embrace the opportunity to support not only your newest patient population, but also the ones yet to come.

is a communications and engagement consultant, while Allen Putman is a senior communications and engagement consultant, both at Forty1 North America, an Inizio Engage Employee

1. Elener N, Jaeger J. Deloitte Insights: Rethinking Market Access–Delivering on the promise of product innovation. 

https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/life-sciences/pharmaceutical-market-access.html

2. Edelman Trust Institute. 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, Global Report, Trust and the Crisis of Grievance. 

https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2025-01/2025%20Edelman%20Trust%20Barometer%20Global%20Report_01.23.25.pdf

3. Edelman Trust Institute. 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, Global Report, Trust and the Crisis of Grievance, 

4. Bulik BS. Trust in pharma and health care industries plummet with young people leading the way: report, 

https://marketingandpharma.com/trust-in-pharma-and-health-care-industries-plummet-with-young-people-leading-the-way-report/

Launching a new drug involves extensive preparation, but success isn't guaranteed. A significant factor in underperformance is often inadequate internal communication. Engaging the entire workforce transforms employees into brand ambassadors, enhancing trust and credibility. Early education about patient needs and the drug's impact fosters commitment. Compliance is crucial, requiring comprehensive training and adherence to regulations. Leadership plays a vital role in setting the tone and maintaining momentum. Sustained internal engagement and strategic communication are essential for a successful launch and future R&D efforts.

Engaging the full workforce—from HR to R&D—can elevate launch outcomes, build trust, and create long-term brand ambassadors.

Beyond the Brand Team: Why Every Employee Needs to Be Part of the Journey

2025 State of the Industry Survey

recently conducted a comprehensive survey on the evolving trends and strategies within the pharma sector, capturing insight from fellow executives, directors, and industry experts. 

In this special slideshow presentation, we highlight the key data takeaways that surfaced from the findings—which focused on everything from supply chain demands to new go-to-market strategies.

The sampling of perspectives spotlights the key priorities for life sciences leaders and decision-makers at the moment and into the future. Data was gathered during the period of July 1 through Aug. 31, 2025, and reflects responses from more than 50 participants.

Leaders from consultants and vendor/partner organizations comprised the largest responder segment, at 32.14%. They were followed by those in supply chain operations and manufacturing; market access and patient support; the pharma C-suite; the biotech C-suite; commercial and marketing; regulatory and global affairs; and IT and data analytics.

This survey was conducted amid developing most-favored nation (MFN) pricing and pending tariffs.

The survey conducted by Pharmaceutical Commerce provides insights into current and future priorities for life sciences leaders, focusing on supply chain demands and go-to-market strategies. Data was collected from over 50 participants, primarily from consultants and vendor/partner organizations, followed by various other sectors within the pharma industry. The survey period was from July 1 to August 31, 2025, during a time of evolving most-favored nation pricing and pending tariffs, which may influence strategic decisions in the industry.

Capturing insights from executives and industry experts on the biggest challenges shaping pharma today, from drug pricing pressures and access barriers to supply chain shifts, digital adoption, and evolving patient-centered care strategies.

Pharma Commerce's 2025 State of the Industry Survey

Smarter, Faster, Bolder AI


Avinob Roy, Vice President & General Manager of Global Commercial Product Offerings at IQVIA, spoke with 

 about how advancements in AI, particularly agentic AI, are reshaping the future of commercial operations in life sciences. From understanding disease landscapes and identifying patient populations to optimizing brand strategy and field engagement, Avinob outlines how AI companions are augmenting decision-making across the entire commercial value chain. Drawing on real-world experience, Avinob offers an actionable perspective on what it takes to scale AI successfully and how organizations can drive meaningful value in everyday workflows.


How AI is transforming the full spectrum of commercial operations—from market assessment to field execution—by acting as a strategic companion across the value chain.

Distinguishing between hype and reality in the current AI environment, and what it takes to move from proof-of-concept to scalable, production-ready solutions.

The foundational elements required for successful AI adoption in life sciences, including the critical role of data infrastructure, domain expertise, and cross-functional alignment.

Understanding AI's actual role in commercial life sciences operations. 

Smarter, Faster, Bolder: AI’s New Role in Pharma Strategy

The management of lung cancer brain metastases has seen significant advancements, with a focus on personalized treatment strategies. The integration of targeted therapies and immunotherapies has improved patient outcomes, offering more effective and less invasive options compared to traditional methods. Stereotactic radiosurgery and whole-brain radiation therapy remain crucial, but their roles are evolving with the advent of novel systemic therapies. Multidisciplinary approaches are essential for optimizing treatment plans, considering factors such as genetic mutations, patient performance status, and potential side effects. Ongoing research continues to refine these strategies, aiming for improved survival and quality of life.

Providing confidence to patients sent medication

Monitor the integrity of patient samples 

The management of lung cancer brain metastases has seen significant advancements, with a focus on personalized treatment strategies. The integration of targeted therapies and immunotherapies has improved patient outcomes, offering more effective and less invasive options compared to traditional methods. Stereotactic radiosurgery and whole-brain radiation therapy remain crucial, but their roles are evolving with the advent of new systemic therapies. Multidisciplinary approaches are essential for optimizing treatment plans, considering factors such as genetic mutations, patient performance status, and the extent of metastases. Ongoing research continues to refine these strategies, aiming for improved survival and quality of life.

Nicholas Jacobus

Articles

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