Insights from Pharma 2025: Elevating patient engagement in the pharmaceutical industry

Duman, who has been a pharmacist for many years, reflected on his journey into patient engagement, stating, “I realized there’s a significant gap between the investments we make in R&D and the life-saving and life-prolonging medicines we develop and the fact that many patients aren’t using them as directed.” He emphasized the necessity of listening to patients more effectively, advocating for a balance between speaking and listening: “We should be using our ears and mouths in that proportion, listening twice as much as we speak.” 

When asked about the progress made in recent years, Duman acknowledged improvements but stressed that there is still much work to be done. He pointed to the phrase from the disability movement, “Nothing about us without us,” as a principle increasingly embraced by the industry.¹ “I think we’re seeing more of that,” he noted, observing that the patient voice has become much more vocal at events like the Pharma 2025 conference. 

Duman highlighted that while the pharmaceutical industry is making strides in patient engagement, there is still a noticeable gap, particularly compared to the medical technology sector. He called for greater co-creation with patients, urging companies to involve them in product development rather than simply testing products on them. “Please don’t think you’ve got the product and test it on us. Actually co-create the product with us,” he said, applauding companies that have begun implementing patient support programs. 

Despite these advancements, Duman pointed out that the alignment of patient engagement efforts across organizations is lacking. He stressed the need for better evaluation and measurement of these activities, emphasizing that “we can never really listen enough.”

As pharmaceutical and biotech companies continue to develop more complex therapies, Duman offered several recommendations for enhancing patient engagement. He emphasized the importance of listening to patients during trial design and decision-making processes. “Don’t just do ad boards; actually set up a patient voices panel,” he suggested, advocating for long-term relationships with patients and advocacy groups. 

Duman also highlighted the need for the industry to tailor communication to individual patients, considering their unique experiences and motivations. “If we began to really think about tailoring our information and communicating to the individual, I think we’d be in a much better place,” he said, pointing out that this approach could lead to improved adherence to prescribed therapies.

Looking ahead, Duman reflected on the potential for significant changes in patient engagement over the next five to ten years. He posed a challenging question for the industry: “Is it looking up to profit and pipeline or is it looking out to people, patients, and society?” While he acknowledged the impressive work being done in the pharmaceutical sector, he emphasized the need for a more profound alignment of patient engagement strategies across organizations. 

Duman noted that despite the growing discourse around patient engagement, investment from senior leadership remains inconsistent. “What I’ve seen over the last 10 years is a lot more talk of patient engagement, but a lot less investment from C-level,” he stated, highlighting the need for dedicated budgets to support these initiatives. 

In closing, Duman delivered a powerful call to action for the pharmaceutical industry: “We’re here, we want to talk, we want to share our experience. Don’t hide behind compliance. Please listen, let us in, and we can be your partners in care.” 

As the industry moves forward, embracing patient engagement as a core component of strategy will be essential for improving health outcomes and ensuring that the patient voice is truly integrated into every aspect of healthcare.