Pharmaceutical & Healthcare
THE SECTOR
Pharmaceutical and healthcare communications is one of the most complex and regulated fields in which a PR agency can operate. Prescription drugs, OTC products, medical devices, nutraceuticals: each product carries its own ecosystem of patients, physicians, pharmacists and institutions.
Working in this space means moving with precision between stringent regulatory requirements and the need to build genuine trust – the kind that cannot be improvised, and cannot be delegated to those who do not know the rules.
THE CHALLENGES FACING PHARMA AND HEALTHCARE COMMUNICATORS
Every piece of content must comply with strict European and Italian regulations – AIFA, the Farmindustria Code – with zero margin for error. A missed approval, an imprecise wording or a single wrong headline is enough to halt a campaign or open reputational risks that are hard to manage later.
Today’s patient is informed and connected: alongside the product, you need authentic narratives around the condition, the treatment journey and quality of life.
Multichannel pressure raises the stakes – physicians and pharmacists inform themselves online, patients look for answers on social media – and covering every touchpoint with scientifically sound messaging is a daily challenge.
In a sector where reputation is everything, a poorly conceived campaign or a mishandled crisis costs both image and trust. And in pharma, trust is the real product.
HOW MIRÒ WORKS WITH PHARMACEUTICAL AND HEALTHCARE COMPANIES
SELECTED PROJECTS
Eroxon. An integrated communications strategy to support the brand’s launch in Italy: strategy definition, partnerships with the University of Pavia and SIAMS, the creation of the Men’s Sexual Health Observatory, press office activities, two press events and a dedicated editorial plan.
University of Pavia. Media relations and press office activities for an art and science outreach project: press releases, radio and TV interviews, and media engagement around an event involving more than 80 children.
FAQ - PHARMACEUTICAL COMMUNICATIONS
It means every text, headline, visual and call to action is checked against AIFA guidelines for prescription drugs, the Farmindustria Code for B2B communications, and Legislative Decree 219/2006 for pharmaceutical advertising. The agency must know these regulations in detail and move quickly within them, anticipating problems before the client has to flag them.
It starts with listening – to patients, caregivers and the physicians who live with the condition every day. The message must be scientifically accurate, emotionally respectful and narratively accessible. The goal is to reduce stigma, encourage early diagnosis and build a therapeutic alliance, through relationships with patient associations, media coverage and search-optimised digital formats.
Prescription drugs cannot be advertised to the public: communication is directed only at healthcare professionals, under AIFA and Legislative Decree 219/2006. Over-the-counter medicines can be advertised to the public with authorised messages and verifiable claims. The Farmindustria Code also governs relationships between companies, physicians and associations.
Nutraceuticals follow different rules from medicines: health claims are permitted only where authorised under European regulation (EC Reg. 1924/2006) and cannot attribute curative properties. Communication focuses on education, prevention and lifestyle, in accessible language always backed by evidence.
It manages media relations with scientific and generalist outlets, organises events and congresses, develops disease awareness campaigns and supports the launch of health products and services. The specialism lies in combining scientific and regulatory rigour with narratives that speak to physicians, patients and institutions.
