The Worldcom Public Relations Group (Worldcom) has released the 2025-2026 edition of its Healthcare Monitor Pharmaceuticals report. Now in its fifth edition, the study explores the new challenges pharmaceutical companies face when communicating in an increasingly competitive digital landscape. The report highlights how factors such as trust, online presence and content relevance have become key drivers for building stronger relationships with audiences and enhancing brand reputation.
In this context, the ability to communicate clearly and build trust has become more important than ever, especially in healthcare, where the way information is shared can directly influence brand perception and the relationship companies establish with their audiences.
“This Healthcare Monitor confirms something we see every day when working with our healthcare clients at LF Channel. Trust is no longer built solely through high-quality content, but also through a strong web infrastructure and the ability to be referenced by AI engines. Companies that continue to treat their websites as digital brochures risk falling behind those that transform them into true platforms for building trust,” explains Imma Folch, CEO and founder of LF Channel and Worldcom Public Relations Group’s representative in Spain.
Unlike previous editions, where pharmaceutical companies were assessed through a scoring system, this new edition takes a more analytical and learning-focused approach. The report aims to understand why some companies communicate more effectively than others, which strategies they are adopting, and what insights other organisations can take away to strengthen their own communication efforts.
The four pillars of digital positioning
The research focuses on 10 global pharmaceutical companies: AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Novartis, Pfizer, Roche and Sanofi. Through four key indicators, the report assesses the strength of each organisation’s communication approach in an ever-evolving media landscape. These indicators include:
1. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
The ability of brands to appear in and be recognised by responses generated through artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude and Google AI Overviews.
2. Web performance
The overall quality of their digital platforms, including accessibility, website structure, speed, user experience and technical efficiency.
3. Audience segmentation and targeting
The extent to which their content addresses the specific needs of patients, healthcare professionals, investors, media outlets, policymakers and potential talent.
4. Content strategy and editorial formats
How companies build their presence across social media, media platforms and other digital channels, strengthening their credibility within the healthcare and scientific ecosystem.
Key takeaways for the pharmaceutical sector
The report shows that, while the pharmaceutical sector has the resources needed to develop effective communication strategies, there are still significant opportunities for improvement. The main challenges are not necessarily related to a lack of content, but rather to how information is structured, presented and made accessible, particularly through corporate websites.
The analysis highlights that many companies are not yet fully leveraging their websites as strategic communication tools, and that one of the sector’s biggest challenges is moving towards more personalised messaging. Addressing patients, healthcare professionals, investors or media outlets with the same message can limit its impact. The companies that achieve more effective communication are those that successfully balance scientific rigour with a more human approach, adapting their content to the context, needs and expectations of each audience.
The new search paradigm
One of the key differentiators of this new edition is the inclusion of an analysis of companies’ visibility across AI-powered answer engines. To do so, the study uses Brandi AI, a platform specialised in brand intelligence and visibility within AI environments. The findings show that the criteria determining an organisation’s presence across these emerging channels differ from those of traditional SEO. In this context, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) aims to ensure that generative AI systems recognise a company as a relevant and trustworthy source, incorporating it into their responses.
This new paradigm also highlights the growing role of public relations, high-quality content creation, media presence and digital reputation building. These factors help brands strengthen their authority and increase their visibility across AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT.
Beyond the pharmaceutical industry: key insights for more effective communication
The Healthcare Monitor Pharmaceuticals 2025-2026 report has been developed by Worldcom PR Group, an international network made up of nearly 100 independent agencies across 45 countries. This global perspective makes it possible to identify trends and insights that are relevant not only for the pharmaceutical sector, but also for other industries where trust, reputation and digital visibility are key factors.
“This edition represents a clear shift in how we need to understand communication,” says Serge Beckers, global president of Worldcom and the driving force behind Healthcare Monitor Pharmaceuticals. “A ranking is certainly valuable, but it does not explain why communication works. With this Healthcare Monitor, we demonstrate that reputation increasingly depends on a strong website structure, clear decisions around target audiences, relevant and reliable content, and visibility across AI engines. Those who invest in these areas are not only building better communication strategies, but also strengthening trust,” he explains.
At LF Channel, we help healthcare organisations develop communication strategies that strengthen their reputation and visibility in an ever-evolving digital environment. Contact us to learn more.
