Why DTC Drug Models Must Evolve From Access to True Patient Support

According to Jen Butler, CCO at Pleio, researchers are beginning to connect emotional well-being to medication behavior, finding that loneliness can directly undermine treatment consistency and overall outcomes. In one study of over 2,000 chronically ill patients, those who reported feelings of loneliness were significantly more likely to experience poor adherence. Two-thirds said their diagnosis made them feel lonelier than before, highlighting how chronic illness often intensifies emotional isolation.

This growing awareness points to the need for a more holistic, patient-centered approach that goes beyond traditional access solutions. Addressing loneliness, enhancing emotional connection, and streamlining provider workflows are becoming integral to improving adherence and outcomes. Experts suggest that fostering trust and communication, both between patients and providers and within broader care ecosystems, will be key to reducing barriers and achieving meaningful health improvements in an increasingly complex specialty drug landscape.

A transcript of her conversation with PC can be found below.

PC: Pharma has made major strides in digital engagement, but many efforts remain transactional. What are the limitations of current DTC patient engagement models?

Butler: We're looking at a trend of the DTC platforms, and I do want to say that I think there are many benefits to DTC providing access to medications to patients who might not be finding them otherwise. However, we also have to understand that there's a lot of empowerment of the patient that comes along with this, and patients have to be ready and able for that empowerment to help guide themselves through this journey. They're not going to their traditional systems of support with a pharmacist at the ready to answer their questions.

A couple things that are concerning is, especially any drug-to-drug interactions. If these systems are in different places with their medical records, are patients aware to ask the questions of any interactions that this drug might be having with something else, and that they're getting from another DTC site? If you're just getting from DTCs, who's checking that, so that's a concern for sure.

And also then, just the whole approach of who's connecting with the patients to make sure that they're understanding the medication that they just went to the platform to attain. I think that there's a lot more guidance and customer support that's needed—patient support—and it's not just a digital check in. I think you need to have a conversation, so that you start to peel back what's going on with the patient, especially if they're not having their normal pharmacist check ins.