New ixlayer Survey Finds 73% of Pharma Leaders Are Running or Planning to Launch a DTP Program in the Next Year, and Half Say DTP Will Be Standard Practice Within Five Years

82% say fragmented care continues to undermine DTC advertising effectiveness, signaling the need for a new strategy

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ixlayer, a cloud-based healthtech platform, today announced the results of a new survey of pharma leaders conducted in partnership with the Digital Health Coalition, revealing both strong adoption momentum and persistent challenges. According to the survey, 94% of pharma leaders are currently running, planning, or exploring a direct-to-patient (DTP) program, underscoring the model's rapid rise across the industry. At the same time, 82% say the disconnected and fragmented traditional healthcare experiences have reduced the effectiveness of their DTC spend, pointing to the urgent need for marketing strategies that move beyond awareness to action. To request access to findings from the survey, email [email protected].

Other key findings from this survey of pharmaceutical leaders include:

• 94% of pharma are either running (43%), planning to launch in the next twelve months (30%) or exploring (21%) a DTP program
• Only 6% have no current plans for a DTP program
• The number one potential outcome that would define DTP success is an acceleration of time to treatment
• 45% say compliance and legal concerns remain the biggest barrier to adoption

"This survey found that half of pharma leaders believe DTP will be standard practice within five years. That's not a far-off future–that's tomorrow. The companies that adapt their playbooks now will be the ones shaping the patient experience, building loyalty, and accelerating time to treatment," said Debra Harris, Head of Marketing, ixlayer.

The findings complete a trifecta of research led by ixlayer over the past 15 months:

• Patients reported wanting easier access, fewer barriers, and tools to navigate care
• Physicians validated that digital-first tools like at-home diagnostics can deliver clinical quality
• And now, pharma leaders are calling for a new strategy to make patient engagement more effective in improving health outcomes for patients

ixlayer's research now spans the three critical stakeholders in healthcare: patients, physicians and pharma. All three voices converge on the same solution. The common thread is direct-to-patient solutions that feel simple and seamless for the patient, whether that's remote or in-person–with diagnostics that connect back to their doctor (or help them find one) and make pharma marketing initiatives more actionable. When implemented right, DTP drives better health outcomes.

"We've seen what happens when direct-to-patient solutions are built the right way," added Matthew Walsh, GM, Biopharma at ixlayer. "In a recent Type 1 diabetes program, every patient screened remotely who had multiple markers for the condition indicating high-risk was contacted by a physician within 12 hours. That's the kind of impact that turns marketing into measurable health outcomes."

ixlayer has also been recognized across the industry for its innovation in biopharma collaboration and patient engagement. In the past year, the company has earned more than a half-dozen awards including the PM360 ELITE 100, multiple Digital Health Awards for consumer-directed health programs, The Stevie silver for "Healthcare Technology Innovation of the Year," and a Fierce DEI Award for advancing equity in patient care.

About ixlayer
ixlayer [pronounced: I-X-layer] is the leading provider of cloud-based platforms that power a seamless, end-to-end direct-to-patient healthcare experience. The name reflects our core strength: "i" for robust data and technology infrastructure and "x" for exceptional user experience. ixEngage by ixlayer seamlessly integrates with all healthcare ecosystem partners, connecting biopharma with patients in a user-centric way. This proprietary technology accelerates the path to diagnoses, supports optimal care, drives operational efficiency, and improves health equity and outcomes for all. To date, ixlayer has activated over four million patient care journeys, simplifying the complex web of healthcare. Learn more at www.ixlayer.com.

About the Survey
The pharma survey was conducted by the Digital Health Coalition in partnership with ixlayer between August 1 and September 18, 2025, with 37 respondents and 20 completes representing a cross-section of therapeutic areas including rheumatology, dermatology, oncology, diabetes, respiratory, immunology, and rare disease. Two-thirds of respondents work in Top 20 pharma companies, with the remainder from medium and boutique firms.

SOURCE ixlayer