The PM Society Launches Pharmony to Support More Effective Pharma-Agency Collaboration
Today we announce the launch of Pharmony, a new industry-wide initiative focused on transforming how pharmaceutical companies and agencies collaborate.
In recent years, the pharmaceutical marketing and communications landscape has changed significantly. Budgets are under pressure. Already stretched clinicians are having to navigate increasing workloads. Technology, including AI, is reshaping how work is delivered and altering expectations. The traditional agency model is at a turning point as industry demands change and 2026 is set to be another tumultuous year for the sector.
Introducing Pharmony
At this critical time, we are launching Pharmony, a positive, evidence-led response to counter the negativity and uncertainty that dominates. It’s an initiative that brings together industry and agency professionals from all types and sizes of organisation, in a supportive space, to share insight, promote understanding and facilitate the co-creation of new partnership models that will work today and can evolve for tomorrow.
Rachel Farrow, PM Society Director, comments;
“Pharmony reflects what we’re hearing consistently from our members – that existing ways of working are under strain and need to evolve. It comes off the back of two years of work, including an industry summit in 2025 that explored many of the challenges and possible solutions. As an organisation representing professionals across both pharma and agencies, the PM Society is in a unique position to convene the industry and support more effective collaboration in practice. As a response to the pessimism and confusion among our membership companies, we want to do something positive, and Pharmony is that response.”
Over the coming years, Pharmony will provide a platform for collaboration through industry events, surveys and insight generation, working groups and shared learning, with a focus on providing useful guidance and blueprints for change.
Key topics
There are four key pillars being tackled in 2026:
- Partnership value measurement: How pharma currently measures and contracts for the value provided by agencies and the tensions that exist in the current system
- The role of technology including AI: an enabler not a replacement for human expertise and creativity. How should technology inform services offered, delivery processes and pricing?
- Supporting pharma-HCP engagement; how can better pharma agency collaboration achieve quality over quantity?
- Optimising agency and industry partnership models; what does pharma need and how should agencies evolve?
Stephen Page, PM Society Board Member and one of the leads for this initiative says:
“From 2026 onwards, Pharmony will provide PM Society members and the wider industry with opportunities to engage, share, learn and co-create. Only by coming together can we tackle current challenges and find solutions that work. Join the Pharmony community to share your views and meet others hoping to create positive change.”
Looking ahead
By 2030, the initiative aims to have:
· Grown an engaged professional community involved in Pharmony initiatives, with a balance of members from pharma marketing, medical affairs, procurement and agency leadership.
· Established a respected annual industry summit, focused on pharma–agency partnership and practical outputs.
· Built a credible body of relevant insight, guidance and blueprints, which are shared widely through our membership.
· Initiated and supported specialist working and networking groups, providing new opportunities for individuals in specific sectors (e.g. pharma procurement) to share and learn from peers in other companies.
Progress will be assessed through the growth of community membership, feedback and real-world examples of change, including case studies that demonstrate evolving partnership models, more flexible procurement approaches, responsible use of technology and improved engagement with healthcare professionals.
Pharmony aims to become an industry movement that supports pharmaceutical organisations and their agencies to collaborate more effectively, improving ways of working and contributing to the achievement of commercial goals on both sides.
Getting involved
Pharmony is open to professionals across pharmaceutical marketing and medical affairs, procurement teams, healthcare agencies and related disciplines who want to contribute to more effective and sustainable ways of working.
PM Society membership provides access to key Pharmony activity, including events, working groups, research and shared learning, as well as the wider benefits of being part of the UK’s leading pharmaceutical marketing and communications community.
Everyone working within the industry is invited to engage with Pharmony and contribute to shaping the future of pharma–agency collaboration. Show your support by following our LinkedIn page.
Pharmony Leadership
Pharmony has been developed by a core group of professionals working with the PM Society led by Rachel Farrow (Director, PM Society) and Stephen Page (Board Member, PM Society and Co-founder, Page & Page).
The group includes: Angie Wiles (Difference Collective), Amanda Smith (Versantra), Paul Hutchings (Fox & Cat), Claire Duggan (Seven Stones), Lisa Parker (Emotive), Phil Blackmore, (Create Health), and Tess Wulff (Bamboo Medical Communications).
For interviews, commentary or further information about Pharmony contact Rachel Farrow or Stephen Page
Acknowledgements
The PM Society wishes to thank Alex Haddon from IC Design and the team at Beyond PR for their support in preparing branding and communications for Pharmony.