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Five predictions for health communications in 2025

It is an understatement to say that we live in uncertain times. Geopolitical tensions, environmental news, political unrest, and economic challenges can feel overwhelming. In our industry, budgets and resources remain tight, high-profile redundancies are being reported, and some businesses are fighting for survival. Politically, RFK’s nomination for US Secretary of Health and Human Services […]

Curious Health Impact Report 2024

It’s time to share our annual Impact Report. This is part of our commitment to building a thriving business that has a positive impact on clients, people and the planet. At two year’s old, Curious Health is a start-up and we have built considerations about Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI), ethics and the environment […]

Getting Curious with Gigi Williams

We’d like to welcome Gigi Williams to the Curious Health team as our new Account Executive! Gigi’s academic journey (which includes an undergraduate degree in politics and French and a master’s in literature) has given her a profound appreciation for the power of language and storytelling, which she has seamlessly integrated into her work. Starting […]

From Clicks to Campaigns: Nurturing a Sustainable Digital Ecosystem

While researching for the next Curious Minds blog, last month’s Plastic Free July campaign caught our attention. It made us return to the question we often ask ourselves: How, as a remote health communications agency, can we improve our environmental impact when we don’t produce physical goods? In 2024 many see traditional marketing practices as […]

Cyberchondria – Health anxiety in the digital age

According to the NHS, health anxiety is ‘when you spend so much time worrying you’re ill or going to get ill, that it starts to take over your life’. Everyone worries about their health now and again, and often a trip to Dr. Google tends to calm some nerves, however, for those suffering from health […]

Getting real about women’s health… Sorry we’ve been lied to

Behind the rise of misinformation in women’s health When it comes to misinformation, many have been quick to play the blame game: “how could anyone believe this? Don’t they realise it’s ridiculous?! ” News articles, like this recent piece from The Washington Postabout the increase in online misinformation about birth control, connect it to a […]

Getting real about women’s health – The pain gap: it is, indeed a “thing”

For the second blog in our series, we turn our attention to how women’s experience of pain is managed in our health system, and as you might expect from a system where bias can sometimes feel built into everything from tools to clinician conversations – it’s not great. But there is a lot to unpack, […]

Getting real about women’s health – Fatal delays and the misdiagnosis epidemic

This year, the UN theme for International Women’s Day is Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress. We’ve spent some time reflecting on what this means in healthcare, and our conclusions were pretty sobering. As is the Curious way, we’ve set about thinking what the healthcare industry, and communications, can do to tackle the issue of gender […]

Predictions for healthcare communications in 2024

It is the law that we can’t call ourselves an agency if we don’t issue our predictions on the trends that will shape healthcare communications in 2024. And so here we are – these are the things we think will shape the healthcare communications landscape next year. Trends rarely spring from nowhere, so it should […]

Part 3 – Cost-effective ways to foster patient engagement and co-creation in health communications

Welcome to the third blog in our series “Placing accessibility at the heart of your health communication strategy.”  In recent years, there has been a growing realisation in the pharma industry that the wider community needs to be actively involved in the shaping of healthcare solutions, communications programmes included. Thankfully, people living with chronic and […]

Part 2 – Bridging the gap: how health communications can address health inequalities

Welcome to the second blog in our series “Placing accessibility at the heart of your health communication strategy”. In this blog, we’re looking at communicating in an accessible and compassionate way with those from low socio-economic groups to help close the health gap. Being able to effectively communicate with and reach out to those from […]

Part 1- Writing for Neurodiversity: Why accessible and inclusive content should be a priority for Pharma

Welcome to our new series “Placing accessibility at the heart of your health communication strategy”. In this series, we look at the responsibility the pharmaceutical industry has to tackle health inequity and the role that health communications plays in this. We explore the importance of inclusive content creation and strategies to engage people, which are […]

6 smart ways to make the most of your health communications budget in 2024

As we move toward the end of the calendar year, marketing and communications budgets are being finalised. The challenge is to be both savvy with investment, whilst creating impactful health communications programmes.  When it comes to initiatives like patient activation, influencer programmes, events and creative campaigns, the need to demonstrate Return on Investment (ROI) and […]

The future of healthcare is here: AI-powered HCP relationships

How to build strong relationships with HCPs – 3-part series Part 3: The future of healthcare is here: AI-powered HCP relationships According to recent stats, nearly 50% of global healthcare companies will implement artificial intelligence strategies by 2025 and some experts believe it is crucial for how businesses operate down the line. Artificial intelligence (AI) […]

Common pitfalls when engaging with HCPs

How to build strong partnerships with HCPs – Three-part series Part 2: Common pitfalls when engaging with HCPs In part two of our series ‘ How to build strong relationships with HCPs’, we’re delving into the common pitfalls to steer clear of when engaging with them ensuring that your approach is valuable, respectful and effective. […]

How to build strong partnerships with HCPs – Three part series

PART 1 – Understanding HCP behaviours, challenges, and motivations. Whether you’re a Brand Manager, a Communications Director or a Marketing Director, if you work in a pharma or biotech company you know that the pressure to find new and better ways to communicate with healthcare professionals is always there. There is no one-size-fits-all approach for […]

How can curiosity help address vaccine apathy and hesitancy?

In July this year, the Health and Social Care Committee published its report on vaccination as a response to decreasing vaccination rates across the country. It reflects on the need for the UK to maintain its position as a leader in vaccine innovation and delivery. NHS England now intends to set out an integrated vaccination strategy. The […]

Digital PR is Not “Just Doing PR Online”

As we entered into the 2010s, a phrase that would result in sage nods around a meeting table was “there is no such thing as digital PR, all PR is digital”. Well, at Curious Health we’re making the argument for bringing back the term digital PR. Just because content exists online, it doesn’t mean that […]

3 ways you can reduce work related stress right now

April is the ‘Stress Awareness’ month, an opportunity to stop and have a look at our mental wellbeing and consider the impact stress is having in our lives.   The modern age is one that is filled with unprecedented levels of stress. As technology and competition for resources increase, the stress placed on individuals and […]

Curious Health Impact Report

We are very pleased to publish our first Impact Report. This is part of our commitment to build a thriving business that has a positive impact on clients, people and the planet. When we launched in June 2022, we knew we wanted to build a health communications agency founded on the principles of sustainability, ethics […]

Harnessing the power of social media in the pharma industry: our 3 takeaways from the new PMCPA guidance

The long-awaited Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) social media guidance, outlining the principles for the appropriate use of social media platforms by pharmaceutical companies in the UK, is finally here.But what does this mean for pharma marketers and comms leads, and what changes does it bring in a field that’s traditionally been beset […]

How can brands use digital technology to help close the gender health gap?

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is all about examining how innovation and technology can help to achieve gender equality. At Curious Health, we are exploring the ways in which brands can use digital technology to help close the gender health gap to help improve women’s health outcomes. But first, what is the gender health […]

3 ways to ensure patient voices are heard in a communications programme.  

It began in 1980 but never took off until the 1990s when an American journalist at NewsWeek1 penned a piece that used the term ‘yuppie flu’. The label unintentionally shaped the way the world and medics viewed a health condition, that health condition was chronic fatigue syndrome or Myalgic encephalomyelitis. (ME) Even to this date, […]

3 things communications and marketing people need to know about using ChatGPT

It was tempting to brief ChatGPT to write a blog on what marketing and comms folk need to know about the technology and call it a day. But, for reasons we’ll discuss later, that isn’t a good idea. So, while we’ve certainly leant on ChatGPT for the words below, the copy has been carefully and […]

Five trends that will impact corporate communications programmes in pharma and biotech in 2023

Some pharma and biotech companies still find themselves in the spotlight post-COVID, others are struggling to be heard through the noise. Corporate communications is vital to help shape your business’s reputation in the minds of stakeholders.  Here are five factors that will impact corporate communications programmes in 2023. 1. It wouldn’t be a 2023 trends […]

Curious Lab: the one with the well-being focus

Our Curious Lab is a protected amount of time that allows us to satisfy our inquisitive minds through a wide range of experiences such as exhibitions, immersive theatre, technology, workshops and film. The learnings from these sessions are fed back into our client conversations – making our work even more impactful. Our first Curious Lab […]

Unlocking the Power of Influencer Collaboration in the Pharma and Biotech Sector: Benefits, Compliance and Measuring Impact

Recent cross-sector research by PR Week has demonstrated the dramatic rise in investment in influencer marketing post-COVID, with some commentators seeing it as a marketing channel in its own right. Whilst this isn’t quite the case in the highly regulated sector of pharma and biotech, more companies are recognising the power of working with influencers […]

5 ways to get budget-friendly health comms programmes

Budgets are under more pressure and scrutiny than ever before. Moreover, with many stakeholders struggling with the cost of living, and budgets and resource in the NHS stretched to breaking point, the optics of clearly expensive campaigns and programmes do not sit well. When it comes to patient activation, influencer programmes, events and creative campaigns, […]

Getting Curious with Chiara Mattavelli

We are so happy to welcome Chiara to Curious Health as Account Director. Chiara brings her 12-year healthcare comms experience. Her eye for detail and organisational skills are a couple of her superpowers and her deep pharma expertise complement the diverse expertise within the existing team. Chiara got into healthcare communications a bit by chance, […]

At Curious Health, we consider our impact on people, communities and the planet

Ahead of publishing our full Impact Assessment in March 2023, here are just some of the actions we’ve taken during our first six months to ensure we build a thriving business which delivers a positive impact for our clients, people and the planet.

Getting Curious with Jayden Doyley

New Year, new team member! Welcome to Jayden, who joins us as an intern.  Jayden has an MSc in Cyberpsychology and will be bringing his perspective on how technology can positively impact health outcomes to our client work. Getting curious with Jayden 1. Why did you want to join Curious Health? I wanted to join […]

Getting Curious with Kalyn Carpenter

Welcome to Kalyn Carpenter to the Curious Health team as an Account Manager. With a background in communications, advocacy, and campaigns, Kalyn recently led digital communications at the education arm of a local authority and has extensive experience working in the political realm, spending time as a Senior Communications Officer for an MP in the […]

Getting Curious with Jaquie Pantoja

We are very proud to introduce Jaquie Pantoja as our newest member of the Curious Health team. She has been a passionate digital marketing professional for the last eleven years, working in the digital industry in both Mexico and the UK.   Prior to joining Curious Health, Jaquie led the Digital Department at Bluestone360, a creative […]

Starting out with a start-up. Five things to know when starting out in the workplace

This summer I began a paid internship with Curious Health. It can be really challenging as a young person and recent graduate to find, and make the most of, internship opportunities. This is a new chapter in your story, and you want to get it right. Naturally exploring new and unknown opportunities is intimidating, but […]

Getting Curious with Evan Francis

We are very excited to welcome Ev Francis to the Curious Health team. Prior to joining Curious Health, Ev led the Communications Department at Action for M.E. working with the Government on a cross-party delivery plan for Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). She worked with the Department of Health, and the former Health Secretary Sajid Javid to […]

Curious Lab: The One Where We Wanted to be Cultured and Got Lost in the Barbican

From the get-go we’ve been clear that Curious Health has to be purpose-led or perhaps better still, have a ‘just cause’. We ask ourselves ‘how can we do this better?’ for clients, but this is also a question we turn towards ourselves and how we run the business. It’s the reason we’ve signed up Better […]

5 ways communications can build online authority.

The power of ‘why?’ and ‘what if?’ in communications

Why do spinning classes have to be an all-round assault on the senses? What if a quieter option existed for those who wanted the benefits of exercise without clubbing at 7.30am? If I wanted to relive my glory days at The Leadmill in Sheffield I’d do so at an appropriate time of day with a […]

The questioning patient

More than ever patients are being encouraged to ask questions. Why is this treatment being recommended to me? What’s the alternative? What are the risks? What are the benefits? Asking questions is important and empowering. In this context, it helps patients take ownership of their healthcare, an important consideration in a world where chronic, lifestyle […]

Curiosity is the fuel of relevance at the Cannes Lions Festival

We are sun-kissed, inspired and need a little bit of an early night this evening.  Why? We have just got back from our very first Cannes Lions Festival!  My introduction to the Festival was last year, when I judged the Health and Wellness category but experiencing the full technicolour event in real life is, of […]

Curious Lab Time – the one with the VR bar

This week, we enjoyed our inaugural Curious Lab Time.  We are going to protect time every month to satisfy our inquisitive minds and get inspired! Then we’ll bring this back to our clients in the shape of ideas or ways of super-powering our work to make it even more impactful. This month we spent some […]

Curious Health launches with a mission to bring performance into healthcare communications

This week sees the launch of Curious Health as a purpose-led health agency designed for the hybrid-age we’re living in.  Our mission is to find ways to do things better in healthcare communications. Whether it is how we run the agency, the way we work with clients, or how we help our clients better meet […]