Pharma press releases need to be factual, precise, and free from promotional language while addressing regulatory, scientific, and industry audiences. Here’s the best way for crafting an effective pharma press release:
- Make sure it’s truly newsworthy – think about whether it is going to grab the journalist’s attention – and avoid using words like ‘groundbreaking and revolutionary’, focus on hard facts.
Focus on the most interesting parts of your work – whether that’s clinical trial results, new drug launches, regulatory approvals, mergers, acquisitions and partnerships, genuinely interesting breakthroughs in research and technology and major expansions or a change of strategy.
Example: Instead of “Our drug is revolutionary,” say “Phase 3 results show a 40% improvement in progression-free survival compared to standard treatment.”
- Always lead with the most important information – The Hook! The first paragraph or the top of the pyramid must sum up the most grabbing part of the story in two sentences. Use the who (company) what (main point/hook) where and when, why and how, specifically why it matters (scientific, regulatory or patient impact).
Example:
“ABC Biopharma announced today that the FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation for its investigational drug XYZ-101 in treating rare blood disorders. The designation is based on Phase 2 trial results showing a 60% reduction in symptoms compared to standard care.”
- Journalists will reject overly promotional press releases. It is a myth that mentioning the company name in every other sentence will make it rank higher on Google etc, remember regulatory bodies will also be scrutinising pharma communications.
Vague claims such as groundbreaking, game changing or best-in-class must be avoided unless supported by data or third-party validation. A good way to avoid making unverified claims is to use phrases like ‘the company believes’.
A classic example of something a journalist will glaze over is ‘this is the most revolutionary treatment ever developed for X disease’. A good example of a quote would be “X Pharma believes that that this approval represents a significant step forward in addressing an unmet need for patients with X disease’.
- Use meaningful, expert quotes – not fluff! Insight is the key word here. Use an expert with credibility such as head of research and development or a chief medical officer
Where relevant, include a patient advocacy group or Key Opinion Leader (KOL) quote for additional validation.
This is an example of fluff: “We are beyond excited about this groundbreaking treatment that will change patients’ lives forever.”
- Be clear about clinical trial data, make sure you mention the phase the trial is at, the number of patients enrolled, primary and secondary endpoints, key findings with statistical significance – and where possible link to peer-reviewed publications or preprint servers for credibility.
For example: “In a Phase 3 clinical trial involving 600 patients, XYZ-101 reduced tumor size by 45% (p<0.05) compared to placebo. The full study is published in The Lancet Oncology.” As opposed to something vague like: “Our drug shows promising results in treating cancer patients.”
- Ensure regulatory compliance. Pharma releases must comply with FDA, EMA, or MRHA guidelines on promotional language, if the company is publicly traded, SEC regulations and local laws governing health claims.
- Keep it concise and structured – and a further reminder, mentioning the company name excessively will be seen as promotional and almost all will be removed for a news article.
- Include a 2–3 sentences about the company’s mission, expertise, and focus areas.
Always provide a media contact with name, email, and phone number. - Distribute effectively send under embargo (if needed) to allow time for coverage.
Ensure your website newsroom has an SEO-optimized version of the press release. - Timing matters – try not to send releases during major industry events – or on Friday afternoons as they can get buried. The prime days are Tuesday to Thursday afternoons, but also check your time zones to match with our GMT schedule.
Bottom Line
If you want journalists to cover your story, make it easy for them—clear facts, no fluff, and regulatory compliance. Pharma press releases should be precise, data-driven, and newsworthy, ensuring credibility and avoiding excessive promotion.
