For Seven lords a-leaping, Discover Pharma turns to Chip Parkinson, CEO of Gifthealth, to explore what must change in patient access by 2026. Parkinson argues that the future of direct-to-patient models lies in pairing smart technology with timely human support, while urging manufacturers to leap away from entrenched supply-chain thinking and towards faster, less conflicted access for patients.

What are your hopes and predictions for the industry in 2026?

I want to see us embracing a high-tech and high-touch approach. A patient may start out with technology-enabled support but then need the human touch to help them advance on their path to better health. When they need that support, they need it instantly. DTP platforms must understand the disease area, therapeutic category, the drug and patient profile to understand the type of support that is needed. It is about delivering a highly individualized experience.

That is the true secret sauce of DTP that no one is really talking about – that mix of technology and human support at the right time. At Gifthealth, where we deliver DTP at scale, we are already learning those lessons. I cannot wait to see where we are six months from now and the experience it gives patients and prescribers.

Manufacturers also need to realize we are operating in a new world of patient access. Patient access leaders, and I was one of them for a long time, have been beaten down by an opaque, conflicted supply chain that requires us to pay half of our list price to even access a patient through rebates, let alone drive any market share. We’ve been negotiating in the trenches as if that was the only way to increase access for patients.

Now, we have a new way that works. It uses the right technology to put the right medicines into the hands of patients quicker and at lower costs than the current system does. To me, the question isn’t whether manufacturers should embrace DTP. It’s how quickly you can embrace it and make it work for your brands. How quickly can you step out of the old mindset and move into a new world where access is faster, less expensive and less conflicted? The opportunity is here now; I hope manufacturers seize it.