This year kicks off with major shifts across digital platforms, clinical research, and healthcare innovation. From Meta’s policy overhaul to TikTok’s uncertain future, brands must stay agile. Plus, new NHS treatments and industry updates signal exciting changes ahead.
KEY PLATFORM UPDATES
New Meta Update Shakes Up Social Media
Meta announced significant changes to its platform policies, notably ending its third-party fact-checking program in favour of a “Community Notes” system. This new approach empowers users to add context to posts, aiming to enhance transparency and reduce perceived bias. Additionally, Meta plans to loosen restrictions on political content, allowing more open discussions on topics like immigration and gender identity. These shifts reflect CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s renewed emphasis on free expression and a move towards community-driven content moderation. The impact of these changes will depend on user engagement and the effectiveness of the new moderation strategies. With fewer content restrictions and new community-driven content ranking, brands should be careful about how their ads appear and make sure their messages connect well with their audience.
Advertisers Rethink Strategy as TikTok Faces Uncertainty
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a law requiring TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations due to national security concerns. However, President Donald Trump, who previously helped TikTok avoid a ban in 2020, has spoken out against the new restrictions, calling them unnecessary government overreach. His influence may delay enforcement, giving TikTok a short-term reprieve. Meanwhile, advertisers who relied on TikTok’s unique engagement are shifting budgets to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. The uncertainty highlights the need for brands to diversify social media strategies to avoid relying too heavily on any one platform.
INDUSTRY TRENDS
Boost Visibility with Geo-Targeted Strategies
Clinical research organisations (CROs) must adapt to the growing importance of local SEO as sponsors and trial participants increasingly search for studies nearby. Google now prioritises location-based results, meaning CROs that fail to optimise for local search risk losing visibility to competitors. With 77% of patients using search engines before booking an appointment, CROs need to ensure their online presence is strong to attract potential participants and healthcare partners¹.
To stay ahead, CROs should fully optimise their Google My Business profile with accurate trial listings, patient testimonials, and geo-targeted keywords. Additionally, they can boost local visibility by building partnerships with nearby healthcare providers, ensuring their trials are listed on relevant directories, and creating locally focused content that highlights nearby research opportunities and community involvement.
Boost Trust with Seamless Patient Experiences
Omni-channel marketing is a strategy that creates a seamless and connected customer experience across multiple platforms, both online and offline. It ensures that branding, messaging, and engagement remain consistent from the first advert a customer sees, to the website they visit, all the way to their in-person interaction with a brand.
By 2025, omni-channel marketing will transform healthcare, creating frictionless patient experiences across digital and physical touchpoints. As consumers increasingly expect personalised engagement, brands must integrate social media, email, search, and in-person interactions to stay relevant. A cohesive strategy builds trust, enhances patient retention, and provides a competitive edge in an ever-evolving market. For healthcare brands, embracing omni-channel marketing isn’t just an advantage, it’s a necessity.
DIGITAL NEWS
NHS Rolls Out Cutting-Edge CRISPR Treatment for Sickle Cell
The NHS will offer a new gene therapy called Casgevy to treat sickle cell disease. Developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, Casgevy uses CRISPR gene-editing technology to modify patients’ own stem cells, aiming to cure the disease. The treatment involves extracting stem cells from a patient’s bone marrow, editing them in a lab, and then reinfusing them after preparing the bone marrow. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence estimates that around 50 patients per year will be eligible for this treatment. Each treatment course costs approximately £1.65 million.
Funding Cuts Force AstraZeneca to Scrap Liverpool Plant
AstraZeneca has withdrawn plans to invest in a new vaccine manufacturing facility in Liverpool, citing reduced government funding as the primary factor. The decision has sparked concern among industry leaders, who argue that the UK government failed to conduct a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis. Stakeholders emphasise that the facility would have played a critical role in bolstering the UK’s vaccine production capacity, strengthening supply chain resilience, and supporting public health preparedness. Industry professionals are urging officials to reassess funding priorities and reconsider the long-term impact of this decision on the UK’s biopharmaceutical sector and pandemic readiness.
Spire Healthcare Pledges Ongoing Support for NHS
Spire Healthcare CEO Justin Ash has reaffirmed the company’s commitment to working alongside the NHS to address growing healthcare demands. Spire Healthcare is one of the UK’s largest independent hospital groups, operating nearly 40 private hospitals and providing a range of specialist services including surgery, diagnostics and rehabilitation. With Spire carrying out about a third of its work for the NHS, mainly elective surgeries like hip and knee replacements, Ash supports a healthcare model where private providers work with the NHS to cut waiting times and improve patient access to care.
Sources
Understanding SEO and search engines for healthcare. Lewis [Internet]. Lewis. 2021 [cited 2025 Feb 5].
Available from: https://www.lewiscommunications.com/blog/understanding-seo-and-search-engines-for-healthcare-organizations?
