Media Pulse: Health issue 2

Media Pulse: Health Edition

Issue 2 | June 2026

In the past month, we've been tracking a shift in health media. Whether it’s post-ASCO coverage or the latest demands from top UK broadcasters, one thing is clear: human-led storytelling is winning out over dry clinical data. At the same time, platforms are rapidly evolving - from legacy titles adapting to AI, to new apps capturing Gen Z. Dive into our latest need-to-know updates below to help your media strategies stay ahead of the curve.

Trending this month

Patient experiences dominate ASCO coverage

Analysing the most impactful global coverage emerging from ASCO last month, a clear pattern emerged: clinical data gets you in the room, but the human element secures the headline. Take, for example, the Guardian's coverage of daraxonrasib. It didn't just report doubled survival times; it broke through by centring on the raw experiences of experts and patients. It's a powerful reminder to show, rather than just tell, the real-world impact of clinical progress.

WIRED's renewed focus on health

After pivoting towards geopolitics, WIRED is finally bolstering its health desk again. With new deputy editor Rosie Swash actively recruiting freelancers for health, and the recent appointment of new senior science editor Brian Khan it’s the perfect time to pitch strong health and science stories to the team.

Sky, Times Radio, Good Morning Britain, and Global Radio

Producers across these major broadcast outlets all agreed on one thing at a recent panel: audiences crave robust context. Standout health segments are ditching standard corporate talking heads. Instead, they’re pairing clinical leads with community advocates or patients sharing the granular, daily realities of their condition. Pitching layered voices alongside multimedia assets easily sliced for social is the new minimum standard. Could a new type of expert broaden your next story?

The Economist: optimising for a dual-track web

The Economist is structuring content for AI agents. Human-facing content behind the paywall will remain multimedia-rich, whilst they create simpler Q&A versions specifically for AI scraping. If you're pitching a reporter, ask if their patch is in the pilot. Offering content pre-tailored to both formats, deep narrative for humans, and machine-readable Q&A for AI, will give you a strategic edge.

New biotech Summit @ London Life Sciences Week

Fierce Biotech is launching a new summit in London this November. The agenda is still being shaped so get in touch if you have strong spokespeople to offer up!

Getting news in front of younger audiences

News app Sayso has expanded to the UK, offering a fresh way to engage younger demographics beyond traditional formats. We’re active on the platform and tracking creators driving key health conversations, like Jessica Lees (@JessChatNews), Good Good Good News (@GoodGoodGoodCo), and Marston Quinn (@MarstonQuinn). Worth considering for your next integrated campaign.

AI in the modern newsroom

We've published takeaways from our breakfast briefing with Times and BBC journalists covering journalist-approved strategies to build visibility in an AI-driven ecosystem. Our roundtables unpacked exactly what newsrooms want from PRs right now. The core takeaway? The human element is more valuable than ever, and we win by offering deep commentary and personal angles.

Let's talk

Our London-based team of health media specialists lives and breathes earned-first strategy. From handling brand milestones and disease awareness campaigns to navigating complex corporate reputation issues, we know what it takes to cut through. Do get in touch if you want to discuss how these trends might impact your upcoming strategy. We’d love to hear from you.

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