Why Big Pharma Needs Health & Wellness - The Essential Healthcare Revolution

TL’DR: The age of consumerism in healthcare presents a unique opportunity for the supplement and cosmetic industry to work hand in hand with pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Such collaboration would not only bolster each industry’s credibility but also offer consumers and patients more reliable, effective options for their healthcare and lifestyle needs.

Before you roll your eyes, please hear me out 🙂 I’m all for supplements and cosmetics! I take several supplements and have a skincare routine that I follow relentlessly. But I also believe in science and believe that true science-forward brands are winning. 

Unfortunately, I see more and more brands that are blurring the lines between supplements (or cosmetics) and drugs - miraculously curing diseases (so they say), all “naturally.” At the same time, I also believe in lifestyle interventions, supplements to support optimal health, and cosmetics to promote skin health. Sounds contradictive? I don’t think so.  

In today’s landscape, consumers are far from passive recipients of medical advice and treatments. The era of a doctor telling a patient what to do and the patient blindly following this advice is over. Dr. Google took over our lives with endless information at our fingertips. This “democratization of healthcare” has given rise to an abundance of choices when it comes to our health & wellness that go far beyond the traditional pharmaceutical options. I applaud this trend because I believe that doing my own research helps me to make informed decisions. But, it also opens the doors for “sham science,” which can harm consumers, especially if they have a serious health condition and are taking supplements, not drugs. 

With an explosion in the availability of dietary supplements and cosmetics that tout health benefits, the blurring lines between drugs, cosmetics, supplements, and lifestyle choices often lead to misinformation. 

Just think about weight loss for a moment. We have the different diet religions: Keto, Veganism, and Paleo. Unfortunately, they all forget the science behind it: you have to be in a caloric deficit to lose weight. And we can find several “detoxes” and meal plans that help us to shed some pounds, as well as supplements with weight-loss promises. And as we all know, pharma is in it now as well - speaking of the GLP-1 receptor agonists. 

Now, more than ever, there is a compelling need for the health and wellness industry to collaborate with the pharmaceutical industry. Such synergy could enrich each sector's credibility and offer consumers and patients more reliable and effective healthcare and lifestyle choices.

Big Pharma: The Misunderstood Giant 

Skepticism about "Big Pharma" is at an all-time high and is a term with negative connotations. Words like “corporate greed” and “making money off of ill people” come to mind. While issues like the high cost of medication are certainly concerns that need attention, demonizing an entire industry overlooks the immense value it brings to healthcare.

Medicines produced by pharmaceutical companies undergo exhaustive scientific scrutiny, often requiring decades of research and billions of dollars in investment. Imagine, for a moment, a world without antibiotics, vaccines, or even over-the-counter painkillers. It would be a grim scenario, reflecting a time when even minor infections lead to fatalities. It's crucial to recognize that pharmaceutical companies play an integral role in medical advancements that have extended lifespans and improved quality of life.

Health & wellness brands often capitalize on the negative perception of pharmaceutical companies by positioning their products as natural, holistic alternatives. This becomes problematic when such companies make claims that their products can alleviate, manage, or even cure serious health conditions—assertions that are usually not substantiated by rigorous scientific research but based on anecdotal data. 

“I have used this product for 12 weeks, and now my diabetes is gone”

“My hair is growing again! I went from thinning hair to a full head of hair in only 3 months” (put amazing before-and-after-photo here)

“I have suffered from Crohn’s disease all of my life. This probiotic finally did the trick!” 

I see reviews like this all the time. Not only are they not compliant with new FTC guidelines, but I also believe they are highly unethical. 

If brands are misleading consumers about supplements that supposedly help manage a chronic condition, this could not only lead to poor disease management but also to serious complications (for diabetes, for example, kidney failure or cardiovascular disease when they stop taking their actual medication). When companies make unverified health claims, they compromise patient safety, something that the rigorous testing procedures of the pharmaceutical industry aim to protect.

The role of supplements and cosmetics: a complement, not a replacement. 

In 99% of cases, supplements should not be a replacement for medications. Supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases. This doesn’t mean that the probiotic you take can’t help you with your IBS symptoms (such as bloating, heartburn, etc.). It also doesn’t mean that your adaptogen drink or gummy can’t help you to cope with stress better and support your overall well-being. It also doesn’t mean that a vitamin B12 supplement can’t help you feel better when you’re deficient. I am talking about the cases where supplements (and cosmetics) make drug-related claims. Supplements that try to market themselves as replacements miss a valuable opportunity here:

The complementary role. 

For instance, dietary supplements like probiotics could potentially enhance gut health, making certain drug therapies for digestive disorders more effective. Similarly, specialized skincare products could aid in managing the cosmetic side effects of medical treatments. But, it's crucial that these complementary products are developed in consultation with pharmaceutical and biotech experts to ensure they are both safe and effective.

Supplements: Focusing on optimal health 

Traditionally, the supplement industry has been geared towards filling nutritional gaps—providing vitamins and minerals that might be lacking in a person's diet. But the new age of consumerism pushes many companies toward the promise of "optimized health."

Here lies a unique opportunity for collaboration with the pharmaceutical sector. Their investment in rigorous R&D and clinical trials can offer fantastic insights into creating supplements that not only fill nutritional gaps but also contribute positively to overall health - actually making a difference without sham science. Research collaboration could focus on how certain nutrients impact chronic conditions or enhance the effectiveness of existing medications. In my opinion, this would elevate supplements to an entirely new sphere - from snake oil 2.0 sellers to products that are taken seriously by the medical community. 

Cosmetics and the need to manage realistic expectations

I could write an entire post about cosmetics and what’s happening in this world. But for the sake of this article, let’s focus on one thing: 

The thin line between enhancing appearance and promising unrealistic health benefits. 

From anti-aging creams that pledge to eliminate wrinkles (backed up with a 100% claim) to makeup products that claim to treat acne. In my opinion, many cosmetic brands are setting up consumers for disappointment because they don’t deliver on their promises. The before and after photos, which often become the claim itself, show first a good-looking woman in her 20s with acne, and the after photo (8-12 weeks later) shows the same woman without any acne. Of course, smart brands add “individual results may vary” as an asterisk to this photo. And despite the wonderful before and after photos and the killer 90% or 100% claims, the product only has 2.8 stars on Sephora. This is where the pharmaceutical industry's expertise could come in. Through collaboration, cosmetic products could be formulated with ingredients that offer real benefits substantiated by scientific evidence, thereby better-managing consumer expectations.

The Danger of Overpromising and Underdelivering 

We all know that consumers have access to product reviews and peer experiences, and maintaining brand credibility is more crucial than ever. Unfortunately, many brands also add fake reviews to their websites. Overpromising results and falling short can have a ripple effect that can severely damage a brand's reputation. Not only do they risk legal actions, but they also jeopardize consumer trust. A partnership with pharmaceutical companies could mitigate this risk by ensuring that product claims are supported by scientific evidence, which would enhance brand credibility. 

We are at a pivotal moment where consumerism in healthcare is both an opportunity and a challenge. The landscape is complex but ripe with potential for industries willing to adapt and collaborate. In the quest to meet consumer demand for more choices and greater control over their healthcare, industries can either view each other as competitors or as collaborators working towards a common goal—improving the quality of life for all.

By sharing resources, expertise, and data, the supplement and cosmetic industries can elevate their products from being both consumer choices and scientifically validated options. Pharmaceutical and biotech companies can gain insights into consumer preferences, leading to more patient-centric approaches in drug development and treatment strategies.

It's time for these industries to come together and leverage their unique strengths for the greater good. In doing so, they have the power to create a new healthcare paradigm that prioritizes consumer choice and scientific integrity. Ultimately, the winner of this synergy is the consumer, who gains access to a broader array of reliable, effective, and trustworthy healthcare and lifestyle options.