Data and Trust

Personalization has perhaps been one of pharma marketing’s favorite buzzwords for years. But as Kevin King, a partner at Credera, makes clear in a guest column in the March issue of Pharmaceutical Executive, the conversation is shifting, from how personalized we can be to how permission-based we should be. And that’s not a subtle distinction. It’s a strategic one.

King’s central point is refreshingly straightforward: consent is no longer a compliance exercise — it’s the foundation of trust. Patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) expect relevance, but they also expect control. The companies that figure out how to deliver both are positioning themselves for something bigger than better campaigns. They’re also building stronger relationships.

What makes this moment different is the complexity behind the scenes. As King notes, consent signals often live in multiple systems that don’t always talk to each other, creating gaps that can undermine even well-intentioned outreach. On top of being simply technical headaches, those disconnects are also trust risks. And in an industry built on credibility, small missteps can carry giant consequences.

The encouraging message is that a more thoughtful model is emerging. Unified consent frameworks — real-time, transparent, and user-friendly — are turning privacy into an enabler rather than a constraint. When patients and HCPs understand how their data is used and feel empowered to adjust preferences, engagement becomes more meaningful. Opt-ins increase. Conversations deepen. Personalization actually gets smarter, buzzword or not.

As always, thanks for reading.

Mike Hennessy Jr. is Chairman and CEO of MJH Life Sciences^®