For healthcare PR in New York, choose a biotech specialist if your audience is investors, clinicians and regulators, and a digital health specialist if your audience is health systems, payers and patients. Many companies need both, so ask each agency which of your audiences it has reached with named, dated coverage. Then check those claims against the agency's published work.
This post is part of my healthcare PR guide, which lists every healthcare post on this site.
How do biotech PR and digital health PR differ?
Biotech PR and digital health PR differ mainly in audience, proof and regulatory exposure. Biotech communications usually center on science and company milestones, while digital health communications center on outcomes, adoption and privacy. The table summarizes my practitioner view, and the exact rules for any product depend on how it is regulated.
| Factor | Biotech PR | Digital health PR |
|---|---|---|
| Main audiences | Investors, clinicians, regulators, patient groups | Health systems, payers, employers, patients |
| Typical proof | Trial results, scientific publications, financing news | Outcomes data, customer adoption, partnerships |
| Typical media | Trade and medical press, financial press | Health technology, business and consumer press |
| Regulatory exposure | Drug promotion rules and, for public companies, disclosure rules | Depends on whether the product is a drug, a device or neither, plus privacy law |
| Main risk | Overstating results or implying approved uses | Overstating outcomes or privacy protections |
What rules shape biotech communications?
Biotech communications are shaped by FDA rules on prescription drug promotion and, for public companies, by SEC disclosure rules. The FDA's Office of Prescription Drug Promotion regulates prescription drug promotion made by or on behalf of a drug's manufacturer, packer or distributor, according to the FDA's own Bad Ad Program page. The words "on behalf of" matter, because an agency writing for a drug maker is acting on its behalf.
For public companies, the SEC's Regulation FD, adopted in August 2000, requires that when an issuer discloses material information it does so publicly, according to an SEC study of the rule. The same study says an issuer can meet that duty by filing a Form 8-K or by another method reasonably designed to reach the public broadly.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Decisions about what a company may say about a drug, a trial or its finances belong with qualified regulatory and securities counsel.
What should a digital health company ask a PR agency?
A digital health company should ask an agency which audiences it has reached, how it supports outcome claims and who reviews privacy and regulatory statements. 5WPR's digital health practice page says the agency counsels clients on communicating with health systems, payers, regulators and patients, which is a useful checklist of audiences to test any agency against.
Outcome claims deserve the most scrutiny. If your product reports results, ask the agency how it will describe the data, who signs off on the wording and where the underlying study can be read.
How do you shortlist healthcare PR agencies in New York?
You shortlist healthcare PR agencies in New York by comparing named work in your subsegment, the review process for regulated claims and the staff who will run your account. Five steps keep the comparison fair.
- Ask each agency for named clients and dated coverage in biotech, digital health or your exact subsegment.
- Ask who reviews regulated claims, and whether your counsel sees material before it goes out.
- Ask which trade and business outlets the agency has placed clients in during the past 12 months.
- Ask who will staff the account day to day, and whether that person has worked on a similar launch.
- Ask for the agency's own published recognition and verify each item with the group that gave it.
On the last point, 5WPR announced that its healthcare practice ranked among the top 20 in the U.S. in O'Dwyer's rankings for a fourth consecutive year, as reported by AgilityPR, and that its health and wellness team was a finalist for Outstanding Agency Practice in the inaugural 2022 PRWeek Healthcare and Pharma Comms Awards. Both items come from 5W's own announcements. I founded 5WPR in 2003, and its healthcare PR practice is one of the firms you can put through the same five questions. Ronn Torossian is the founder and chairman of 5W.
What red flags should you watch for?
The main red flags are guaranteed coverage, no process for reviewing regulated claims and an agency that cannot name work in your subsegment. Coverage depends on journalists, so no agency can promise it.
- A promise of coverage in a named outlet by a named date.
- No written step in which your legal or regulatory team reviews material.
- Case studies that name no client, no date and no measure of result.
- A pitch that treats biotech and digital health as the same audience.
For related reading, see the healthcare PR guide, my guide to medical industry public relations and the crisis communications hub. For the cost side, the guide to healthcare PR pricing covers what a retainer includes.
Which type of agency should you hire?
Hire a biotech specialist if your next 12 months center on financing, trial news and regulatory milestones, and a digital health specialist if they center on customer adoption and outcomes. If you face both, ask whether one agency has separate teams for each or whether you need two relationships. Test the shortlist with the five questions above, and choose the agency that answers in writing.
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthcare PR agency?
A healthcare PR agency manages media relations, thought leadership and communications for health companies, such as drug makers, providers and health technology firms. Many specialize in one segment, such as biotech or digital health.
What is the difference between biotech PR and digital health PR?
Biotech PR centers on science, clinical milestones and financing for investors, clinicians and regulators. Digital health PR centers on outcomes, adoption and privacy for health systems, payers and patients.
Do biotech companies need a PR agency?
Not always, but many use one around financing, trial results and approvals. Public companies also have disclosure duties under SEC rules, which counsel should guide.
Who regulates how drug companies promote products?
In the United States, the FDA's Office of Prescription Drug Promotion regulates prescription drug promotion by or on behalf of the manufacturer, packer or distributor. Counsel should review any product claim.
How do I choose a healthcare PR agency in New York?
Compare named, dated work in your exact segment, ask who reviews regulated claims, and confirm who will staff your account. Verify any award or ranking with the group that issued it.
Can a PR agency guarantee media coverage for a healthcare company?
No. Journalists decide what to cover, so a guarantee is a warning sign. A credible agency promises a plan, a pitch list and reporting.
By Ronn Torossian. Updated on Oct 21, 2026.
Disclosure: I own and write this site. This article links to 5WPR's healthcare and digital health pages and cites 5WPR's own announcements, which I have not independently verified. Regulatory sources are the FDA and the SEC, reviewed on October 21, 2026. This article is not legal or medical advice.