2026 Life Sciences and Health Care industry insights report

By Kulleni Gebreyes, M.D., vice chair and US Life Sciences and Health Care Industry leader, Deloitte

As we head into 2026, life sciences and health care (LSHC) organizations that choose not to view consumers as a transformative force could be leaving money on the table. How much? Health systems could lose as much as $54.5 billion over the next decade if they opt not to offer virtual health options. And biopharma companies that rely solely on third-party channels to distribute their products could lose up to $114.1 billion¹, according to a recent Deloitte analysis leveraging the Komodo Healthcare Map.^TM

The combination of increased consumerism and competition is likely to reshape the market, driving bold business changes that could be important for LSHC organizations in 2026 and beyond. A few life sciences companies, for example, have launched direct-to-consumer platforms,² and some well-funded health-tech start-ups are offering new options to consumers.³

Consumers are becoming the CEOs of their own health
Challenges related to cost, access, and trust are motivating some consumers to take control of their health decisions and become the “CEO” of their own health (see Embracing elevated consumerism in health care). Consider this: 63% of consumers surveyed by Deloitte said they would be willing to switch doctors if they didn’t like the way their physician communicates.⁴ A separate Deloitte survey found that only 13% of consumers trust biopharma companies as reliable sources of information regarding effective and safe treatments.⁵ LSHC organizations that don’t have the trust of their customers could lose ground to competitors that are able to satisfy changing consumer demands. Deloitte’s recent analysis of HundredX^™ data suggests that organizations with a high level of trust have 2.5 times higher customer loyalty than those with a low level of trust.⁶ Earning and maintaining trust and loyalty often requires strong relationships with consumers.

The consumer mandate vs. the expectation gap
The consumer sits in the center of the new health care ecosystem. Previously, clinicians were the primary sources of knowledge and expertise. Executives and boards set the rules, and patients were often passive recipients of care. That model no longer holds because consumers are often moving faster than the organizations that serve them.

Consumers may be writing a prescription for their health care expectations: personalized, proactive, and purpose driven. Yet some organizations remain focused on the old regimen of episodic, transactional care. The side-effects can include eroding trust, fragmented experiences, and unmet expectations. Some leaders recognize this. According to the results of our 2026 LSHC Outlook survey, 32% of biopharma executives said customer-engagement needs are significant. In response, some of them are prioritizing investments in engagement strategies and technologies. ⁸

Still, the LSHC industry is playing catch-up. Almost 50% of consumers surveyed in 2024 said they are using generative artificial intelligence (gen AI), with health as the primary reason.⁷ A recent Fortune/Deloitte survey found that 66% of CEOs across multiple industries see opportunity in AI. However, only 15% of surveyed LSHC executives said their organizations had adapted their governance to keep pace with the technology.

The organizations that are best positioned to thrive in the next era of health will likely be the ones that can earn and keep consumer trust, deliver experiences that feel personal, and redefine care as a lifelong partnership. Here are two common disconnects between consumers and LSHC organizations:

1. What consumers want vs. what LSHC often delivers
   Consumers expect health experiences that feel as simple and intuitive as online shopping or banking. According to the Deloitte 2025 US Survey of Health Care Consumers, consumers prioritize convenience, access, and affordability. That’s how they appear to define value. Case in point: 55% of those respondents said they want more affordable and accessible care options from hospitals and doctors, and 64% want health plans to offer less-expensive coverage options. And those expectations extend beyond traditional care: 68% of surveyed consumers said they want biopharma companies and medical device manufacturers to ensure their products are affordable, accessible, and easy to use. However, LSHC organizations often are not on the same page, according to our 2026 Outlook Survey of LSHC executives. Less than half of biopharma and medtech executives—and less than one-third of health plan and health system executives—said affordability, accessibility, and convenience were top priorities for the year ahead.
   
   Closing the consumer gap isn’t about just doing what is right—it can also be about doing what is good for consumer health and for business.
2. High-tech consumerism vs. health care’s pace of change
   Even when LSHC leaders understand the urgency of change, legacy systems, rigid hierarchies, and risk-averse governance structures can slow progress. Meanwhile, some consumers may seek more convenient models of care. Gen AI, sophisticated digital tools, and other technologies have generally made it easier for consumers to access the type of care that works for them. However, executives and boards sometimes struggle to govern a digital, consumer-led enterprise. According to our 2026 Outlook Survey of LSHC executives, 48% of respondents said their board lacked representation in areas such as AI and data science. This governance-skills gap reflects a misalignment with emerging growth opportunities. Today, boards should have strategic agility that allows them to anticipate disruption, guide innovation, and move at the speed of the market. They should try to bring together experience in AI, cybersecurity, population health, and consumer behavior to help them govern with foresight, not hindsight.
   Without redesigning care and business models around consumers’ desires, organizations risk falling behind and could damage consumer trust. Dynamic governance models that enable faster, data-driven decisions could become the new hallmark of resilience and relevance.

A prescription for the future
For years, the LSHC sector has focused on patient noncompliance when individuals don’t follow prescribed treatments. That narrative appears to be shifting. The expectation of compliance falls on the industry itself, and consumers may be prescribing the following multi-step treatment plan for consideration:

1. Create convenient and seamless experiences: As demand for virtual care, direct access to products, and connected-health solutions grows, LSHC organizations might need to expand their digital and direct-to-consumer offerings. Such investments can help strengthen the level of trust they have with consumers. 
   
   • Health systems and health plans: Health care organizations should try to expand the ways that consumers can connect with them. Virtual health, for example, can be more convenient than an office visit. More than 90% of consumers who had a virtual health visit said they would be willing to have another, according to results from our consumer survey. And 24% of consumers said they would look for another doctor if a virtual appointment wasn’t available. Health care providers should also consider ways to make it easier for consumers to locate and schedule medical appointments and offer a broader spectrum of locations, including virtual and/or digital options.
   
   • Biopharma and medtech companies: Medical devices and pharmaceuticals have historically been delivered to consumers by way of their health care provider. Life sciences companies should consider opportunities to provide their products directly to consumers. Direct-to-consumer platforms appear to appeal to consumers; 23% of consumers said they used them for prescription medications and weight-loss management in the past year. In addition, 37% of consumers said they used digital monitoring devices to track health conditions. Biopharma and medtech companies should also consider ways to make their products easier to use and understand, including through digital support and interoperable data for consumers and their doctors. 
   
   
2. Prioritize transparency: Organizations might be able to build trust by making it easier for consumers to find, understand, and pay for care, coverage, drugs, and medical devices.
   
   • Health systems and health plans: Health care providers should try to be more transparent about what consumers will be expected to pay for care. Companies that provide health insurance to consumers should consider ways to simplify the enrollment process and ensure that members understand the benefits and limitations of their plan, including out-of-pocket costs. They should also consider helping members understand common health insurance terms such as prior authorization, co-insurance, and out-of-pocket limits. 
   
   • Biopharma and medtech companies: Consumers may want to know how their data is being used and how it will drive better outcomes. Biopharma and medtech companies should consider trying to simplify the patient experience. They might also look for opportunities to work more closely with providers to support health literacy among consumers and ensure they understand their personal data is protected.
   
   
3. Achieve MVP (More Value for the Price) status: Consumers may be seeking more demonstrable value. As a result, LSHC organizations should consider seeking MVP status. LSHC organizations should consider offering value that goes beyond their traditional products and services. Helping consumers maintain or improve their health and well-being can be a top priority. 
   
   • Health plans and health systems: Three out of four surveyed consumers (76%) said they would prefer to use food over prescription medications to support their health (see Consumers want to eat their way to better health). However, 26% said they or someone in their household made sacrifices to afford health insurance premiums, prescription drugs or devices, or out-of-pocket costs related to medical care. Of these consumers, 51% said they had to cut back on groceries or essential food items to cover health care costs. This tension highlights an emerging opportunity for health organizations—to make healthy food choices easier to understand, more affordable, and accessible. Nutrition can be a core part of effective health management. While medications are an essential part of health care, nutrition is increasingly a vital part of health management. Health plans and health systems should consider looking for opportunities to make healthy food choices easier to understand and accessible for consumers. 
   
   • Life sciences companies: Biopharma companies should consider working to be more transparent about costs and create more pathways that can reduce out-of-pocket costs for their products. Similarly, medical device manufacturers should consider trying to be more transparent about likely out-of-pocket costs and make it easier for consumers to purchase some devices directly, rather than through an intermediary like a medical provider.
   
   
4. Adapt governance models: As noted above, just 15% of the LSHC executives surveyed for our 2026 Outlook said their organizations are making governance changes to match the evolving landscape. Refreshing the board composition to include individuals with experience in AI, digital innovation, cybersecurity, social drivers of health, and population health could help them more effectively address the needs of their members, patients, and customers. Board governance and oversight could help steer the organization toward centering on the consumer.
   

Organizations should also consider trying to adopt dynamic governance models that support faster decisions and better scenario planning when it comes to investing in new technologies, strategies, and business models. Aligning C-suite leaders—and measuring opportunities based on long-term organizational goals—can result in better decision-making and better value from investments. 

Outlook for 2026: A prescription for the future 
In life sciences and health care, data appears to be the new infrastructure and trust the new currency. As we speed toward 2026, organizations that serve the consumer should reconsider if their approach is business as usual. Change is coming to the industry, and it is coming fast. Start-ups and organizations from other sectors are increasingly stepping in to bridge the gaps between consumer expectations and the products and services traditionally offered by LSHC organizations. (See Consumers and convergence could disrupt the status quo.)

To remain competitive—and to grow their business and impact—incumbent organizations should reimagine and perfect their core business. They should focus on strengthening trust by providing a personalized and frictionless experience for the people they serve. This could be an opportunity for life sciences and health care executives to grow and thrive through uncertainty in the age of the empowered consumer.

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Endnotes:

¹Medical and pharmacy claims data came from the Komodo Healthcare Map™, covering 59 million people across commercial health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and traditional Medicare; Komodo Healthcare Map
²Pharma companies announce direct-to-consumer sales and price cuts, Reuters, October 17, 2025
³The most-funded startups transforming health care, SignalFire, December 19, 2024
⁴Inflation’s impact on health care, Deloitte Insights, November 1, 2022
⁵Navigating the future of commercial in biopharma, Deloitte Insights, June 3, 2025
⁶Analysis of 44,000 pieces of consumer feedback on 114 life sciences and health care brands from HundredX^™ 12-month trailing basis ending July 2025
⁷Overcoming GenAI implementation blind spots in health care, Deloitte Insights, January 30, 2024
⁸The 2026 Outlook Survey of LSHC executives is based on responses from 280 C-suite executives from companies based in Asia (China and Japan), Europe (France, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom), and the United States from August to September 2025.

This publication contains general information only and Deloitte is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor.

Deloitte shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this publication.

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