Under the theme, “Expedition Pharma: Innovation from a Patient-First Perspective,” the DCAT Summit at Lugano, held June 4–5, 2025, in Lugano, Switzerland, underscored a message that cannot be ignored: Achieving true patient-centricity requires a holistic and proactive approach, spanning clinical research, product design, and supply chain integrity. Expert speakers highlighted the ethical and economic imperative of putting patients at the center while examining how the industry can more fully realize this all-important goal. 

Addressing the cost of ignoring women’s health 
Kearney Partner Paula Bellostas Muguerza presented a compelling case for closing the gender health gap. The statistics she cited were striking: Women spend 25% more of their lives in ill health than men, yet women’s health receives just 4% of global digital health venture capital investment. The missed opportunity is immense: Closing the gap could add $1 trillion to the global economy by 2040. Through Kearney’s [w]Health platform, Bellostas Muguerza is behind the firm’s efforts to build a coalition to drive policy and innovation that redefines how healthcare meets the needs of women. Her message was clear: Investing in women’s health is both a moral imperative and an economic necessity. 

Supply chain integrity as patient-centric care 
Turning from clinical to operational realities, Jim Fries, CEO of Rx-360, an industry consortium of pharma manufacturers and suppliers focused on supply chain integrity, reminded attendees that patient-centricity is only as strong as the supply chains that deliver safe medicines. More than 15 years after the heparin crisis, he says that the industry continues to evolve and put resources behind the departments safeguarding supply chain integrity. Fries called on companies to “trust their own data” by using tools such as supplier questionnaires to uncover real-time insights while cautioning against blind reliance on artificial intelligence (AI). “AI is a piece of the puzzle, but make sure it’s combined with your organization’s needs,” he said. “Your needs may be different from others’.” His call reinforced that patient safety begins long before a product reaches the bedside—it depends on the strength and transparency of the supply chain. 

Patient-centricity must start early 
Atanas Todorov, Chief Medical Officer of Arcondis, a global healthcare and life sciences consultancy, emphasized the need to integrate patient considerations from the very start of drug and device development. Too often, companies wait until trial design or production is complete to ask fundamental questions: Is the trial diverse enough? Can patients easily swallow the pill? Is the packaging accessible? By then, it’s too late. Todorov’s point was direct: Patient-centric design is not a box to check at the end—it must be embedded from the beginning. 

A call to action 
These talks from the DCAT Summit at Lugano offered both inspiration and urgency. The discussions made it clear that patient-centricity is not simply an aspirational goal—it is a shared responsibility that demands structural, cultural, and operational change. Whether through advancing women’s health, fortifying supply chains, or designing patient-friendly products from the outset, the industry has powerful opportunities to drive value while staying true to its purpose: delivering better outcomes for patients worldwide. 

Note: This is the first in a series of articles providing key highlights and insights from the DCAT Summit at Lugano: Expedition Pharma: Innovation from a Patient-First Perspective, which was held June 4–5, 2025, in Lugano, Switzerland.