Written by Cong Cao, MPharm, UK Registered Pharmacist (GPhC) · 5 minute read
A medical copywriter writes marketing and information content about health, medicines and treatments. That sounds simple, but it sits in a narrow space. The copy has to persuade like marketing while staying accurate enough for a clinician to sign off.
As a pharmacist who writes for online pharmacies and healthcare teams, I am often asked what the job actually involves and whether a general copywriter could do the same thing. Here is how I explain it.
What a medical copywriter writes
The work changes depending on who is reading. For pharmacies and clinics selling to the public, it usually includes:
Product pages for over-the-counter and prescription medicines
Health articles and blogs that answer patients' questions and support search rankings
Condition and treatment pages for services such as weight management or hair loss
Website copy, email campaigns and short-form copy for promotions
For healthcare professionals, it can also cover slide decks, training materials and congress posters, where the reader expects data, references and a precise clinical message.
The two audiences need very different writing. A patient wants to know whether a medicine will help and whether it is safe for them. A pharmacist or GP wants the clinical trial data, the licensed indication and how it compares with current guidance. A medical copywriter switches between the two without losing accuracy in either.
How it differs from general copywriting
A good general copywriter can make almost anything sound appealing. In healthcare, there are many more restrictions. The most common points include:
Accuracy comes first. Every dose, side effect and claim has to match the licensed product information. A sentence that is too confident about how well a medicine works can mislead a patient and breach advertising rules.
The rules are strict and non-negotiable. Prescription-only medicines cannot be advertised to the public in the UK, and claims about pharmacy medicines must stay within their licence. A medical copywriter knows where the line is before writing, rather than after a complaint.
Evidence has to be traceable. Claims are backed by sources such as the SmPC, NICE guidance or published trials. That protects the business and gives readers and search engines a reason to trust the page.
The same sentence, written two ways
The difference is easiest to see side by side. Here are some typical lines a general copywriter might write, and how I would approach them instead, using hay fever tablets and a weight management service as examples.
| General copy | Medical copy |
|---|---|
| "Say goodbye to hay fever for good" | "Relieve sneezing and itchy eyes for up to 24 hours" |
| "Lose weight fast with our tablets" | "Start a weight management consultation with our pharmacist team" |
| "No side effects" | "Most people experience no side effects. Common ones, affecting up to 1 in 10 people, include tiredness and headache" |
| "Works instantly" | "Starts working within an hour for most people" |
The medical versions are still clear and positive, but each claim can be checked against the product information or the trial it came from. That is the core of the job.
Where SEO fits in
Most pharmacy content today is written to be found on Google as well as read by patients. A medical copywriter who understands SEO plans each page around the searches patients actually make, uses clear headings that match those searches and writes meta titles and descriptions that earn the click.
Health content is held to a higher standard by Google because poor advice can cause real harm. Pages written or reviewed by a qualified professional, with references to trusted sources, are better placed to rank than generic copy. In that sense, clinical expertise is not just a safety measure. It is part of what makes the content perform.
The two skills work best together. Accurate content that nobody finds does little for your business, and well-optimised content that gets a dose wrong is a risk you cannot afford.
Signs your pharmacy or clinic needs one
Not every business needs a specialist. These are the situations where I think it pays off:
Your product pages are copied from manufacturer leaflets and do not rank on Google
You are adding a new service (such as weight management) and need content that is compliant from day one
Your team writes content but nobody with clinical training checks it before it goes live
You have had a complaint, an ASA ruling or feedback that your claims went too far
You want to publish health articles regularly but do not have the time to research and reference them
The cost of getting it wrong is often higher than the cost of the writing. ASA rulings are published online with the company named. A single misleading claim can undo years of building trust with patients.
What to look for when hiring
Ask to see examples similar to what you need, ideally with references included. A product page sample tells you far more than a general portfolio.
Check for clinical training. A pharmacist, doctor or nurse who writes will spot errors that a non-clinical writer may miss. Registered professionals can be checked on their regulator's register such as the GPhC register for pharmacists.
Look for an understanding of search engines as well as medicine. Content that is accurate but never found does little for your business. The best medical copy does both jobs at once.
Finally, ask how they handle compliance. A writer who mentions the MHRA Blue Guide or the CAP Code without being prompted has probably dealt with these questions before.
How to brief a medical copywriter
A good brief saves time on both sides and gets you a better first draft. It does not need to be long. The most useful things to include are:
The product or service, including the exact strength and pack size
Who the content is for, such as patients, carers or healthcare professionals
The searches you want the page to appear for, if you know them
Your tone of voice and any examples of pages you like
Anything that must or must not be included, such as delivery times or a consultation step
If you are unsure about keywords or structure, a good medical copywriter should be able to suggest them. That is part of the value they bring.
How a typical project works
Most projects follow the same pattern. It starts with a short brief covering the product and the searches you want to target. I then research the product information and evidence, write a first draft with references and share it for feedback. One or two rounds of edits usually follow before the final version is ready to publish.
Turnaround depends on length and complexity. A single product page is usually a matter of days, while a series of articles or a full-service launch is better planned over a few weeks.
Need a medical copywriter?
I write product pages, health articles and healthcare professional materials for UK pharmacies and clinics, all researched and referenced by a UK registered pharmacist. You can see examples in my portfolio or request a quote on my services page.
References
MHRA: The Blue Guide, advertising and promotion of medicines in the UK. gov.uk/government/publications/blue-guide-advertising-and-promoting-medicines
ASA and CAP: Healthcare, prescription-only medicines. asa.org.uk/advice-online/healthcare-prescription-only-medicine.html
GPhC: Check the register. pharmacyregulation.org/