Pharma Lions

The Pharma Lions celebrate creative communications for pharmaceutical clients and services with work that brings science and innovation to life.

Introduction

The history of the Pharma Lions

The Pharma Lions were launched in 2014, alongside the Health & Wellness Lions, to recognise creativity in a heavily regulated industry. It celebrates products and services prescribed by healthcare professions.

Since being introduced, the Award has evolved and redefined how we reflect this sector through constant open dialogue and development with the industry.

Guidelines to Entering

What kind of work can be entered?

All work entered into the Pharma Lions must be aimed at specific practitioners and patient groups. It must address the management of a disease or medical condition diagnosed and treated by a healthcare professional.

The work must be created specifically to shape understanding of medical conditions, drive their treatment and/or advocate for the development or provision of those treatments. Work that is for an OTC or general wellbeing product or service should be entered into the Health & Wellness Lions.

What are the judging criteria?

Individual judging criteria is dependent on the medium selected

Eligibility

Work will need to have been executed during the eligibility period of 06 February 2025 - 09 April 2026.

Is there a limit to how many times I can enter?

There’s no overall limit to how many times the same piece of work can be entered into Pharma as long as the mediums chosen are relevant.

If you wish to enter an OTC or general wellbeing product or service, please see the Health & Wellness Lions.

Exceptions:

  • The same piece of work may only be entered in either Pharma Lions or Health & Wellness Lions.
  • Only products and services prescribed by healthcare professionals should be entered in the Pharma Lions.
  • The same piece of work can only be entered in either section 'A. Direct to Consumer’, ‘B. Regulated', 'C. Non-regulated' or 'D. Veterinary'.

What do I need to provide with my entry?

To enter, you’ll need to complete an online entry form, which can be found on the Cannes Lions entry site. In the ‘Written Explanation’ section, you’ll be asked to provide the Jury with everything they need to know about your work.

You'll be required provide proof of impact, supported by verifiable evidence, this information will not be shared with the Jury, but will be used to verify claims made in your entry materials. You'll also be required to provide details of a senior executive from both the brand and the entrant company (CEO, CMO or equivalent) who can formally approve the submission.

Optional supporting materials to provide additional context with your entry can also be uploaded.

Subtitles are highly recommended on all case films, films, demo films and original content.

Detailed information outlining the entry process can be found on our Guide to the Cannes Lions Awards.

More information on the rules for entry can be found on the Summary of Key Rules for Entering and the handbook for our new Integrity Standards can be found on the Integrity Standards.

What if I don’t have all the details right away?

Don’t worry – you can fill in the form in any order and save your progress at any time while it’s still in the pending stage. However, please only check out when your entry is 100% complete as no changes can be made to your entry once you’ve clicked “Submit” and “Checkout”.

Entry Tips

What’s the Jury looking for?

Bold, innovative ideas that navigate the unique challenges of pharmaceutical regulations while standing out creatively within the sector's constraints.

  • A strong insight, impressive execution and real results that link back to the objective
  • Considered strategy, thoughtfully designed at every touchpoint

Tips from the Jury

  • Determine the most impressive part of your campaign and find a category that showcases it
  • Provide tangible results that demonstrate impact
  • Remember the Jury are from all over the world, so provide context throughout your entry to ensure they understand the significance of your results and the relevance of your insight
  • The Jury look at hundreds of pieces of work, use storytelling in the written submission and case film to help your work stand out

Inside the Jury Room: Pharma Lions

To hear more from the Jury and how they decided on the winning work, check out the video below.

The Categories

To enter into Pharma Lions, you must first select the sector/category (direct to consumer, regulated, non-regulated and veterinary) for your piece of work. Then you select the relevant medium.

The categories in Pharma are representative of the sector and the mediums are reflective of the types, and the forms of the work being entered. The mediums very closely follow the specialisms of the Lions, for example, Brand Experience & Activation or Creative Data.

A. Direct to Consumer

MAKE LOVE LAST - BEDROOM | VIATRIS | OGILVY, SHANGHAI | GRAND PRIX, PHARMA LIONS | 2025

B. Regulated

Work created for a specific regulated branded product, service, therapy or company to drive choice, progress healthcare advancement and raise awareness and understanding of a disease or medical condition.

Only work for products or services that must adhere to strict regulatory compliance and compulsory fair balance copy can be entered in section B. Regulated.

All entrants within this section must provide regulatory requirements for your region in relation to your submission.

FRIEDREICH'S BACK | BIOGEN | 21GRAMS, NEW YORK | GOLD LION, PHARMA LIONS | 2025

C. Non-Regulated

Work created for a non-regulated branded product, service, therapy or company. Only work for products or services that are utilised by specific practitioners and patient groups in relation to the management of a disease or medical condition diagnosed and treated by a healthcare professional can be entered into C. Non-Regulated.

If you wish to enter an OTC or general wellbeing product or service, please see the Health & Wellness Lions.

DAWAI READER | ALKEM LABORATORIES | LOWE LINTAS, MUMBAI | SILVER LION, PHARMA LIONS | 2025

D.Veterinary

Mediums

The mediums are a type of subcategory found in Health & Wellness Lions and Pharma Lions only and are chosen by the entrant in addition to the category for each submitted piece of work.

The Written Submission

Here’s a preview of the questions you’ll be asked regarding your work.

To start your entry to the Pharma Lions, go to our Awards page.

The Jury will refer to the written explanation you provide throughout the judging process. Our advice is to provide as much relevant detail as possible.

When answering the following questions keep the main element you’re trying to celebrate in mind (e.g. the storytelling, the strategy, the craft, the use of data).

The bullet points under each question are prompts designed to guide your thinking, based on the factors the jury will be considering when reviewing your work. You might not need to use them all, and that’s totally fine. They’re there to help you consider what’s most important in your work.

Questions

Contact us

Everything you need to know to enter

For more detailed information on how to use the entry site, craft a compelling submission or submit your work we have a whole range of resources.

From Entry Guides that give you a step-by-step overview of the entire process to the Entry Kits that provide all the detailed rules and requirements for each and every category.

Information and advice on how to enter

We are here to help

As Awards Experts, we know the Lions inside out. We can help with:

  • Sharing the updates to the Awards for 2026
  • Offering best-practice advice on how to craft a compelling entry
  • Discussing your work and relevant categories
  • Scheduling regular catch-ups to answer any questions that arise throughout the entry process.

Whether you have a specific query or would like expert advice, get in touch today.

Email: awards@canneslions.com Helpline: +44 0 20 7046 1155