The Communiqué Awards returned for its 28th year on 2 July to celebrate excellence in healthcare communications and showcase the work shaping the industry.
Once again held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, the event began with a VIP reception, welcoming hundreds of guests in smart evening wear who were full of excitement about who would be going home as a Communiqué 2026 winner.
The two co-chairs, Catherine Devaney, founder of Curious Health Communications, and Neil Flash, owner of Ignition Consulting, took to the stage to welcome the guests and highlight the chosen theme of the year, Future, that reflects a sector adapting to rapid change and embracing new possibilities.
They were followed by this year’s host, stand-up comedian Ellie Taylor, who kept the audience laughing and created a fun, lively atmosphere throughout the awards ceremony.
The Awards included 32 categories, celebrating excellence across healthcare comms and medical affairs, alongside individual, team and company achievements. This year, supporting the theme of future, a number of categories have been retired, updated and refined to reflect the sophistication of modern practice and new awards have been introduced that recognise emerging disciplines across science, creativity and digital capability.
The big winner of the night was Stirred, winning five awards in total! Four of the awards were for their campaign for Wellbeing of Women: Calling Time on Heavy and Painful Periods, with the fifth award being won by Stirred and Curious Health for their campaign for AstraZeneca: Share Good Times Not Flu. Camino and Burson also celebrated wins in more than one category.
The new and refined categories include:
- Excellence in Congress Activation, reflecting the growing importance of congresses as integrated scientific touchpoints – won by Avalere Health for Johnson & Johnson: Breaking the Cycle in treatment-resistant depression
- Excellence in Behaviour Change, recognising the increasing use of behavioural science in healthcare communications – one of the categories won by Stirred for Wellbeing of Women: Calling Time on Heavy and Painful Periods
- Excellence in the Application of Artificial Intelligence, acknowledging the responsible and transparent use of AI across insight, scientific communication and experience design – won by Camino for Jazz Pharmaceuticals: EVA – Expert VOD Assistant
- Excellence in the Use of Data and Insights (was Excellence Data Communications), refocused to emphasise the translation of robust data and insight into strategic clarity – won by Digitas Health: From Data to Insight to Meaningful Public Health Outcomes
- Excellence in Combined Customer Experience (was Excellence in Earned/Owned/Paid), updated to reflect the increasing importance of seamless, insight-driven interaction across multiple touchpoints – won by Golin for ALK-Abelló: Be Reaction Ready: Transforming Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Through an Integrated Patient Empowerment Campaign
- Excellence in Engagement Through Digital Channel(s) (was Excellence in Engagement Through Social Media), refined to celebrate the impact of focused, channel-led digital engagement. In the under £75,000 category, the winner was GCI Health for Digestive Cancers Europe (DiCE) for IYKYK – European Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. In the over £75,001 category, the winner was Porter Novelli for Merck: Defining a New Approach to Disease Awareness.
In addition, this year, Communiqué is particularly pleased to introduce a new individual award, Healthcare Communications Writer of the Year, celebrating the unique contribution writers make to understanding, connection and progress across the sector. The winner was Ellie Hughes, Senior Scientific Director at Camino Communications, a healthcare writer whose work goes beyond communicating science by shaping how it’s understood and used.
As the Awards drew to a close and the excitement built in anticipation of who would win the coveted final awards, Communiqué Medical Affairs Agency of the Year was awarded to Real Chemistry, with Virgo Health once again scooping the award for Communiqué Communications Consultancy of the Year.
An evening of dancing and networking followed, marking the conclusion of another successful and memorable Communiqué Awards.
The full Communiqué Awards 2026 results can be viewed here.