disrupting.healthcare

The paradigm in healthcare is shifting: instead of “see a doctor when things go wrong”, some start-ups are betting the future lies in “continuous health monitoring for when things haven’t yet gone wrong”. The US model is blazing ahead; Europe is watching with interest and caution.

The US playbook: Function Health

Here’s the rundown for Function Health (Function) in the U.S.:

Strong traction and funding: A beta release in April 2023 reportedly hit ~50,000 paying members and >200,000 on the waitlist. They also closed a Series A backed by top-tier investors including Andreessen Horowitz.

Founded in 2021 (co-founded by Mark Hyman among others) to deliver a membership-based platform offering 100+ biomarker blood tests (and more) twice a year.

Members book tests at lab partners (over 2,000 locations via a partnership with Quest Diagnostics) and then receive reviews and insights from clinicians.

The promise: shift from reactive healthcare (“you’re sick, so treat”) to proactive (“monitor biomarkers, spot trends, intervene earlier”). As described by Function: “Health is not one test — it’s a pattern.”

Why this matters commercially

• The business model: subscription + diagnostics + insights. Recurring revenue, high-engagement, measurable service.
• The branding is consumer-centric: not “see a doctor”, but “stay ahead of trouble”.
• From a marketing/omnichannel viewpoint: digital sign-up, lab booking network, data dashboards, membership renewal incentives.
• The value proposition: for individuals willing to pay out-of-pocket, it aligns with performance, longevity, optimisation.

But there are caveats

• The price point (~US$499/year for the basic membership) presumes consumers will pay for diagnostics out-of-pocket, outside insurance.
• Some critics point out the risk of over-testing, consumer confusion, and “actionability” being less clear than the marketing suggests.
• The model thrives in a U.S. environment: high out-of-pocket health spending, fragmented insurance, willingness to pay for wellness. Europe is different.

Europe: Similar plays, but different context

Enter Lucis, a Paris-based start-up positioning itself as “Function Health for Europe”.

Key points:

• Lucis offers comprehensive blood testing plus AI-driven insights and personalised recommendations.
• They claim to have achieved ~$400k ARR in Paris within four months, partnered with major lab networks in France, and are expanding to multiple European countries.
• Their value chain: partner labs (for analytical quality), encrypted GDPR-compliant data, medical team review, actionable results.

Why this is noteworthy for European commercialisation

• Reflects an appetite for preventive diagnostics beyond wearable devices and wellness buzz.
• Shows that the membership/diagnostics model is crossing the Atlantic, albeit still early stage.
• From a marketing perspective: branding preventive health not as gadgetry but as meaningful medical-lifestyle hybrid.

But Europe presents structural challenges

• Many European health systems emphasise universal/public coverage; consumer willingness to pay direct for diagnostics may be lower.
• Regulatory hurdles: Diagnostic tests often fall under stricter oversight; membership claims around trending biomarkers may invite scrutiny.
• Distribution and reimbursement: Selling B2C across countries demands localisation (language, regulatory, lab accreditation) and often B2B or employer channels may be more realistic.
• Value proposition needs to show ROI (cost savings, health outcomes) not just “optimisation” for affluent consumers.

Strategic takeaway for life-sciences / omnichannel marketing professionals

If you work in life-sciences commercialisation and are exploring preventive diagnostics or “functional health” (health optimisation, wellness-medical hybrid), here’s a sharper lens:

1. Model to study: The Function Health structure (subscription + diagnostics + insights) is a template.
   • Digital marketing to attract consumers or employer channels.
   • Branding: lifestyle upgrade + health assurance.
   • Retention & renewal: what keeps users engaged year-to-year? Reports, re-tests, community.
   • Data & insights: dashboards, trends, clinician hooks.
2. Europa adaptation is non-trivial: You cannot simply port the U.S. model wholesale. You’ll need to tailor for the European ecosystem:
   • Consider employer-benefit or private-insurance rebates rather than pure B2C in some markets.
   • Emphasise medically-grounded value: “preventive health saving cost/days lost” over “luxury optimisation”.
   • Ensure regulatory compliance across EU/EEA: IVDR, data privacy (GDPR), clinical claims.
   • Channel mix: digital acquisition + partnerships with labs, hospitals, insurers.
3. Messaging & omnichannel tactics:
   • Use insight-led marketing: “discover 100+ biomarkers, track your health year-over-year” (audience: early adopters).
   • Leverage thought leadership (webinars, clinician commentary, open data).
   • Build recurring engagement: re-testing campaigns, personalised recommendations, lifestyle coaching add-ons.
   • Localise content for markets: language, healthcare system context, pricing comparisons.
4. Risk management and credibility:
   • Avoid hype: emphasise what the data can show and what it can’t. Some markers don’t yet have actionable evidence.
   • Set realistic expectations: diagnostics without follow-through (behaviour change, medical supervision) may be less valuable.
   • Be prepared for regulatory push-back or scrutiny on claims of “prevention” vs “diagnosis”.

One thing to remember