Key Dates

Eligibility and Entry Requirements

The Point of Care Excellence Awards are open to pharmaceutical manufacturers, agencies, Point of Care media companies, suppliers, technology partners, healthcare organizations, and individuals working within the life sciences industry. POCMA membership is not required to enter or nominate an individual.

Campaign Awards

Campaigns must include Point of Care media executed in the United States between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2026. Qualifying campaigns must have been active for at least part of the eligibility period but do not need to have launched or concluded during that period.

Campaign work entered in the 2026 POC Excellence Awards may not be resubmitted for the same execution period. An ongoing campaign may be eligible only if the new submission focuses on distinct work and results that were not included in the previous entry.

A campaign may be entered in more than one Campaign Award category through separate submissions and payment of the applicable entry fee. However, the same campaign may receive an award in only one category.

Point of Care for Good Award

Eligible initiatives must have been active in the United States at some point between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2026. Entries must demonstrate a meaningful connection to the Point of Care environment and tangible benefits for patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, or communities.

Individual Achievement Awards

Nominees must meet the specific experience and qualification requirements established for the applicable award and have made meaningful contributions to the U.S. Point of Care marketing industry.

Self-nominations are not permitted for the Rising Star or Lifetime Achievement Award. Any individual working within the Point of Care marketing industry may nominate another eligible individual.

Entry Rules

Each entry or nomination must be submitted through the applicable online form by the stated deadline.

Agencies and other entrants are responsible for obtaining all necessary client and third-party approvals before submitting an entry. Agencies are encouraged to begin the client approval process early to ensure submissions can be completed by February 1, 2027.

Subject to the confidentiality provisions contained in the Terms and Conditions, POCMA reserves the right to publish approved, non-confidential details from an entry on its website, across its marketing channels, and as part of the POC NOW Summit.

Entry Fee

Entry Fee: $350 per submission

Payment must be submitted through the online entry form for an entry to be considered complete.

Review and Selection Process

Campaign Awards

Eligible submissions are independently scored by selected judges across four criteria: strategic approach and execution (25%), creative excellence (25%), Point of Care integration and effectiveness (25%), and measurable results and impact (25%).

If a campaign entered in multiple categories is a leading entry in more than one, the judges will determine the category in which it is most appropriately recognized.

Point of Care for Good Award

Eligible submissions are independently scored by selected judges across five criteria: purpose and unmet need (20%), Point of Care relevance (20%), program design and execution (20%), demonstrated patient or community impact (30%), and sustainability (10%).

Judges will prioritize evidence of tangible benefit, such as improved access to care, delivery of patient or healthcare resources, participation in support programs, community reach, strengthened partnerships, or other meaningful health and social outcomes. Traditional campaign metrics may be included but should support—not replace—evidence of the initiative’s broader impact.

Individual Achievement Awards

Nominations are reviewed by the POCMA Board through an anonymous voting process. Board members independently evaluate nominees based on the criteria established for the applicable award, then convene for final discussion and selection.

Judging Panel and Conflicts of Interest

Campaign and Point of Care for Good Award entries are evaluated by an independent panel of respected industry leaders representing media agencies and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Judges and Board members must disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest. An individual will be recused from evaluating an entry or nomination if they work for an organization associated with the submission, were involved in developing or executing the submitted work, or have another relationship that could affect—or appear to affect—their impartiality.

Judges may reassign a Campaign Award entry to another Campaign Award category if they determine that it is more appropriately aligned with that category’s purpose and criteria. Category reassignments are made solely at the judges’ discretion.

POCMA reserves the right to withhold an award in any category if no eligible entry sufficiently meets the applicable criteria. All judging and selection decisions are final.

Finalists will be announced in early March 2027. Winners will be announced at the POC NOW Summit on March 18, 2027.

Judges will be announced soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Terms and Conditions

Definitions

In these Terms and Conditions, the following terms have the following meanings:

• “Awards” means the 2027 POC Excellence Awards.
• “Awards Entry Page” means the entry webpage where information and Terms and Conditions relevant to the particular Awards can be found.
• “Entry/ies” means all material and information submitted for the particular Awards.
• “Entrant” or “You” means any company, individual, or organization that submits an Entry for the relevant Awards.
• “Entry Requirements” means the specific submission requirements relevant to the particular Awards, including without limitation the rules and processes regarding eligibility, judging and other Entry information relevant to the submissions.
• “Point of Care Marketing Association” or “POCMA” or “We” or “Us” is the trade association comprised of member companies affiliated with point of care marketing.
• “Terms and Conditions” means terms and conditions applicable to the Entry/ies and Awards.

1. Eligibility

1.1 To be eligible, all Entries must comply with these Terms and Conditions, including requirements set forth in the Entry Requirements.

1.2 All entries must be submitted by the noted deadline.

1.3 Entries must be original and owned, and no additional permission or approvals from a third party should be required for use of the Entry materials as stated herein and on the Awards Entry Page.

1.4 Entries must be truthful, and factual where applicable.

1.5 We reserve the right to reject any Entry/ies and/or rescind any Award that fails to comply with stated requirements. Entrant remains responsible for any Entry fees. No refunds will be issued as a result of rescission.

1.6 We reserve the right to reject any Entry/ies and/or rescind any Award at any time that is inconsistent with POCMA’s core values, including but not limited to the support of integrity in social and corporate responsibility.

2. Judging and Selection

2.1 The Entry Requirements establish the applicable criteria and selection process for each Award.

2.2 Campaign Award and Point of Care for Good Award entries will be evaluated by a panel of selected industry judges. Individual Achievement Award nominations will be evaluated by the POCMA Board through the process described in the Entry Requirements.

2.3 All consideration of Entries is based solely on the merits of the information provided in your Entry.

2.4 Judges and Board members must disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest and will be recused from evaluating any Entry or nomination for which a conflict exists.

2.5 Judges may reassign a Campaign Award entry to another category if they determine that the entry is more appropriately aligned with that category’s purpose and criteria.

2.6 POCMA reserves the right to present or withhold an Award in any category.

2.7 All judging and selection decisions are final.

3. License

3.1 By submitting the Entry, the Entrant hereby grants to POCMA, a worldwide, perpetual, royalty free, non-exclusive, right and revocable license, to use, reproduce, publish, distribute, display, modify (for formatting purposes), non-confidential portions of the Entry (such as campaign images or videos) and any images, appearance or likeness provided or captured at an associated event(s) in any media in connection with the Awards for educational, promotional, and publicity purposes (“License”).

3.2 Each Entrant represents and warrants that it owns or has secured the necessary permission or approvals from third party(ies) to provide the License for POCMA use as described hereinabove.

4. Confidentiality

4.1 Your Entry and any supporting documentation will not be considered confidential information unless clearly identified as ‘Confidential.’

4.2 Entrant agrees that POCMA can use the information (or parts of the information) contained in the Entry submitted in accordance with the Terms and Conditions, including for the Awards presentation, and/or for the promotion or publicity of the Awards, in any media.

4.3 If certain details in the Entry cannot be viewed by the public and must be kept confidential, the Entrant must label the Entry details with the word ‘CONFIDENTIAL,’ and additionally, clearly mark the specific portions in the Entry that are not to be publicly disclosed (“Confidential Information”). Entrants are asked not to label entire Entries as ‘Confidential’. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Confidential Information does not include information that is public facing or generally known to the public at the time of disclosure or becomes generally known through no wrongful act on the part of the POCMA.

4.4 Entrant understands and agrees that POCMA may be required to disclose Confidential Information included in the Entry to comply with applicable laws or governmental regulations or a valid order issued by a court or government agency of competent jurisdiction.

5. Liability

5.1 Entrant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless POCMA from any and all claims, liabilities, losses, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) and damages arising out of or resulting from Entrant’s breach of any representation or warranty contained in the Terms and Conditions.

5.2 You shall not exclude or limit your liability under these Terms and Conditions, including for loss of goodwill and reputation.

5.3 We shall not (whether in contract, tort, negligence, statutory duty or otherwise) be liable to You under these Terms and Conditions for consequential, indirect or special damages (including indirect loss of profit and indirect loss of revenue).

5.4 Subject to the clauses above, our maximum aggregate liability to you under these Terms and Conditions (whether arising in contract, tort, negligence, statutory duty or otherwise) shall not exceed the Entry fees You paid to Us for the related Award submission.