Brooklyn, NY - February 27, 2026 - Imagine going to pick up a prescription, only to get to the pharmacy counter and find out it's out of stock. Or paying a $50 copay, then learning later you could have paid $10 cash with a coupon. These aren't edge cases. This is the everyday experience for millions of patients, and it's a direct result of a prescribing ecosystem that was never really built with patients in mind.
At Photon, we believe transparency isn't a feature, it's the foundation. Patients deserve to know their options – real prices, at real pharmacies, at the moment it actually matters – before they've already driven across town.
That's why we're excited to announce our collaboration with FDB Vela™, the electronic prescribing network of FDB (First Databank), and what it means for the future of e-prescribing.
Two Networks, One Powerful Alternative
For too long, providers have had limited options when it comes to e-prescribing networks. Together, Photon and FDB Vela offer a customer-centric, transparent, and modern alternative in a market long dominated by a single incumbent.
"Prescription networks should exist to serve patients and providers," said Otto Sipe, CEO and Co-Founder of Photon. "For too long, a lack of e-prescribing network options has held the industry back, hurting patients. We're collaborating with FDB Vela because there's far more value in opening the network up."
This collaboration is built upon the interoperability of two streamlined e-prescribing networks, deepening connectivity across providers, health systems, and pharmacies nationwide. Through this agreement, Photon customers gain access to FDB Vela’s expansive e-prescribing network – bringing greater reach and automation to the patient-facing marketplace experience.
Together, we're building the infrastructure for a prescribing experience that works better for everyone: providers, pharmacies, and most importantly, patients.
Transparency in the Moments it Actually Matters
Here's what this looks like in practice.
On the provider side, FDB Vela is building a suite of provider solutions that gives prescribers real-time clinical decision support, workflow automation, and the contextual information they need at the exact moment a prescription is written. A smarter prescribing process means fewer patients caught off guard at the pharmacy counter.
On the patient side, Photon's pharmacy marketplace lets patients compare cost, stock status, fulfillment options, and delivery across pharmacies - but before they've committed to one. Real prices. Real availability. Right in the patient journey.
No sticker shock. No wasted trips. No finding out about a $10 coupon after you've already paid $50.
Modern Infrastructure, End-to-End
The collaboration between Photon and FDB Vela combines Photon's modern e-prescribing platform with FDB Vela's seamless connectivity between prescribers, payers, and pharmacies. It’s a full-stack solution built for the way healthcare works today.
“Electronic prescribing infrastructure should facilitate transparency and innovation across the healthcare ecosystem,” said David Delaney, MD, president of FDB. “By collaborating with Photon, we are extending the reach of FDB Vela and advancing a more open, interoperable network environment that empowers prescribers with options and information and gives patients greater visibility into their prescriptions and out-of-pocket costs.”
Why Right Now
The industry's appetite for patient-facing price transparency has never been higher, but appetite and execution are two different things.
In January, the dominant player in e-prescribing launched a patient-facing price transparency pilot to considerable fanfare, only to quietly scrub it from the internet less than three weeks later. A company spokesperson confirmed they had received enough "concerning feedback" to deprecate the program before it got off the ground.
At Photon, we're not piloting transparency. We're building our entire network around it. And with FDB Vela sharing that commitment to a simpler, more open prescribing experience, we're not slowing down.
The patients waiting at the pharmacy counter - or better yet, the ones who never have to wait there at all - are counting on it.
Interested in learning more about the Photon + FDB Vela partnership? Get in touch.