The agencies will form IPG Health, with both brands remaining active and going to market independently while also collaboration and sharing resources where suitable.

Both McCann Health and FCB Health are part of IPG, and will retain their day-to-day teams despite the merger of the two agencies.

IPG Health will be led by Dana Maiman, and a global senior leadership team and creative council will be formed from leaders of both FCB Health and McCann Health.

The agencies will continue to partner with IPG’s global creative networks, as well as a broader portfolio of media and marketing services providers.

IPG Health will also help centralise technology and create a uniform operating system, which will include data and analytics tools.

Maiman said: “Our agencies are coming together from a position of strength. This alignment brings together the unique and complementary capabilities of each network – a unified IPG Health sits at the nexus of creativity, digital channels, technology and data.”

Philippe Krakowsky, chief executive of Interpublic Group, said: “As health and wellness continue to be a top concern for individuals, governments and companies around the world, we’ve seen an increased need for healthcare information to be delivered at speed, in ways that are highly personal, culturally relevant, as well as respectful of privacy.

“By uniting two of the industry’s outstanding healthcare marketing specialty agencies within a single entity, led by a dynamic leadership team, we believe that IPG Health will be able to further focus investment to help clients succeed.”