The adoption of virtual patients promises to revolutionize pharmaceutical R&D and health care through more patient-centric approaches and is driven by integrating innovations in computational approaches, AI, and advanced in vitro human model systems. Virtual patients can create the conditions for faster and more predictive R&D, affecting all drivers of R&D productivity. Virtual patients enable personalized health care, ensuring precise drug dosing and scheduling to maximize efficacy and minimize adverse effects. Numerous concrete examples demonstrate the transformative potential of virtual patients in real-world scenarios, showcasing significant improvements in drug development and clinical outcomes. Despite challenges in data variability, regulatory compliance, and data privacy, virtual patients hold immense potential to transform R&D and clinical practices, driving a new era of personalized and efficient R&D and health care.