We’ve all done it. Turned to Dr. Google, DocTok, or the latest AI chatbot for health advice, either because it’s too embarrassing, too inconvenient, or too expensive to schedule an appointment with a ‘real’ doctor. But choosing convenience over care can be risky. 58% of young people globally admit to making a health decision they regretted based on misinformation, with social media often to blame.
A Sizeable Shift
The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report on Trust and Health highlights a detrimental “transformation of trust and influence” that healthcare marketing should address. We’ve been acutely aware of this shift at Brado, talking to thousands of patients and HCPs each year over the past two decades to understand the evolving healthcare landscape.
Not only does trust in doctors continue to decline – but Edelman’s report shows that patients, especially young people, instead seek guidance from those with aligned personal experiences. There’s been a double digit increase in the percent of people globally who disregard their healthcare providers’ guidance in favor of advice from family, friends, or social media. This means just about anyone with a similar story can serve as a trusted resource for patients. While it feels like personal connection is hard to find with a medical professional, influencers and family fill this gap. Sometimes this can connect patients with meaningful solutions, but the lack of regulations can lead them astray. A recent study of the top 100 TikTok videos under the hashtag #mentalhealthtips found that over half of those videos contained misinformation relating to trauma, neurodivergence, anxiety, depression and severe mental illness. Many patients consuming this type of content are unaware they’re getting faulty information. Despite the risks at hand, it appears that empathy and anecdotal evidence have come to outweigh traditional scientific resources.
Navigating the New Landscape of Trust
This shifting landscape underscores the importance of insight in brand strategy – not just the what – but getting to the why. When we talk about insight at Brado, we mean a fresh, intimate understanding of people’s beliefs – knowing your customer better than they know themselves. Life science companies must take careful note of these new markers of trust and influence as they develop healthcare brand strategies for both patients and HCPs. Taking the time to uncover the key tensions and nuanced dynamics that exist across different therapeutic areas, healthcare specialties, and patient populations is the key to unlocking more compelling positioning strategies amidst this shift. There’s a newfound industry responsibility to drive more meaningful connections that influence smarter, safer decision-making and build back patient trust in healthcare professionals.
Intentional Patient Engagement
At Brado, our Insight team has helped leading Fortune 100 life science companies understand the ever-growing complexities of the healthcare space through qualitative and quantitative research that dives deeper than the surface, achieving insight that has the power to change behavior. Our expert team of strategists leverages newer tools like AI-powered conversational surveys and virtual communities alongside proven, human-centered approaches like in-depth interviews to get at the heart of what matters most. We cut through data clutter to uncover the core tension that only your brand can solve. Once you better understand the why behind this shift in behavior within the unique context of your category, you can help build back trust with more personal, emotionally resonant communications for both HCPs and patients.
We recognize that on top of a shifting healthcare landscape, our clients face stricter budgets and pressures to demonstrate ROI. Partnering with Brado means making smart investments that will have the biggest impact, so your team can move forward confidently with strategies that will engage your customers in those most critical moments.
Whether you’re preparing to launch a new healthcare brand or want to stay nimble and relevant as the world transitions to healthcare 3.0, reach out to Vida to learn how insight and empathetic connection can drive meaningful change.