More than 25 million people will use the internet to search for health information. Estimates vary regarding the number of medically related sites on the web, but they number at least 100 000. Only about half of these sites have their content reviewed by doctors. The biggest problem with obtaining health information from the internet is that it is not always easy to decide what is reliable.

SUMMARY:

  • Online health seeker numbers are still very high, indicating that people are doing their research first before asking for a prescription drug.
  • Online health seekers trust pharma products but find product websites hard to read and inconsistent with their needs.
  • Telehealth numbers are dropping rapidly, but people still want to use telehealth to ask for Rx renewals and ask general questions.
  • By far, people over 50 are the biggest segment of online health seekers.