AI models recommended an advertised drug in 47.6% of responses, compared with 35% when no advertisement appeared.
Advertising could shift recommendations among medically appropriate treatments, making its influence difficult to spot.
Researchers called for greater transparency but did not establish whether the changes affected prescriptions or patient health.
For years, the broadcast airwaves have been filled with ads for prescription drugs. Now, a new study has found that drug advertising is influencing the medical advice that AI platforms dispense.
The findings, gathered by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and reported in The Lancet Digital Health, raise questions about how consumers can distinguish medical guidance from commercial influence.
Author: Mark Huffman
Source: Consumer Affairs
Posted: 2026-11-13 13:45:20
