Week 39 Health Digital Marketing Newsletter

This week’s Digital Health Observer covers the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, which polled 12,998 adults across 13 countries including Australia and found 49% of AI users believe AI can handle at least one health task, such as triage or diagnosis, as well as a doctor, rising to 59% among 18 to 34 year olds. We also look at why PR is now an AEO play, with generative AI engines citing verified third-party media when composing answers, making earned coverage a direct input to whether a health brand appears in AI results. News Corp Australia has launched its second ‘Think Again’ campaign for Dementia Action Week, a four-week push across news.com.au and The Australian sponsored by Specsavers Audiology, backed by Growth Distillery research showing 87% of Australians want dementia discussed as openly as cancer. Plus, more than ten healthcare marketing leaders make the case for ending FemTech’s positioning as a niche and reframing women’s health around commercial and clinical value for the whole health system.

Edelman: Half of AI Users Say AI Matches a Doctor on at Least One Health Task

The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer polled 12,998 adults across 13 countries, including Australia, and found 49% of people who have used AI believe it can handle at least one health task, such as triage or diagnosis, as well as a doctor. Belief rises to 59% among 18-34s and 56% among university graduates. Read more →

PR Is Now an AEO Play: Why Earned Media Decides Your Visibility in AI Answers

Generative AI engines cite verified third-party media when composing answers, making earned coverage a direct input to whether a health brand appears in AI-generated results. The piece sets out four arguments for PR spend: AEO visibility, feeding owned channels, validating decisions and borrowed credibility. Read more →

News Corp’s Second ‘Think Again’ Campaign Reframes Dementia as Preventable Brain Health

News Corp Australia has launched its second ‘Think Again’ campaign for Dementia Action Week, a four-week push across news.com.au and The Australian sponsored by Specsavers Audiology. Growth Distillery research found 87% of Australians want dementia discussed as openly as cancer. Read more →

Stop Marketing FemTech as a Niche, Say 10+ Healthcare Marketing Leaders

More than ten healthcare marketing leaders argue FemTech’s investment gap is partly self-inflicted, with women’s health positioned as a niche specialty rather than mainstream healthcare. They advocate reframing messaging around commercial and clinical value for the whole health system. Read more →