40 Million People Now Ask ChatGPT Instead of Their Doctor — February 2026 Health Marketing Roundup

February 2026’s standout health marketing story — 40 million people now ask ChatGPT instead of their doctor, plus more curated insights.

Publicis Health global CEO Matt McNally taps in for 2026

McNally identifies 2026 as a year where the industry must move past the “inflection point” of agency mergers and AI hype toward proven performance. Read more →

AI‑driven discovery reshapes the marketing funnel

Swaay.Health reports that AI‑powered large language models (LLMs) are moving the top of the marketing funnel off company websites. Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is shifting emphasis from keyword volume to well‑structured, concise content and earned media; PR coverage and authoritative publications help brands get cited by LLMs.. Read more →

2026 Food & Wellness Trends: The Ingredients Consumers Want

Australian consumer behaviour has shifted toward “Functional Eating,” with ingredients like Ashwagandha and Lion’s Mane moving from capsules into everyday food formats. Amidst cost-of-living pressures, 90% of Australians are seeking deals, but they remain willing to pay for products that provide a clear “functional benefit per serve”.  Read more →

TikTok’s 2026 “Next” trend report shows wellness taking off

Anthropic used its first Super Bowl creative to make a bold promise — no ads in Claude — in contrast with OpenAI’s test rollout of ads in ChatGPT. The ensuing back-and-forth is amusing but also highlights a real strategic choice brands need to consider about the role of ads in conversational experiences. Read more →

AI health assistants become mainstream but lack accountability

A commentary in Medical Republic notes that the launch of ChatGPT Health and Claude for Healthcare created a watershed moment: over 40 million people ask ChatGPT health questions daily, and AI assistants are displacing search as the starting point for health queries. Read more →

UK watchdog bans social‑media posts promoting weight‑loss injections

A national shortage of primary care physicians is especially acute in Massachusetts, where Mass General Brigham (MGB) recently told thousands of patients that none of its doctors were taking new in‑person appointments. MGB responded by launching Care Connect, an AI‑assisted telehealth service that collects patient symptoms via chatbot and sends a diagnosis suggestion to a doctor working remotely. Read more →