Ninety-Five Percent of Physicians Hold Bio/Pharma Companies Responsible to Address False Health Narratives
NEW YORK — Sept. 10, 2026 — Today, We. Communications (We.) released its latest Brands in Motion global health study, “Narrative Distortion: The Reputation Risk Reshaping Prescribing.” In partnership with Sapio Research, We. surveyed 500 physicians across Australia, Germany, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. The study is the first to quantify how the spread of health misinformation and disinformation — what We. calls narrative distortion — is reshaping how physicians treat and how the response of companies targeted by false and misleading narratives informs their prescribing decisions.
Narrative distortion comes to life in many ways in healthcare. It can show up as vaccine hesitancy, misplaced fears around hormone replacement therapy in women, or the use of statins for heart health. It can show up as AI-generated deepfake physicians peddling erroneous health advice, or wellness “experts” spreading untruths about participating in clinical trials.
The data shows narrative distortion has moved beyond a communications problem and into clinical practice. More than 1 in 3 patients each week (35%) arrive with misinformation or disinformation a physician must address before treatment can begin. A number that climbs to 48% in India. Ninety-five percent of physicians say this has increased the time they spend with patients, and 88% say they have modified a treatment recommendation because of patient resistance rooted in false information.
“Over the past few years our Brands in Motion research has shown that corporate reputation and therapy area leadership are key drivers of prescribing choices among physicians,” said Stephanie Marchesi, president of We. Global Health. “This year’s study explored the connection between physician prescribing and how companies respond to narrative distortion, which spreads like a virus and is one of the greatest public health issues impacting the world today. The results confirm that corporate response is now a measure of a company’s integrity and can impact a physician’s decision to prescribe a product or not.”
Key findings from the study include:
The findings also point to a specific opportunity for bio/pharma companies willing to lead. Physicians named independent fact-checking resources (36%), guidance on conflicting scientific data (35%) and patient-facing materials in local languages (30%) as the support they most want from industry.
Physicians don't apply one standard evenly. Fifty-four percent hold innovator companies to a higher standard than generic manufacturers. India stands out, where physicians are the most likely of any market to hold generic companies to a higher standard too, at 23% versus 11% globally.
Physicians have told us plainly what they need. It is transparent data, credible partners and companies willing to be visible when a narrative starts to spread rather than after it has taken hold. The study shows how much is riding on that timing, with companies that wait to respond risking physician trust and the prescriptions that follow. Physicians are looking for visible support from bio/pharma companies to back their efforts on the front line to battle this public health issue, and the companies that step up will be rewarded while those that stay silent will feel the impact of that decision on their bottom line.
The report also outlines how the pressure and the opportunity differ by market. Narrative distortion, the reputation-prescribing link and the silence penalty show up globally, but the appetite for corporate visibility and the route to credibility look different in each market. Physicians in the U.S. report the sharpest silence penalty of the five markets, while those in the U.K. point to government health agencies as best positioned to lead and want companies to equip those trusted voices with clear evidence rather than run loud campaigns of their own. Germany physicians favor moderate, evidence-led positioning over high-profile public campaigns to correct misinformation. Australian physicians want vocal engagement through trusted channels. Indian physicians want companies to equip them directly with tools and talking points rather than rely on public campaigns, because much of the misinformation they see spreads through closed channels like WhatsApp that public campaigns can’t reach. We.’s recommendations for companies navigating narrative distortion center on speed and credibility: Identify which distortions are spreading and why before they harden, pair scientific evidence with human stories that make the stakes clear, build coalitions with trusted physician and scientific voices, and prepare a rapid response capability rather than wait for a narrative to pass.
To learn more about the specific actions communicators can take in response to narrative distortion, and to download a copy of the full report, please visit Narrative Distortion: The Reputation Risk Reshaping Prescribing.
About Brands in Motion
We. Communications, in partnership with Sapio Research, conducted a global survey of 500 physicians (52% specialists, 48% general practitioners) to gain insight into the factors that influence prescribing habits. This data refers to physician respondents across five markets: Australia, India, Germany, United Kingdom and the United States. At an overall level, the results are accurate to ± 4.4% at 95% confidence limits, assuming a result of 50%. Across markets, 71% of respondents practice in urban areas, which should be considered when reading market-level results. These insights help uncover how narrative distortion is changing the way medicine is practiced and what it means for bio/pharma reputation, prescribing decisions and the bottom line.
“Narrative Distortion: The Reputation Risk Reshaping Prescribing” is part of We.’s Brands in Motion global research program, which has surveyed more than 100,000 consumers and business decision-makers worldwide on how perceptions shift over time and how brands can communicate with clarity in an ever changing world.
About We. Communications
We. is a global communications agency helping brands navigate an ever-changing world. We’ve spent decades at the intersection of technology and humanity, translating new innovations into meaningful experiences that connect with people. As change accelerates and expectations evolve, we use our expertise to help brands communicate through complexity to drive connection, understanding and progress. We offer a range of solutions with this in mind, across diverse industries, audiences and stakeholders.
Today, We. Global Health operates in seven countries and partners with 13 of the world’s top 25 biopharma companies.
