The data: Young consumers value point-of-care information in medical offices or pharmacies more than other generations, according to M3 MI’s MARS 2026 Consumer Health Study that surveyed more than 20,000 US adults ages 18 and older.

• 84% of adults ages 18-34 say check-in tools are valuable compared with 73% of all adults.
• 83% value interactive screens or wallboards in an exam room for information compared with 65% of all adults.
• 81% value digital education tools provided by their doctor, including video links and digital brochures compared with 73% of all adults.
• 78% take in doctor's office health-related TV programming for information compared with 61% of all adults.
• 78% value take-home brochures from the pharmacy compared with 68% overall.

Why it matters: While pharma advertising has historically been associated with reaching older patients managing chronic diseases, these findings reveal that younger adults are among the most engaged audiences for point-of-care content.

Younger consumers are also more likely to trust ads in point-of-care settings than healthcare/pharma ads overall. While healthcare advertising is broadly distrusted across channels, patient care settings stand out among the most credible in EMARKETER's January 2026 US Digital Health survey. Millennials are the lone generation to rank physician offices as the most-trusted setting for ads of medications, treatments, and medical services, while Gen Z ranks medical sites second only to search engines.

Implications for pharma marketers: The doctor's office is becoming a premium media environment for reaching younger consumers. Unlike traditional advertising channels, point of care captures patients when healthcare is top of mind and they're more likely to pay attention to educational content. For pharma marketers, in-office digital screens and education offer a way to reinforce physician conversations, increase awareness of treatment options, and reach younger audiences who may be harder to engage through traditional healthcare communications.

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