The data: Healthcare providers continue to rely on peer-reviewed online journals, with 54% naming them as the single most credible source for staying current on clinical evidence and medical advances, per a Wolters Kluwer June 2026 survey. One in five cited specialty medical websites as most credible, followed by general medical websites (10%), AI platforms (6%), and medical professional social networks (5%).

Why it matters: A significant share of HCPs (36%) consider sponsored content valuable for learning about new drugs, medical devices, and treatment options, but the credibility of the medical sources where those messages appear influences whether they take action.

Providers say they are most likely to take a follow-up action after seeing sponsored messages on online medical journal websites (38%) or medical society member websites (38%), compared with physician social media communities such as Doximity (21%) and Sermo (16%).

Implications for pharma marketers: Media buyers must consider how a media channel or website might affect an HCP’s response, not just how many they can reach. Creative teams can strengthen sponsored communications using clinical evidence HCPs value, such as safety and efficacy data, and real-world outcomes, to encourage them to learn more about treatments on branded websites.

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