In an age when trust is fractured and authority is increasingly contested, young people are reshaping the architecture of influence in health. Traditional institutions—once regarded as unassailable sources of truth—are facing steep challenges. Young people in particular no longer rely solely on doctors, media or government to guide their health decisions. Instead, they are cultivating a decentralized ecosystem that is participatory, local, emotionally resonant—and changing the rules of engagement for everyone.
The Fall of Centralized Health Influence
According to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Trust and Health, trust in business, NGOs, government and media—once seen as central pillars—is eroding with no institution trusted to address one’s health needs and concerns. A majority of people believe that these entities purposefully mislead on health matters rather than being enablers of health information. Government and media rank lowest in trust to address health needs and concerns, but even business and NGOs saw significant declines since 2023. This erosion of institutional trust has intensified the shift toward more localized health voices.
Data also shows only 1 in 3 people globally (35%) describe their health as very good or better, a 3-point drop since 2022. This decline in personal health assessment coincides with rising fear around the politicization of medical science, which has jumped 7 points globally since 2022, most notably in Germany (+13 pts), South Korea (+12 pts), Japan (+10 pts) and the U.S. (+8 pts).
Moreover, politics is becoming a significant filter in trust: 36% of patients say they would drop or not trust a provider over political differences—a figure that has grown by 4 points in just one year, with the most significant increase among 18- to 34-year-olds.
The Rise of a New, Decentralized Ecosystem
But this isn’t a blip—it’s a transformation. Traditional health authorities are not disappearing, they’re being supplemented. Influencers, peers, patients and social creators are now key players in the health narrative. The new ecosystem is not subtractive, but additive. The voices shaping this ecosystem have lived the experience, built community and earned trust through emotional resonance.
This shift is reflected in how influence is distributed: doctors lead in influence on personal health decisions (86%), but peers (69%) and health experts (69%) are on par with each other. “My doctor” remains the most trusted voice to tell the truth about health (82%), but is closely followed by friends and family (72%). Younger audiences especially are rebalancing trust dynamics. They are twice as likely older respondents to believe the average person who has done their own research knows as much as a doctor, and in the past year they have disregarded provider advice in favor of advice from friends or family (45%) or social media (38%).
This new configuration reflects how young people prefer to receive—and share—health information: horizontally, not hierarchically.
Why This Matters for Business
For brands and businesses that operate in the health space—or touch it indirectly—the implications are profound. The risk is not merely being overlooked; it's being perceived as out of touch.
In this decentralized health universe, influence flows through personal networks. “My doctor” still matters and, in fact, remains the most trusted (82%) across all ages to tell the truth about health issues—but “my friends and family” are close behind (72%). To gain and maintain relevance as well as influence over health decisions, communications require empathy, proximity, accessibility, relatability, frequency and relevance. This is especially critical when engaging youth. They are not passive recipients of brand messaging. They are curators of their own health experience.
Communications built on empathy and credibility don’t just yield better brand outcomes—they can help drive better health outcomes. When businesses align with the new health ecosystem, they can become powerful facilitators of trust, access and action.
Evolve or Be Left Behind
We are navigating a generational transition in how health is understood, trusted and shared. This is not a trend—it’s a structural reorientation. Organizations must recalibrate their approach to reflect a world where trust is local, expertise is diversified, and emotional authenticity is a key currency.
To lead in this new era, healthcare organizations must meet all generations, but especially our youth, where they are—on the platforms they use, in the styles they speak and through the voices they already trust. Empathy isn’t just an ethical compass—it’s a business strategy and an imperative for the healthcare community globally.
The youth health ecosystem is expansive, diverse and deeply human. And for those willing to embrace its complexity, it offers an extraordinary opportunity to connect, innovate, and improve health for generations to come.
Courtney Gray Haupt is Global Health Co-Chair and US Health Chair.
