People Are Using AI for Health Advice. Most Don't Trust It.

The Canadian Medical Association’s 2026 health and media tracking reveals an important paradox: Canadians are consuming more health information than ever, yet trust is becoming harder to earn.

This is an interesting survey that reveals key findings into how we are gathering health information and importantly, what happens afterwards. The volume of information, and now mis information that Canadians encounter is not just overwhelming but has errored trust which translates into skepticism in the health system.

Below are three takeaways from the survey

1. Canadians are actively seeking health information online, but convenience is driving behaviour. 89% of Canadians search online for health information, and 80% say they do so because it's the fastest way to find answers and 2/3 report that it’s more convenient than speaking to a health care professional. The convenience is increasingly outweighing accuracy despite the fact that 64% of people encounter false, misleading health information.

2. AI use is growing much faster than trust. Only 27% of Canadians trust AI platforms to provide accurate health information, yet nearly half have used AI tools for health-related information and 39% have used them for treatment advice. But people who followed health advice from AI were five times more likely to experience harms that those who did not.

3. Expertise still matters most. When evaluating health information, Canadians place the greatest importance on who authored the information. Physicians remain among the most trusted sources, followed by pharmacists and nurse practitioners, while trust in news organizations and social media platforms continues to decline.
Employers thorough their group benefit partners, are uniquely positioned to increase employee’s access to credible health information. Making it convenient to find health information will steer employees to accurate health information and help protect them from the potential harms from using AI. This could be through products like virtual care, the employee assistance program, or health practitioners like registered dieticians and even third party partnerships like RXFood.   

An easy way to help employees is to remind them that the can use these convenient services through short frequent busts of communication. Otherwise important healthcare tools are out of sight and out of mind.  

Read the whole survey here