Consumers show cautious interest, but only if tools are clinically validated, transparent, and privacy secure.

ChatGPT Health lets users upload medical data for personalized wellness advice—a feature likely to gain traction as folks trade in data privacy for AI-powered health insights.

A generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone was quietly approved by the FDA before the federal government shutdown. Pharmacies need to provide clear, state-specific guidance so consumers don’t have to guess about access in their area. They can create discreet information channels that ensure consumers’ confidentiality while seeking information, such as secure online consultations with pharmacists or privacy-secure QR code links.

The news: A California court ruled Meta’s collection of menstrual health data violated state privacy laws, per TechCrunch. The takeaway: The Meta case puts tech companies that use health data for ad targeting and marketing on notice. Explicit consent and absolute transparency is not only legally critical around healthcare data, but also key to building trust with consumers.

From the rise of sophisticated AI-driven tools to new policies reshaping data privacy and competition, 2025 promises to be a year of relentless change. Companies that adapt will thrive, while others risk being left behind in a swiftly moving market.

The news: Healthline Media settled with the California Attorney General’s office over allegations that Healthline.com failed to opt consumers out of having their personal information shared for targeted advertising. Our take: State health data privacy laws are new, meaning we will likely see increased scrutiny and more enforcement action against companies that previously went unchecked. Healthline and other health content companies must verify that their opt-out tools work as intended while being transparent with advertisers about the consumer data they can and cannot share with them.

The trend: Healthcare advertising motivates consumers to go online to do more research, or talk to a medical professional—but the majority of people have privacy concerns about personalized ads. Our take: Healthcare marketers are eager to use AI and targeting technology to make one-to-one connections with consumers. And it’s true that personalized ads can be more useful for people. However, marketers need to use transparent labeling, use conspicuous ad tags on social media, and preface targeted emails with explanations about why they’re being sent.

However, privacy risks and unreliable AI could erode trust. Asking users to upload medical records for AI analysis raises data privacy concerns beyond those of most existing health apps—as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) laws do not apply to most general consumer health or wellness apps that are operated by a tech company.

Nearly half of respondents worried about overreliance on AI (49%) or accuracy (47%), and 43% cited data privacy risks, highlighting cautious but pragmatic adoption. Implications for health tech companies and healthcare providers: Despite the headlines around AI therapy chatbots, adoption in behavioral health is centering on workflow automation.

Why it matters: Medical device misuse, patient harm, and cybersecurity threats to health tech products typically top ECRI’s hazard list. AI in clinical workflows has appeared on the list before, but ECRI’s inclusion of consumer LLM use for health signifies growing concern about potential harm among medical and tech experts.

This could ease concerns about data privacy, though some prospective members might remain wary given Amazon’s ownership of the primary care company and the potential use of health data for advertising.

Wearables and health tech are getting personal—and raising privacy stakes. Smart glasses are racing toward mainstream adoption, with Meta leading and Apple preparing to enter the space. Health devices are pushing deeper into body metrics, from 60-plus biomarkers to EEG-guided sleep. Consumers trust AI in healthcare more than in other categories, but data collection heightens privacy concerns.

The Epic, Particle Health saga unpacked: Particle’s recent filing of an antitrust lawsuit raises salient points on patient data privacy and anti-competitive behavior in healthcare.

Healthcare providers, payers increase IT investments: In light of the devastating fallout of the cyberattack on Change Healthcare, providers and payers alike are hedging against future cybersecurity threats.

Highlight safety and privacy in messaging to counter any uncertainty or skepticism about the platform. This content is part of EMARKETER’s subscription Briefings, where we pair daily updates with data and analysis from forecasts and research reports.

That was primarily due to low adoption, privacy concerns, and poor integration with health systems and electronic health record platforms. More recently, Apple rolled out a Health Records feature on its iPhone health app, but uptake has been limited due to a lack of widespread healthcare provider participation, per BI.

These entities are rapidly expanding into categories traditionally overlooked by primary care—including sexual health, women's health, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and weight loss—offering patients the convenience and privacy of telehealth consultations. GoodRx made its D2C medication sales debut in June when it rolled out a subscription service for erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment.

Moderna uses ChatGPT Enterprise for custom and privacy-safe commercialization systems. Moderna has 750 general pretrained transformers (GPTs) across its company, which include R&D and clinical data uses as well as corporate branding.

AI chatbots could help anxious patients get answers more quickly, but putting personal health information into public large language models raises major privacy concerns. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman last month warned people against putting personal information, including health-related details, into ChatGPT.

Leverage first-party data and privacy-safe health data to reach high-value segments—patients, caregivers, and HCPs—in relevant therapy areas. CTV’s targeting helps balance reach with regulatory alignment. Audit and upgrade regulatory playbooks. Use the FDA’s recent cache of warning letters as a compliance blueprint.