Drug ads on TV are almost catching up with doctors as the main source of information for patients about new therapies.

Television ads—both traditional and CTV—are becoming almost as important a source of information about new drugs as doctors themselves. This is the conclusion of a recent study conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Cadent, a predictive pharmaceutical marketing firm.

Of more than 4,000 U.S. adult respondents, 68% cited doctors and healthcare professionals as their primary source of information about new medications —both prescription and over-the-counter. Television ads came in close behind , with 62% of responses .

As many as 70% of respondents said they would likely ask a doctor about the product after seeing a drug ad on television (traditional or CTV) . Furthermore, nearly half of respondents (approximately 50%) said they would scan a QR code from a CTV ad to learn more about the drug .

Mobile ads performed even better. 73% of respondents would be willing to ask a doctor about a medication after seeing a mobile ad , and nearly two-thirds (about 66%) would click on an ad for additional information .

Importantly, over 75% of respondents engage with a drug in some way when they see ads on multiple devices – whether they are searching for information, visiting websites, or simply remembering the name of the drug.

The study found that 53% of people responded most readily to ads that presented specific medical benefits of a medication . Ads referencing specific medical conditions and linking to the official product website came in second.

Trust in pharmaceutical companies remains high. Nearly 75% of respondents believe that educational materials about diseases prepared by drug manufacturers are valuable . 69% of respondents declared trust in educational content provided by the pharmaceutical industry .

However, ad personalization raises mixed feelings. While just over half of survey participants feel comfortable when ads are tailored to their demographics , 57% find it irritating or unsettling when, after visiting a health-related website, they are followed by ads for related medications .