Most look up a new medicine to feel better about taking it
Core finding
Most Americans (57%) say that when they look up a new medicine, their goal is to feel more positive about their medication, and 43% want the search to reduce their anxiety about it, according to a May 2026 Verasight survey.
Smaller shares want to change the way they think about a medication (18%) or to feel connected to others with their health issue (16%). Another 15% have some other goal in mind, and 11% say they do not take medication.
Selected responses
Most look up a new medicine to feel better about taking it.
When looking for information about a new medicine, my goal is to
n = 1,000 · May 11, 2026 · MoE ±3.3%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | May 11, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.3% |
| Module | beliefs |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26
When looking for information about a new medicine, my goal is to
Cite this question
Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2026-045, fielded May 11-11, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.3%.