The recently-released STADA Health Report 2025 shows that barely one in two (51 per cent) of Europeans feel comfortable saying that everyone in their country has equal access to medical care and services, while 44 per cent even go as far as to call their system “unfair”. However, trust in actors in the healthcare system remains strong. General practitioners (69 per cent) and pharmacists (58 per cent) continue to rank among the most trusted figures in health, far ahead of Google (20 per cent), Artificial Intelligence (15 per cent) and online healthcare influencers (11 per cent).
However, openness to technological influence on health is growing. The results showed that 39 per cent of people can already imagine turning to AI for medical advice instead of visiting a doctor. People in Denmark (48 per cent) and Sweden (47 percent) are particularly open to this idea. Another 25 per cent say they could see themselves consulting with AI in the future, once the technology has matured
further.
Across Europe, people primarily cite improved accessibility and availability as key reasons for their openness to AI — 49 per cent say these are major advantages. In addition, 45 per cent believe AI makes healthcare more convenient and time-efficient, as it could reduce the need to see a doctor for every minor illness.
For Ireland, the figures show 52 per cent of Irish adults are willing to pay more for better healthcare services, exceeding the European average of 42 per cent. It was also shown that 56 per cent of Irish people want more affordable medication and treatments, compared to 46 per cent across Europe.
See the August issue of Irish Pharmacist for more details on the STADA report.
