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| Jennifer Paganelli |
We’re living in a new Wild West, where the way we seek and consume information is undergoing a complete upheaval with AI at the center. People now turn to AI assistants first to ask about their health—symptoms, side effects, access, coverage—and the answers carry real consequences for safety, adherence and trust.
It’s one thing to know how generative AI tees up information about a particular symptom, health condition or medicine. What pops up first? What news sites are sourced? Are they trustworthy? How recent is it? Is it biased or missing context? You get the drift.
But it’s quite another thing to know what to DO with that information once you have it. That’s where seasoned, well-rounded and impact-obsessed PR pros like me step up to take the baton.
What PR does next
If AI answers are the new front page, PR sets the record. Generative Engine Optimization is how we make sure AI gives accurate, on-label, human answers—and points to sources we trust. Here are five must-do’s:
Lead with earned to set the story and pace. Brief a short list of agenda-setting health/science reporters under embargo to drive a first wave of accurate, well-contextualized coverage when you have hard news. Consider extending the reach with bylined articles penned by credible experts. Target outlets AI already relies on and sources most (hint: it’s a mix of traditional top-tier outlets and medical trade pubs).
| This article is featured in O'Dwyer's Oct. '25 Healthcare & Medical PR Magazine |
Run a fact-first newsroom. Publish living FAQs, “Myth vs. Fact,” and dosing/safety one-pagers with timestamps and stable links. Keep a pre-approved correction kit (facts, citations, quotes) so you can catch and correct fast and send editors—and AI—the same, clean sources.
Turn materials into citations. Pull key points out of press releases or medical meeting presentations and republish as short summaries, simple tables and doctor Q&As. Mark pages “For HCPs” or “For Patients” to avoid mix-ups. Refresh public reference pages (e.g., Wikipedia) with neutral, well-sourced language.
Address common questions with helpful, trustworthy answers. For each high-priority question, pair message + messenger + outlet. Example: if HCPs are confused about sequencing, work with a key opinion leader from a trusted medical institution to pen an explainer or offer a trade pub interview; if patients worry about side effects, co-create a practical guide with a patient advocacy group. Publish content that links back to your fact page.
Keep watch and correct course. Spot-check answers weekly. If you see off-label drift, missing safety info, or outdated claims, update your facts, brief (or re-brief) reporters, coordinate with medical societies and advocacy groups and file feedback with the platforms. Keep a steady drumbeat of new, credible pieces so better information crowds out the old.
Bottom line? PR creates the public record others trust. GEO gives it a rhythm: set the story, publish clean facts, earn the right citations and keep watch. That’s how we protect patients—and reputations—in an AI-first world.
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Jennifer “JPags” Paganelli is President of Earned Media & Integration at Real Chemistry, ranked #1 by O’Dwyer’s among PR and public affairs firms specializing in healthcare PR. You can learn more about managing your GEO by contacting [email protected].
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