Most people form ideas about illness long before they ever sit in a doctor’s office. They pick them up from the movies they watch and the shows they stream.
A single storyline can shape what people believe about a disease: who it affects, what living with it feels like and whether it’s something to fear or face.
For the millions of people living with a health condition, or caring for someone who is, those portrayals are personal.
When a story rings true, it can ease stigma, spark honest conversations and even prompt someone to pay closer attention to their own health. When it falls flat, it can leave people feeling unseen or misinformed.
So how often does entertainment get disease right? New research suggests the answer is not often enough.
How is disease really shown on screen?
In 2025, researchers at the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, led by Dr. Stacy L. Smith, set out to find out. Their study examined the 100 most popular television series and the 100 top-grossing films of 2023, analyzing more than 8,600 speaking characters. Five common diseases — obesity, cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and atopic dermatitis — were nearly absent from the screen. When they did appear, the portrayals were often thin, stereotyped or far from the reality of living with disease. The research was sponsored by Lilly.
The findings point to a wide gap. Millions of people live with these diseases, yet rarely see their lives reflected on screen. Research shows that health stories woven into entertainment can raise awareness, deepen understanding and, at times, move people to seek information, screening or care. The screen is no substitute for a doctor. But it’s often where a first impression forms, and first impressions are hard to undo.
Turning research into better stories
Closing that gap takes more than good intentions. It takes practical tools and real chances for writers to use them.
To help, the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative built a content creation toolkit with input from industry experts and patient advocacy groups. Made for writers, showrunners and creators, it offers research-backed guidance and advocacy resources for showing disease with more accuracy and nuance. But a toolkit only matters if the stories actually get made.
Bringing authentic health stories to the screen
These ideas are already reaching audiences across film, television and documentary.
Vital Stories, a filmmaker program created by Tribeca Studios with support from Lilly, gave emerging filmmakers mentorship, development support and access to the toolkit. Three of their short films premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Festival: RUN IT BACK, DO I KNOW YOU FROM SOMEWHERE and RECONSTRUCTING CHARLIE. The films explore life with diabetes, Alzheimer’s and dementia, and breast cancer through stories about relationships, identity and everyday resilience.
More honest portrayals of Alzheimer’s, dementia and caregiving are reaching audiences, too, including work with Wild State on multiple video vignettes from patients experiencing Alzheimer’s and a project inspired by basketball Coach Pat Summitt, made with Omaha Productions.
Mainstream TV is shifting as well. In 2026, CBS's Beyond the Gates introduced a character living with Type 2 diabetes, shaped with guidance from the toolkit. It’s one of the first storylines developed this way to reach a daytime audience.
No single film or storyline can change an industry. But together, these efforts show what becomes possible when storytellers have the research and support to portray disease as it really is.
Why authentic portrayals matter
Millions of people live with chronic conditions, care for loved ones or navigate health challenges every day.
That’s why we support research, resources and partnerships that bring these experiences to life — part of how we work to improve health beyond medicines. Working alongside creators, researchers, advocacy groups and the wider industry, our goal is simple: portrayals that reflect the real lives of people, caregivers and families.
The stories we watch shape how we see ourselves and the people around us. When they reflect the real experience of living with disease, they do more than entertain. They help us understand each other a little better.