Lilly highlights chronic disease under-representation in film and TV, pushes for authentic portrayals

A study sponsored by Eli Lilly and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative examined the 100 most popular TV shows and the 100 highest-grossing films of 2023, reviewing 8,676 speaking characters. The analysis showed a stark mismatch between real-world chronic disease rates—six in ten young adults, eight in ten mid-life adults and nine in ten seniors live with at least one condition—and their on-screen representation, with obesity shown in under 3% of characters and other illnesses like Alzheimer’s, diabetes and atopic dermatitis appearing in fewer than 1%.

When depicted, portrayals often leaned toward negative stereotypes or focused solely on severe outcomes. Lilly is leveraging these findings to promote authentic narratives, collaborating with production partners such as Tribeca Studios, one outlet and Imagine Entertainment, and providing a practical toolkit for writers and showrunners to depict disease with nuance and empathy.