In March of 2025 Google announced a new SERP feature that would organize and surface health conversations from online discussions. For example, from Reddit, X, Facebook, and other social media sites. As Google said at the time:
"While people come to Search to find reliable medical information from experts, they also value hearing from others who have similar experiences. That's why we're making it even easier to find this type of information on Search with a new feature labeled “What People Suggest.” Using AI, we’re able to organize different perspectives from online discussions into easy-to-understand themes, helping you quickly grasp what people are saying."
Here is what the feature looked like:
Well, that didn't last very long. Google confirmed to The Guardian that they have indeed removed the search feature as part of a "broad simplification" of the search results. Health and medical is a sensitive area for Search, and sourcing conversations from across the web via AI can always be challenging. That said, Google did say that the removal had nothing to do with safety or quality of the feature.
Google explained:
“It had nothing to do with the quality or safety of the feature, and we continue to help people find reliable health information from a range of sources, including forums with first-person perspectives that people find incredibly useful.”
Well, this is at least one area where Reddit will be surfaced less frequently... Google's "Check Up" event is being held today and its Chief Health Officer is set to present. Let's see if anything new is announced on the SERP feature front.
GG
