ChatGPT Health: A New AI Tool for Personalized Health Advice
OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Health, a specialized generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool designed to provide personalized health and wellness advice. This platform allows users to link medical records, wellness applications, upload diagnostic images, and interpret test results. The introduction of ChatGPT Health occurs amidst a growing trend of AI tool usage for health queries and ongoing discussions concerning the accuracy, safety, and regulatory oversight of AI in healthcare.
Introduction to ChatGPT Health
ChatGPT Health is presented as a dedicated AI tool for health and wellness. Its core functionality enables personalized answers through integrations with users' medical records and smartphone applications like MyFitnessPal. This allows the tool to access personal data, including diagnoses, blood test results, and monitoring information, alongside context from general ChatGPT conversations.
OpenAI states that ChatGPT Health conversations are kept separate from general ChatGPT, with enhanced security and privacy measures, and that data from ChatGPT Health will not be used to train its foundation models.
OpenAI reports collaboration with over 260 clinicians across 60 countries, including Australia, to enhance the tool's outputs. Access for Australian users is currently available via a waitlist.
Current Landscape of AI Health Advice Usage
Generative AI tools are increasingly used by individuals seeking health advice. Data from 2024 indicates that 46% of Australians had recently used an AI tool. Health-related queries are a frequent application, with OpenAI reporting that one in four regular ChatGPT users globally submit a health-related prompt weekly.
A 2024 Australian study estimated that nearly one in ten Australians had used ChatGPT for a health query within the preceding six months. This trend was more prevalent among groups facing challenges in accessing health information, including individuals born in non-English speaking countries, those speaking another language at home, and people with limited health literacy. Additionally, approximately 39% of non-users of AI for health advice were considering its use.
Identified Risks and Limitations
Independent research highlights that generative AI tools can provide unsafe health advice, even with access to medical records.
Examples include reports of AI tools encouraging suicidal thoughts and Google removing AI Overviews on health topics following investigations that identified misleading information related to blood test results.
OpenAI explicitly states that ChatGPT Health is not intended to replace medical care, diagnosis, or treatment, and notes that the tool can still make errors. Limited independent information is available regarding its accuracy, safety, or the quality of its source summarization, and the tool has not undergone independent testing. Regulatory classification of ChatGPT Health as a medical device in Australia remains unclear.
Concerns exist regarding the potential for ChatGPT Health's responses to not align with Australian clinical guidelines, existing health systems, or the specific needs of diverse populations. These include First Nations people, individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities, those with chronic conditions, and older adults. The completeness of medical records within Australia's MyHealthRecord system is also a factor, as incomplete data could limit the AI's comprehensive understanding. Currently, medical record and some app integrations are only available in the United States.
Recommendations for AI Health Use
Recommendations for individuals using AI for health-related inquiries differentiate between question types based on risk:
- Higher-Risk Questions: Inquiries requiring clinical expertise, such as interpreting symptoms, seeking treatment advice, or understanding test results, are advised to be directed to a health professional.
- Lower-Risk Questions: General inquiries, such as learning about health conditions, understanding medical terms, or preparing questions for medical appointments, may utilize AI as one of multiple information sources.
Australian Alternatives and Future Considerations
In Australia, free alternative resources are available for health advice. These include the 24/7 national phone service 1800 MEDICARE (1800 633 422), which connects callers with a registered nurse, and healthdirect's publicly funded Symptom Checker.
As AI tools continue to evolve, there is a clear need for reliable, independent, and current information regarding their functionality and limitations. Future AI health tools should prioritize accuracy, equity, and transparency, developed with community and clinician input. Educating diverse communities on the safe navigation of this technology is also considered important.