Full Story Dr Bot: can ChatGPT be trusted with your health?
Jan 19, 2026
Melissa Davey, Medical Editor at Guardian Australia, dives into the new ChatGPT Health feature. She explores how it connects with medical records for personalized responses and discusses its rollout and accessibility. Davey also highlights a troubling case where AI advice led to dangerous outcomes, raising concerns about privacy and accuracy in healthcare. She talks about the need for regulatory measures to hold AI accountable and envisions potential benefits for patients navigating the healthcare system.
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Personalised Health Through App Connections
- ChatGPT Health links your medical and wellness apps to give tailored health guidance.
- Melissa Davey says it also adds extra safeguards compared with regular ChatGPT.
Wrong Replacement Led To Hospitalisation
- A 60-year-old man replaced table salt with sodium bromide after following ChatGPT advice and developed paranoia.
- He consumed it for months and ended up hospitalised with severe side effects.
Privacy And Opacity Are Key Risks
- Major concerns center on privacy and lack of transparency for how data and evaluations are handled.
- Melissa Davey highlights limited public details about testing and clinician involvement.