OpenAI Rolls Out Dedicated ChatGPT Health Feature With Global Doctor Collaboration, Yet Unavailable in Germany

OpenAI has launched a new health functionality for ChatGPT designed to analyze patient data and offer personalized health advice. Developed in close cooperation with over 260 doctors from 60 countries, the feature allows users to link electronic health records, wearables, and wellness apps to ChatGPT. This integration enables patients to receive clearer explanations of lab results, assistance in preparing for doctor visits, and interpretation of health data from various devices. However, this new feature is not yet accessible in Germany and is currently available only to a select group, with American users having to join a waitlist for access.

OpenAI emphasizes that 'ChatGPT Health' is intended to support rather than replace medical care, deliberately excluding itself from diagnostic or treatment roles. To ensure the reliability and safety of the AI's health-related responses, OpenAI has implemented a quality assurance framework named 'HealthBench' which assesses aspects like safety, clarity, and context sensitivity. Privacy measures include operating within a separate, encrypted environment with multi-factor authentication to safeguard sensitive health data. Nonetheless, it remains unclear if these protections fully comply with stringent European regulations such as the GDPR and the EU AI Act.

The global response to ChatGPT’s health capabilities has been significant, with over 230 million users worldwide asking health-related questions weekly. OpenAI's phased approach reflects careful consideration of digital health complexities and the need for strong privacy and safety frameworks, while the feature's availability in Europe and the UK remains uncertain.