ChatGPT Health is a new space for medical questions that works with your health data but OpenAI insists it's not designed to replace your doctor

Date:
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:15:58 +0000

Description:
ChatGPT Health is a new space for medical questions and it works with your health records and apps, but OpenAI isnt claiming it can replace your doctor.

FULL STORY ======================================================================OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health for dedicated health conversations You can securely upload your medical records and connect apps like Apple Health You can join the waitlist to access the new tool now

Hot on the heels of news that 40 million people are already using ChatGPT for healthcare questions every day, OpenAI has announced a new dedicated health tool called ChatGPT Health.

While medical matters are already one of the most common things people ask ChatGPT about, it will now have its own dedicated space inside the app, designed specifically for these types of conversations.

The key feature of ChatGPT Health is the ability to securely connect your own medical records and wellness apps (such as Apple Health, Function, and MyFitnessPal), grounding responses in your personal health data. The result
is a more personalized and, ultimately, more useful experience when youre asking questions, deciphering messages from your doctor, or trying to understand test results.

Regarding apps like Apple Health, ChatGPT says you'll be in full control of how much access they have: The first time you connect an app, well help you understand what types of data may be collected by the third party. And youre always in control: disconnect an app at any time and it immediately loses access.

OpenAI says it has worked with more than 260 physicians across 60 countries and dozens of specialties to help refine how ChatGPT Health responds, when it should recommend follow-ups with a physician, and how to communicate clearly without oversimplifying. Can you trust AI advice?

We all know that AI chatbots can hallucinate answers to questions, which is OpenAIs way of saying that it can just make stuff up, so the immediate question that springs to mind is: can you trust AI for medical advice?

OpenAI neatly dodges this issue by saying, Health is designed to support, not replace, medical care. It is not intended for diagnosis or treatment.
Instead, it helps you navigate everyday questions and understand patterns
over time not just moments of illness so you can feel more informed and prepared for important medical conversations.

By removing the responsibility for diagnosis and treatment, OpenAI is reminding you that ChatGPT shouldnt be relied on for solid answers all that time, especially when it comes to something as important as medical advice, and is shifting its role to more of a supporting service to help you understand the information youve been given. (Image credit: OpenAI) ChatGPT Health in use

Videos posted by OpenAI on X show ChatGPT Health appearing as an option in
the main left-hand menu bar under 'Health', and being used for general
queries such as, I have my annual checkup with my physician tomorrow what should I ask? If you choose, ChatGPT Health lets you securely connect medical records and apps like Apple Health, MyFitnessPal, and Peloton to give personalized responses. pic.twitter.com/Nv5sA2ifrV January 7, 2026

Another video shows ChatGPT Health pulling in data from Apple Health and suggesting a workout routine designed to improve your fitness based on your current activity levels.

Theres also an example of how the tool works once youve uploaded your medical records, including comparing insurance plans to help you decide which option might be best for you. But is your medical data safe?

Giving OpenAI access to your health records inevitably raises concerns about privacy and security. Health information is among the most sensitive data we possess, and the thought of handing it over to a partly for-profit company will make many people uneasy.

To address those concerns, OpenAI says: We recognize that people share personal and sensitive information with ChatGPT. That understanding shapes
how we design the security, privacy, and data controls for all of our
products from the start. Even before introducing ChatGPT Health, we built foundational protections across ChatGPT to give you meaningful control over your data, including temporary chats, the ability to delete chats from
OpenAIs systems within 30 days, and training our models not to retain
personal information from user chats.

It continues: Conversations and files across ChatGPT are encrypted by default at rest and in transit as part of our core security architecture. Due to the sensitive nature of health data, Health builds on this foundation with additional, layered protections including purpose-built encryption and isolation to keep health conversations protected and compartmentalized. Conversations in Health are not used to train our foundation models.

In short, your health data wont mix with your everyday ChatGPT conversations its kept entirely separate. How do I access ChatGPT Health?

ChatGPT Health isnt widely available yet. To access it, youll need to join a waitlist . ChatGPT users on Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans outside of the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are currently eligible.

That restriction may not last long, though. OpenAI says it plans to expand access to all users on web and iOS in the coming weeks.

OpenAI describes ChatGPT Health as supporting, not replacing, care from clinicians, but with millions of people already relying on ChatGPT for
medical guidance this launch makes one thing clear: AI is set to play an increasingly central role in how we engage with healthcare in the future.

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/chatgpt/chatgpt-health-is-a- new-space-for-medical-questions-that-works-with-your-health-data-but-openai-in sists-its-not-designed-to-replace-your-doctor


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