ChatGPT and Claude get into the business of health advice. Should you trust them? Chatbots could expand access for some users, but the tools aren’t validated for consumer health questions

https://www.statnews.com/2026/01/12/chatgpt-claude-offer-health-advice-should-you-trust-it/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-87QH0ZcCOujWXvlALOUUhRCL8dxrlY_lWRybblczs-N5Wqdt9G9jymunwTuOVKd4T3qX0EYUsazCeJMsFjOeO5v4t-yA&_hsmi=397788329&utm_content=397788329&utm_source=hs_email By Brittany TrangJan. 12, 2026 Health Tech Reporter The opportunities — and risks — of AI health advice Last week, OpenAI announced ChatGPT Health, a corner of ChatGPT with enhanced data security where users can upload their medical records or hook up the data feeds from their wellness apps. Yesterday, Anthropic rolled out a similar feature for its chatbot, Claude, which includes the ability to import health records. These companies are entering the health advice space while facing high-profile lawsuits accusing their chatbots of causing harm, or even death. And they’ve been criticized by lawmakers for not doing enough to prevent those alleged impacts. Still, for patients who can’t get to the doctor, it might be nice to have something rather than nothing when health questions come up. Read more from STAT’s Brittany Trang and Mario Aguilar on how experts are weighing the technology’s risks and potential benefits.