ChatGPT health advice linked to bromide toxicity

A Seattle case links psychosis to bromide toxicity from a salt substitute after following AI health tips, highlighting risks in online medical guidance.

ChatGPT guidance linked to bromide toxicity raises safety concerns

A 60-year-old man arrived at a Seattle hospital with paranoid beliefs about a neighbor poisoning him. He was medically stable at first, but his labs showed troubling signs, including extremely high chloride levels, a highly negative anion gap, and severe phosphate deficiency. He later admitted to replacing table salt with sodium bromide for three months to remove chloride from his diet, a plan he pursued after consulting ChatGPT. Doctors diagnosed bromism and treated him with fluids, nutrition, and supportive care.

This case underscores a real but rare danger: health guidance from AI can influence risky actions if users take it as medical instruction. It also raises questions about accountability, data logs, and how clinicians should interpret patient choices inspired by online tools. The broader risk is not just one toxic salt substitute but the possibility that people will follow automated tips without proper medical context or risk assessment.

Highlights

The growing use of AI in health care demands guardrails that protect patients without slowing innovation.