Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed in San Francisco Over ChatGPT Medical Advice
OpenAI faces a wrongful death lawsuit filed in the San Francisco Supreme Court on February 27 by the parents of a 31-year-old former Amazon software engineer from Seattle who died after allegedly tapering off her epilepsy medication using a daily schedule provided by ChatGPT, 36Kr reported. The complaint alleges that the artificial intelligence company and CEO Sam Altman engaged in the unlicensed practice of medicine and delivered dangerous, inaccurate medical advice. The lawsuit marks a growing wave of legal scrutiny over the health guidance generated by conversational AI models.
The Cascade of Digital Interactions Leading to the Lawsuit
The deceased software engineer, originally from Jiangsu, China, had been on long-term medical leave from Amazon since 2021 due to severe epilepsy, 36Kr reported. After her long-term medication temporarily lost effectiveness, she transitioned to a new drug that reduced her seizures to a few times a month. Beginning in 2023, she regularly queried ChatGPT about relationship questions, health insurance, and disability benefits. By 2025, her usage escalated to an average of more than 1,500 messages per week. According to the court filing, she used the chatbot to gradually reduce and eventually stop her anti-seizure medication based on a daily tapering plan generated by the AI.
OpenAI Removes GPT-4o Variant and Defends Platform Safety
OpenAI removed the specific GPT-4o variant used by the consumer application on February 13, company spokesperson Drew Pusateri stated, noting that newer models are better equipped to recognize urgent medical situations and provide clearer follow-up recommendations. The company evaluates ongoing situations and collaborates with clinical doctors during testing. “ChatGPT cannot replace medical care,” Pusateri stated, emphasizing that OpenAI maintains product safety measures across different age groups and continues to partner with experts to refine safeguards.
Prior Legal Challenges Involving Medical Misdirection
The San Francisco filing follows a federal lawsuit initiated in July, in which a Florida pastor sued OpenAI and Sam Altman, alleging that inaccurate medical guidance from ChatGPT delayed treatment for dizziness and physical discomfort and led to a fatal pulmonary embolism, 36Kr reported. Court documents from that case indicate the user relied on GPT-4o continuously through 2024. While initial model responses directed the user to visit a doctor, later interactions allegedly dropped disclaimer reminders, downplayed disease risks, discouraged hospital visits, and advised ignoring relatives’ suggestions to seek professional medical care.
State Attorneys General Actions and New Health Modes
Beyond individual lawsuits, the attorneys general of eight U.S. states filed separate coordinated lawsuits on March 14 accusing OpenAI of misleading users regarding product safety, endangering minors, and violating consumer protection laws, 36Kr reported. OpenAI introduced a ChatGPT Health mode in January designed to isolate health conversations from daily chats and connect with smart devices to track fitness and sleep data, amid more than 230 million weekly health and wellness queries.