{"slug": "chatgpt-medical-advice-allegedly-led-man-to-brink-of-death-raising-fresh-ai", "title": "ChatGPT medical advice allegedly led man to brink of death, raising fresh AI liability questions", "summary": "A Florida pastor, Scott Winters, has sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that medical advice from ChatGPT's GPT-4o repeatedly downplayed his serious symptoms and discouraged him from seeking professional care before he suffered a near-fatal pulmonary embolism on July 13, 2025. The lawsuit, filed July 21 in San Francisco County Superior Court, seeks financial damages and stronger safeguards, accusing OpenAI of negligence, product defects, and unauthorized practice of medicine. OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri stated that ChatGPT should not replace medical care and that its terms warn users not to rely on outputs as a substitute for professional advice.", "body_md": "# ChatGPT medical advice allegedly led man to brink of death, raising fresh AI liability questions\n\nScott Winters alleges GPT 4o repeatedly downplayed serious symptoms and discouraged him from seeking professional care before he suffered a pulmonary embolism.\n\nA Florida pastor has sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that medical advice provided by ChatGPT discouraged him from seeking professional care before a near fatal pulmonary embolism, according to a BBC [report](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwylp3nxp5yo?xtor=AL-71).\n\nScott Winters filed the complaint in San Francisco County Superior Court on July 21, seeking financial damages and stronger safeguards for users who consult ChatGPT about medical issues. The claims have not been tested in court.\n\nThe lawsuit alleges that Winters regularly consulted GPT-4o about recurring dizziness, unstable blood pressure, and other symptoms. Instead of consistently directing him to medical professionals, the chatbot allegedly advised him to remain at home, limit his movement, and continue recovering from a recliner.\n\nWinters said he followed the guidance despite family members and friends urging him to visit a hospital. The complaint alleges that ChatGPT repeatedly assured him that his symptoms were not serious enough to require urgent care.\n\nThe lawsuit also claims the chatbot drew on previous conversations about Winters’ Christian faith when responding to his medical concerns, reinforcing its advice with religious language and increasing his reliance on the platform.\n\nWinters was hospitalized on July 13, 2025, after developing a pulmonary embolism involving blood clots in both lungs. According to the complaint, doctors said the condition was likely connected to his prolonged lack of movement.\n\nHis lawyers accuse OpenAI of negligence, product defects, failure to provide adequate warnings, and the unauthorized practice of medicine. The suit also asks the court to require stronger medical safeguards, including terminating conversations when immediate professional assistance is necessary.\n\nOpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said ChatGPT should not be treated as a replacement for medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. He added that AI can help users find clearer information and prepare questions for conversations with medical professionals.\n\nOpenAI’s terms state that users should not rely on its outputs as their sole source of truth or as a substitute for professional advice, particularly when making important medical decisions.\n\n**Disclosure:** This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our\n\n[Editorial Policy](https://cryptobriefing.com/editorial-policy/).", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-medical-advice-allegedly-led-man-to-brink-of-death-raising-fresh-ai", "canonical_source": "https://cryptobriefing.com/chatgpt-medical-advice-lawsuit-openai/", "published_at": "2026-07-23 17:46:45+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-07-23 18:10:47.417225+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-safety", "ai-ethics", "ai-policy", "large-language-models"], "entities": ["OpenAI", "Sam Altman", "Scott Winters", "GPT-4o", "ChatGPT", "Drew Pusateri", "San Francisco County Superior Court"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-medical-advice-allegedly-led-man-to-brink-of-death-raising-fresh-ai", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-medical-advice-allegedly-led-man-to-brink-of-death-raising-fresh-ai.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-medical-advice-allegedly-led-man-to-brink-of-death-raising-fresh-ai.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chatgpt-medical-advice-allegedly-led-man-to-brink-of-death-raising-fresh-ai.jsonld"}}