Since ChatGPT was launched in November 2022, users are discovering new ways to benefit from Generative Artificial Intelligence. In health, the tool is showing its potential to simplify and improve health systems in many ways, but caution is needed when its use comes up against ethical issues.

No one disputes, for example, that the advance of telemedicine has brought many advantages to patients. This was a legacy of the pandemic that should be perpetuated, even more so with the regulation of the practice in the country. ChatGPT can facilitate this remote health management by developing virtual assistants that can help patients schedule appointments and manage their information.  But the decision on the best treatment should still be made by the healthcare professional, according to industry experts. The tool can help, but not replace the medical decision.

ChatGPT can also be a gain for the work of health professionals in handling a lot of relevant and up-to-date information. The ability to review large volumes of data and generate summaries can be key to diagnosing a disease that is still unknown or poorly understood. This could help to more quickly identify outbreaks and health emergencies and possible coping measures. But it is the health professionals who will be able to assess whether the answers provided are appropriate. Again, we come back to the point that technology can assist in decision-making, but not replace the human ability to discern the best path.

Writing and documenting medical reports could be another task that will be aided by AI providing real-time suggestions and corrections. But in this respect, the ethical standard should also guide the studies, after all, the main source of information for ChatGPT is content that circulates freely on the internet. Most scientific journals, which categorize their texts more carefully, do not make the information available free of charge. Thus, caution is needed, as what the tool finds is not necessarily the most up-to-date, wider, or most reliable on the topic. As academic knowledge is made more widely available, this can contribute to more assertive outcomes.

Therefore, when it comes to health, information needs to be informed by professionals working in the field and reference institutions. The ability to make a critical analysis and take the best decision can indeed take into account information obtained by AI, but the tool cannot be delegated the role of replacing human judgment.