ChatGPT Health launches Open AI collaborates with physicians

Open AI’s ChatGPT launches a Health tab on 8 January, 2026, to answer health and wellness related questions designed in collaboration with physicians.

Users of this feature can connect medical records and wellness apps like Apple Health, Function, and MyFitnessPal to understand test results, prepare for appointments, get advice on diet and workout routine and understand healthcare patterns.

Open AI said that globally over 23 crore (230 million) people ask ChatGPT health related questions every week, and health related queries remain most common for the chat bot.  

People who want to experience this feature can join the waitlist where a small group will be given access, so users with ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plan can learn and continue the experience. The plan will expand to all users on web and iOS in the coming weeks while medical record integrations and some apps are available in the U.S. only, and connecting Apple Health requires iOS, it said. Only users outside of the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are eligible.

With many lawsuits filed against Open AI last year over mental health diagnosis concerns it has made clear that the feature is “designed to support, not replace, medical care.”

“ChatGPT Health builds on the strong privacy, security, and data controls across ChatGPT with additional, layered protections designed specifically for health— including purpose-built encryption and isolation to keep health conversations protected and compartmentalized,” Open AI said.  

Storage and Protection Of Your Sensitive Health Data

ChatGPT Health operates as a separate, isolated space within ChatGPT. Health conversations, connected apps, files, and memories are stored independently from other chats, ensuring health-related context does not mix with general usage. While Health chats appear in your chat history for easy access, the information itself stays contained within Health, it said. It It also added that limited non-health context (such as lifestyle changes) may be used to make responses more relevant, but Health data never flows back into non-Health chats. Health memories can be viewed or deleted at any time, and information is retained for up to 30 days before deletion.

Health extends ChatGPT’s core privacy and security framework with added safeguards for sensitive data. It supports temporary chats, user-controlled deletion, and systems that avoid retaining personal information for training. All conversations and files are encrypted by default, both at rest and in transit. Given the sensitive nature of health data, the Health space adds dedicated encryption and strict isolation, and its conversations are not used to train foundation models, offering users tighter control and stronger privacy.

It said that users can further strengthen access controls by enabling multi-factor authentication⁠, which adds an extra layer of protection to help prevent unauthorized access.

Over 260 Physicians Help Build 

Open AI said that it has been working over two years, on this with more than 260 physicians who have practised in 60 countries and with dozens of specialties to understand what makes an answer to a health question helpful or potentially harmful.

This group has now provided feedback on model outputs over 600,000 times across 30 areas of focus. This collaboration has shaped not just what Health can do, but how it responds, it said.

In the Context of U.S.

To enable access to trusted U.S. healthcare providers, it has partner with b.well, the largest and most secure network of live, connected health data for U.S. consumers, where access to medical records can be removed at any time on the app.

Open AI said, “All apps available in Health must meet OpenAI’s privacy and security requirements, including collecting only the minimum data needed, and undergo additional security review specific to inclusion in Health. The first time you connect an app, we’ll help you understand what types of data may be collected by the third party. And you’re always in control.”

A Reuters report said that this comes at a time where regulators are reassess health technology oversight. The ‍U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary ‌said on Tuesday the agency would limit regulation of wearable devices and software designed to support healthy lifestyles. Makary has called ChatGPT a product that should be promoted while cautioning against major safety concerns, the report added.