Millions of people worldwide use online chatbots for health advice, yet there is a governance blind spot. We are co-designing definitive, evidence-based guidance for the public on how to safely use Large Language Model chatbots for their personal health.
General-purpose chatbots powered by Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, CoPilot and Gemini have become de facto health advisors for millions of people around the world. While useful, these tools are not governed as robustly as the rest of healthcare.
We adopt a position of pragmatic neutrality. We neither recommend for nor against the use of these tools. Instead, we acknowledge that millions around the world find them helpful - we seek to mitigate harms while maximising potential utility.
Hallucinations, inaccuracies, dangerous medical advice, data privacy breaches, and reinforcement of harmful stereotypes.
Improved health literacy, increasing access to expert-level health advice, preparation for clinical consultations, and patient empowerment.
Our research programme balances public co-design with expert rigour.
Rapid review of existing guidance and an expert scoping survey to horizon-scan for technical risks - the "Red Flags".
Workshops with the public to explore current usage patterns and generate real-world "Guidance Notes".
Sequential surveys with patients and the public, clinicians, and other experts to reach consensus on content.
Final ratification of the Health Chatbot Users' Guide wording, format, and tone by public contributors.
Proposed components
A short list of predominantly expert-derived definitive "Do Nots" based on clinical risk and privacy laws.
Eg:
User-derived actionable tips and generalised examples of utility.
Eg:
We are currently in the preparatory phase, aiming for a full public launch of the guidance product by mid-2026.
Finalising project plan, patient and public co-design of reserach strategy, and appointing co-investigators.
Ethical approval granted by the University of Birmingham (ERN_5495-Dec2025).
Project presented to patient/public workshop.
Rapid review, scoping survey, and public deliberative exercise.
Delphi rounds, consensus meeting, and public launch.
We are looking for diverse voices from around the world to shape this guidance. Whether you are a patient or member of the public, a clinician, or an expert in another area, your input matters.
We have recorded your interest in the project. The team will be in touch as we enter the next phase of recruitment.