Man Hospitalized After ChatGPT Suggests Bad Health Advice
A 60-year-old man was treated for bromide poisoning after following a recommendation from ChatGPT, according to a case report in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Hoping to cut salt from his meals, the man turned to the AI tool for advice. It suggested sodium bromide, a compound more commonly used in pesticides, as a substitute. He ordered the chemical online and used it in place of table salt for about three months.
Eventually, he sought medical help, convinced his neighbor had been trying to poison him. Doctors determined his confusion, paranoia, and hallucinations were the result of bromide toxicity.
Bromide poisoning was more prevalent in the early to mid-20th century, when bromide salts were often included in certain over-the-counter medicines. The condition became rare after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration removed bromide from most medications between 1975 and 1989.