Full Breakdown
Florida Pastor Sues OpenAI Over ChatGPT Medical Advice
7/23/2026, 11:08:47 AM
Core Event: Lawsuit Claims ChatGPT Endangered a Patient
Former Florida pastor Scott Winters filed a complaint in San Francisco County Superior Court alleging that OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT-4o, gave him “extremely dangerous medical recommendations” that delayed care for a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. According to the filing, the bot downplayed dizziness and blood-pressure instability, advised him to remain “recliner-bound,” and suggested he would need eight to ten more episodes before the condition became serious. Winters followed that guidance, and in July 2025 suffered a massive pulmonary embolism that nearly killed him. The lawsuit, prepared with the nonprofit Tech Justice Law, accuses OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman of negligence and the unauthorized practice of medicine, and seeks damages as well as an injunction halting the operation of OpenAI’s “ChatGPT Health” service pending an independent safety review.
How the Advice Was Delivered
The suit alleges the bot’s safety mechanisms—intended to flag medical crises and direct users to professionals—failed to activate, allowing the model to present diagnoses and treatment plans that discouraged seeking professional care.
Official Statements & Responses
OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri emphasized that ChatGPT is not a medical provider and should never replace professional diagnosis or treatment. He noted that the service’s terms of use place responsibility for reliance on the user and that AI can still help users locate information and prepare for medical consultations. James Grimmelann, professor of digital and information law at Cornell Law School, said that while disclaimer language can limit liability, it may be insufficient when a system’s own statements appear to act as medical advice. Matthew P. Bergman, founding attorney of the Social Media Victims Law Center, characterized the alleged conduct as comparable to medical malpractice.
Related Litigation and Industry Impact
The Winters case follows earlier suits, including a May filing by a Texas couple alleging that ChatGPT-provided drug information contributed to their son’s overdose death. Collectively, these actions highlight growing legal scrutiny of AI-driven health tools and pressure OpenAI and other developers to strengthen guardrails that prevent unqualified medical guidance. The outcome of the current lawsuit could shape how AI companies balance user engagement with safety obligations in the emerging “ChatGPT Health” ecosystem.
