Israeli doctors consulting ChatGPT on patient care triggers parliament safety debate
Israeli doctors reportedly use ChatGPT to make medical decisions without sufficient oversight, leading to documented cases of patient harm including incorrect prescriptions. The Knesset Health Committee held a debate to address the lack of regulation and called for governance measures.
What happened
The Israeli Knesset Health Committee held a debate on May 6, 2025, following a warning from Yossi Arbalich, chair of the nonprofit organization Lemaankhem, that doctors in Israel are relying on ChatGPT for medical advice in ways that could endanger patients.
According to Arbalich, the organization documented cases of doctors consulting ChatGPT regarding medical guidelines, resulting in incorrect diagnoses and medication errors, including one case where a patient received a prescription at three times the required dosage.
Reported impact
Lemaankhem reported exposure to multiple serious cases of patients harmed as a result of doctors using ChatGPT-based tools for diagnosis and treatment decisions without proper professional oversight.
Index analysis
The Health Committee and Lemaankhem highlighted the absence of legal regulation governing AI use in Israeli medical practice and the risk this creates when doctors bypass scientific sources in favor of AI tools that may produce incorrect results.
Governance controls
The Health Committee called for the Ministry of Health to establish procedures for AI use in healthcare and to conduct an anonymous survey of physician use of AI tools.
Lemaankhem representatives proposed mandatory disclosure requirements for doctors using AI in diagnosis or treatment, and integration of AI education covering both benefits and limitations into medical school curricula.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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