Doctor's Warning: AI Health Tools Dangerously Misused

Doctors have issued a stark warning regarding the increasing misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) and online medical tools by individuals lacking proper training. This trend poses significant dangers to patient safety, with self-diagnosis and treatment potentially leading to severe health repercussions. The cautionary advice comes just before World Patient Safety Day 2026, focusing on safe care for those with non-communicable diseases.

While AI offers substantial benefits when utilized by trained medical professionals for tasks like enhancing surgical precision and analyzing data, its incorrect interpretation by untrained users can induce unnecessary panic. Experts caution that this can result in delayed medical intervention or, in critical instances, prove life-threatening. A concerning case from Saran last year involved the death of a 15-year-old boy, Krishna Kumar, after a clinic operator reportedly followed an online tutorial for gallbladder stone surgery in September 2025.

Dr. Rajeev Ranjan Prasad, former Bihar IMA president, stressed the need for a robust policy framework to integrate AI into medical education and healthcare. He stated that AI misuse could be more disastrous than treatment by quacks, leading to severe suffering. Dr. Prasad also noted how readily available online medical information alters doctor-patient dynamics, with many patients arriving with pre-conceived diagnoses, complicating consultations.

Similar issues are prevalent in dermatology, where AI tools analyze uploaded images of skin conditions. Dr. Pankaj Tiwary, an associate professor at PMCH, shared instances where AI tools have suggested alarming possibilities, such as melanoma from a facial mole, causing undue distress to parents of infants. He also noted that AI often provides extensive lists of suggested tests for common concerns like hair loss or misidentifies white patches, sometimes causing panic about serious diseases.