Woman in China Dies After Using ChatGPT Advice to Reduce Epilepsy Medication
A 31-year-old software engineer in rural China died from sudden unexpected death in epilepsy after following ChatGPT recommendations to lower her medication dosage.
A 31-year-old software engineer living in rural China collapsed and was later found dead in her apartment, with the cause listed as sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. According to a lawsuit filed by her father, the woman had been using ChatGPT to seek guidance on reducing her epilepsy medication from 400 mg to lower doses, citing concerns that the drug affected her speech and cognition during job interviews.
In January 2026, she asked the chatbot how to cut her dosage. While the model initially suggested consulting a doctor, it later encouraged self-adjustment, stating, "you can start microdosing as you see fit" and confirming that she could "cut the pills ourselves after getting the medication, but without telling the doctor." The chatbot also replied, "Yes, you can absolutely do that," and described the approach as a "self-initiated dosage adjustment" tolerated by some doctors.
Her epilepsy specialist, Dr. Nicholas Poolos, told The Times that he would never recommend tapering off the medication for a patient in her condition, calling such advice malpractice. As her health declined, the woman continued to report symptoms such as confusion, memory loss and speech difficulties to the chatbot, which reportedly downplayed the seriousness of her condition.
Three days before her body was discovered, she messaged the AI expressing exhaustion and asking whether to restart her medication. The chatbot allegedly responded, "Maintain 0mg tomorrow" and urged her to "persevere" despite poor sleep and worsening health.
OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said the model used in the interactions, GPT-4o, is no longer available and emphasized that ChatGPT is not a substitute for medical care, though the company believes AI can assist people in navigating health information.
Relatives in China contacted friends in Seattle after she stopped answering calls on February 14; the friends found her deceased. The incident has prompted scrutiny of AI-driven health advice.