ChatGPT Health launches in the U.S., but Germany and Europe are left waiting
OpenAI has rolled out ChatGPT Health for users in the United States, giving people a new way to connect their personal health data directly to the chatbot. Launched on July 23, 2026, the feature is available to logged-in U.S. users aged 18 and older, whether they use the free version of ChatGPT or a paid plan.
For now, however, users in Germany, the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are excluded from the launch. That means people in these regions can still ask ChatGPT general health-related questions, but they cannot connect their own medical records or fitness data to receive personalized responses.
ChatGPT Health brings medical records and fitness data into one place
The main goal of ChatGPT Health is to help users better understand their personal health information. In the U.S., users can connect medical records from supported hospital systems, including platforms such as Epic and Oracle Health. The feature also supports popular wellness and fitness services such as Apple Health, MyFitnessPal, and Weight Watchers.
Once connected, ChatGPT can use that information to answer questions based on the user’s own data. For example, someone could ask the chatbot to help explain lab results, summarize recent health trends, organize information before a doctor’s visit, or make sense of data from fitness and nutrition apps.
OpenAI says health-related conversations are stored separately in an additionally encrypted area. The company also states that these chats are not used to train its AI models. Another important change is that health context can now be used across regular chats, rather than being limited to a separate health-only section.
The launch comes as health questions become a major part of ChatGPT usage. OpenAI says users now ask around 300 million health-related questions every week, up from about 230 million in January.
Why ChatGPT Health is not available in Germany
The absence of ChatGPT Health in Germany and much of Europe is largely tied to strict privacy and health data regulations. Medical information is among the most sensitive types of personal data, and European rules place heavy restrictions on how companies can collect, process, store, and use it.
OpenAI also excluded the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom when the feature first appeared earlier in the year. At the moment, access to real medical records through ChatGPT Health is limited to the United States.
For users in Germany, this means personalized health features based on connected records or fitness apps are not available for now. They can still use ChatGPT for general wellness and medical information, but not as a tool that analyzes their own official health records.
A legal case raises concerns about AI medical advice
The launch has also arrived under scrutiny. One day before ChatGPT Health became available in the U.S., a pastor from Florida filed a lawsuit against OpenAI. According to reports, he claims ChatGPT advised him not to seek medical care, allegedly leading to a near-fatal situation.
OpenAI has pointed to its terms of service, which state that ChatGPT is not designed to diagnose medical conditions or provide treatment. The company says it is working with doctors to improve the safety and reliability of health-related responses.
OpenAI also claims that GPT-5.6-Luna, the smallest model in its latest generation, performs better than its predecessor in the company’s internal HealthBench evaluation. Still, independent studies have repeatedly warned that AI chatbots can provide inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading medical information.
What users should keep in mind
ChatGPT Health may be useful for organizing health information, preparing questions for a doctor, or getting a clearer explanation of complex terms. However, it should not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This is especially important for serious symptoms, sudden changes in health, medication decisions, test results, or emergency situations. In those cases, a qualified medical professional remains the safest and most reliable source of guidance.
Users should also think carefully before entering sensitive health data into any AI service. Even when companies promise encryption and privacy protections, the data is still processed through external servers. Anyone using AI for health questions should understand what information they are sharing and how it may be handled.
For now, ChatGPT Health represents a major step toward AI-powered personal health assistance in the United States. But for Germany and much of Europe, stricter privacy rules mean the most powerful personalized features remain out of reach.
