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The death of a 31-year-old Seattle software engineer has raised serious questions about the risks of relying on artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for medical decisions. Bowen Wan, who had epilepsy, died in February 2026. Her parents have now filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman, alleging that ChatGPT helped their daughter taper off her prescribed anti-seizure medication without medical supervision. According to the lawsuit filed on October 27, the chatbot allegedly created a 25-day schedule to reduce Wan's dose of lamotrigine, an anti-seizure medicine, from 400 mg a day to zero. The complaint further alleges that the chatbot encouraged her to conceal the plan from her doctors and reassured her when she reported symptoms that could have indicated seizures. The King County Medical Examiner attributed Wan's death to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), according to media reports. According to a The New York Times report, her parents allege that the medication taper and the chatbot's advice contributed to her death.The case serves as a critical reminder that prescription medicines, particularly those used to control seizures, should never be reduced, altered or discontinued without guidance from the treating doctor.
What Happens When You Suddenly Stop Taking Epilepsy Medication?
Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterised by a tendency to experience recurrent seizures. Anti-seizure medicines help control abnormal electrical activity in the brain and reduce the likelihood of seizures. According to a study in journal Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, Lamotrigine is one such medication. It is prescribed for certain types of epilepsy and other conditions, depending on the patient's medical history. When a medicine effectively controls seizures, reducing the dose can weaken that protection. If the dose is lowered too quickly or the medication is stopped, seizures may return or become more frequent. The risk varies depending on the type of epilepsy, seizure history, medication and other individual factors.
A person who has been seizure-free for a long time may still experience a seizure after discontinuing treatment. This is why decisions about changing anti-seizure medication require an individual assessment by a neurologist.
In some cases, a doctor may consider reducing or changing treatment because of side effects or other clinical concerns. However, the decision requires weighing the benefits of the medication against the potential risks of changing it.
1. The Risk Of Prolonged Seizures And SUDEP
One of the most serious risks associated with poorly controlled epilepsy is status epilepticus, a medical emergency involving a seizure lasting five minutes or longer, or repeated seizures without the person recovering consciousness between them. Status epilepticus requires immediate emergency treatment. Delayed treatment can lead to serious complications, including brain injury and, in severe cases, death.
Another concern is sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, commonly known as SUDEP. It refers to a sudden, unexpected death in someone with epilepsy that cannot be attributed to another cause and is not explained by a prolonged seizure or another recognised event.
The exact mechanisms behind SUDEP are not fully understood. However, uncontrolled or frequent generalised tonic-clonic seizures are an important risk factor. Taking anti-seizure medication as prescribed and working with a doctor to manage seizures are important parts of reducing risk. The precise risk depends on the individual's condition, and stopping medication does not automatically result in SUDEP.
2. Why Self-Tapering Prescription Medication Can Be Dangerous
Some people consider reducing their medication because they experience side effects, worry about long-term use or believe they no longer need treatment. Others may want to avoid taking medicines because of their cost or concerns about how they affect their daily lives. However, cutting tablets, skipping doses or following an online tapering schedule can be dangerous when the change has not been medically assessed.
With lamotrigine, an unsupervised reduction may leave epilepsy inadequately controlled. If treatment has been interrupted, restarting the previous dose without medical guidance can also be unsafe because the appropriate restart schedule depends on how long the medication has been stopped and other clinical factors. This is particularly important because lamotrigine is associated with a risk of serious skin reactions, and restarting it after a sufficiently long interruption may require gradual dose escalation.
Patients should not attempt to create their own tapering schedules or compensate for missed doses by taking extra medication. If side effects are troubling, a neurologist can assess whether the dose needs adjustment, whether another medicine may be appropriate or whether further investigations are necessary.
3. Why AI Chatbots Cannot Replace A Neurologist
AI chatbots can explain medical terminology, summarise general health information and help users prepare questions for an appointment. However, a fluent or confident response does not establish that the advice is medically safe.
The allegations in Wan's case raise several concerns about using a chatbot to make decisions involving prescription medicines. The risk of convincing but unsafe advice. A chatbot may generate an answer that sounds reassuring or authoritative without adequately recognising the risks of a particular medical situation. According to the lawsuit, ChatGPT allegedly developed a medication-reduction schedule for Wan and reassured her about symptoms she reported during the process. The complaint also alleges that it encouraged her not to disclose the plan to her doctors.
These are allegations concerning the interactions described in the complaint, not a finding of legal responsibility. Nevertheless, the case illustrates why users should not treat a chatbot's agreement with their proposed treatment as evidence that the decision is safe.
AI cannot independently conduct a clinical assessment
A neurologist considers a patient's seizure history, diagnosis, current medicines, previous treatment response, examination findings and other relevant medical information before recommending a change.
Depending on the situation, the doctor may also recommend blood tests, investigations or closer monitoring. A chatbot cannot independently perform a neurological examination or reliably establish whether a person's symptoms represent a seizure, a medication side effect or another medical problem. Even when a user provides extensive personal information, important clinical details may be missing or misunderstood.
Symptoms should not be dismissed as part of recovery
Confusion, memory lapses, unusual sensations, loss of awareness or other changes in consciousness may have several causes. In someone with epilepsy, they can sometimes indicate seizure activity. Such symptoms should not automatically be attributed to the body adjusting to a lower medication dose. Patients should contact their treating team promptly if these symptoms occur during a medication change.
A prolonged seizure, repeated seizures without recovery, breathing difficulty or a first seizure requires emergency medical attention. Follow the person's seizure first-aid plan if one is available, and do not delay seeking help while asking a chatbot for an explanation.
4. What Should You Do If Your Medication Causes Side Effects?
Side effects can affect quality of life, and patients should feel comfortable discussing them with their healthcare providers. The answer is not to endure severe symptoms without support, but to seek a medically supervised solution. If you are concerned about an anti-seizure medicine or another prescription drug, consider the following steps:
- Speak to your treating doctor: Explain the symptoms, when they started and how they affect your daily life.
- Do not change the dose independently: Avoid stopping the medicine, cutting tablets or following an AI-generated tapering plan without medical guidance.
- Ask about alternatives: Depending on the condition, the doctor may consider dose adjustments, a different medicine or another treatment strategy.
- Discuss necessary monitoring: Ask whether blood tests, clinical reviews or other investigations are needed.
Seek urgent help for warning signs: New or worsening seizures, prolonged confusion or loss of consciousness require prompt medical assessment. If you have already stopped or substantially reduced a prescribed medicine, contact your treating clinician promptly for advice on what to do next. Do not assume that restarting your previous dose is always appropriate.
What Does This Case Mean For People Using AI For Health Advice?
AI tools are increasingly used to understand symptoms, interpret health information and explore treatment options. They might support health literacy, but there is an important distinction between explaining a medical condition and directing an individual to change prescription treatment.
The lawsuit filed by Wan's parents raises questions about the safeguards that AI developers should have in place when users seek advice about high-risk medical decisions. OpenAI has described the case as heartbreaking and has said ChatGPT is not a substitute for medical care, according to media reports. The legal case remains unresolved. Its broader lesson for patients, however, is clear: never allow an AI-generated response to override a prescription or replace a conversation with your doctor.
Bowen Wan's death and the allegations made by her family highlight the potentially serious consequences of relying on an AI chatbot to manage epilepsy medication. Although the court will have to assess the claims against OpenAI, the medical principle is well established: changing anti-seizure treatment without appropriate supervision can put patients at risk.
If you are experiencing side effects or believe your medication is no longer suitable, speak to your treating doctor before making any changes. A safe treatment plan should be based on your medical history, clinical assessment and an informed discussion of the benefits and risks. AI can help you prepare for that conversation, but it should not make the decision for you.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.