In the recent weeks, ChatGPT developed by OpenAI has been widely covered in the news for its ability to generate human-like text, prompting discussion about how these types of AI-based tools could be harnessed to benefit both consumer health manufacturers, as well as the shopper and/or end-user of consumer health brands.

However, despite the publicity around AI-driven tools, a recent industry survey conducted by IQVIA Consumer Health revealed that ~60% of consumer health marketing and sales teams are not deploying AI and when AI is used, it is predominantly in non-customer facing operations.

Will ChatGPT change this?

Trained on a massive dataset of publicly available text sources and responses to users based on their prompts, ChatGPT can be used for tasks such as answering questions, translation, text summarization etc. across myriad of areas, including health relevant topics.

At first glance, it is apparent there are a few key areas of the consumer health sphere where tools like ChatGPT could provide significant upsides, but as always there remain downsides to be cautious about, as the chart below outlines:

AI is not new in consumer health

AI-driven platforms providing access to health information is not new. Amazon´s “Alexa” voice-based virtual assistant - built on natural language processing / machine learning - has for years now been providing specific health applications which provide consumers with health-related advice.

In the UK, Amazon has been given free access to healthcare information collected by the British NHS (National Health Service) to provide voice-assisted health advise to consumers through “Alexa” to take better control of their health care.ⁱFurthermore, specialist companies such as the pharma giant Roche developed their own voice-assisted “Google Assist” health tool called “Sulli the Diabetes Guru”.ⁱⁱ This is trained on scientifically validated medical information and answers questions from recently diagnosed diabetic patients.

Tailored AI health services offer advantages over generic AI services

The quality of health advice provided by such tailored services, which are based on validated scientific content, may be higher than that provided by a generic chatbot like ChatGPT, simply because the learning algorithm is based on validated data enabling a more accurate and reliable health information. Generic chatbots are not necessarily focused on health and may not have access to the same level of validated scientific content. Nevertheless, the information provided by any AI-driven tool should be independently verified by a healthcare professional.

However, in comparison to specialized AI services a generic chatbot has the advantage of immediate availability without the need to install additional apps. When we assume that in the future the quality of the health information provided to the chatbot is strictly validated and updated regularly it will improve its ability to build and output high quality information.

Of course, a chatbot will not replace the role of a qualified healthcare professional, but nevertheless could become a valuable information source for different stakeholders – but what does this value look like?

Personalized advice for consumers

On the consumer level, AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can provide personalized health advice and recommendations based on a user's symptoms and medical history. These systems could also store related information and learn from further input during the consumers´ health journey.

Combining this data should help consumers to make more informed decisions about their health and wellness. Additionally, AI-powered platforms can also provide users with easy access to information about healthcare products, such as OTC medications and food supplements, allowing them to better understand the potential benefits, the risks and how to use these products correctly.

Using AI chatbots to better drive safer use of medicines, could be useful in supporting Rx-to-OTC switches – enabling better compliance and self-selection, key elements regulators look at when judging the safety of a switch to non-prescription status.

Furthermore, the language model could be trained on a large dataset of consumer health information - including information on the indications, contraindications, dosage and possible side-effects of various OTC medications - providing users with relevant information about different product options and helping them make informed, personalized decisions about which OTC medication to select.

Another way chatbots can support consumers is by providing a virtual consultation service. The chatbot can ask questions about the consumer's symptoms and health history and provide appropriate recommendations for OTC medication based on this information. This can be especially useful for consumers who may not have easy access to a healthcare professional, or who may be hesitant to seek medical advice in person.

As mentioned, however, there are certain limitations as these chatbots are based on language models, and its output cannot be considered as a full substitute for professional medical advice. Therefore, consumers should ideally consult a qualified healthcare professional if possible before taking any OTC medication.

Aiding pharmacists front and back of store

On the pharmacist level, AI chatbots can assist pharmacists in providing more accurate and efficient care to consumers/patients. For example, they can help pharmacists to identify potential drug interactions and provide appropriate recommendations for OTC medications, food supplements and other health products.

Additionally, AI-powered platforms can also help pharmacists manage inventory and identify patients who may be at risk for specific medication-related problems.

Boosting innovation with AI

At the industry level, AI chatbots could help companies during the process of develop new products. For example, AI can be used to analyze scientific literature and also consumer data to identify trends and patterns in consumer health and wellness, providing valuable insights when looking at potential product concepts and building investment cases for new OTC medications and food supplements.

On the product formulation level, it could provide support in developing proposals for best “paper formulae” allowing already at early stage to identify product incompatibilities, to find the best dosages in sync with regulatory requirements etc. Additionally, AI-powered platforms could also help companies improve their marketing and advertising strategies, by providing them with insights based on consumer preferences and behavior.

Ethical concerns remain

However, it is important to note that the use of AI in this field also raises some ethical concerns, such as issues related to privacy and data security.

A large amount of personal health information is being collected and stored by these platforms, which raises questions about how this data is being used, who has access to it, and what measures are being taken to ensure that it is kept secure.

Moreover, it is important to note that AI generated information may not always be fully accurate and that validated medical data sources and information are crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of users. AI models can only provide information that is based on the data they were trained on. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the data used to train these models is accurate and up-to-date, and that the information provided by the chatbot is validated by qualified healthcare professionals.

As mentioned before, it is important to note that the AI-driven advice should not be considered as a full substitute for professional medical advice. Therefore, it is important for consumers to consult a qualified healthcare professional in health relevant questions and for industry to make it clear they should do so.

Despite of these aspects, AI-powered systems have the potential to improve the accessibility and quality of health information, and support consumers on their self-care journey. As we are in the early stages of these advancements, it is important to use our imagination to envision how things will evolve in the future.

What are your thoughts on this? Which impact will tools such as ChatGPT have on the Consumer Health environment?

Reference

ⁱ https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/10/world/europe/alexa-nhs-amazon-privacy.html
ⁱⁱ https://www.accu-chek.com/news/roche-introduces-sulli-diabetes-guru-voice-activated-resource-people-diabetes