A 42-year-old private sector employee in Lucknow experienced persistent fatigue and mild abdominal discomfort. Instead of visiting a doctor, he turned to an AI chatbot for answers. Following online suggestions, he began self-treatment. Weeks later, his condition worsened significantly, forcing him to seek emergency medical care.
Growing Trend of AI Reliance in Lucknow
Doctors say Ramesh's case is no longer an exception. Physicians across Lucknow clinics are witnessing a steady rise in patients whose health has deteriorated after relying on artificial intelligence chatbots and online tools for medical advice. Medical professionals now see 40 to 50 such patients every month. Many arrive with complications caused by self-diagnosis, incorrect drug doses, stopping prescribed medicines, or starting new treatments without consulting qualified doctors.
Doctors Express Concern
Dr Sunil Verma, a physician at a prominent city hospital, observes an increasing number of patients who search for symptoms online and start medication independently. "I often tell my patients — don't Google or ask AI, trust a real doctor," he emphasizes. "Medicine is not a science of certainty but one of probability. Unlike engineering, diseases do not always present in fixed patterns."
Quoting renowned physician William Osler, Dr Verma notes that textbook symptoms appear in their classical form in only 5-10% of patients. Nearly 90% show varied or atypical presentations. "This is why doctors rely on clinical experience, detailed patient interaction and careful evaluation before deciding on investigations," he explains. Clinical assessment helps reach a diagnosis in about 80% of cases, while the rest require further tests and observation.
Limitations of AI Tools
Dr Verma cautions against overreliance on AI, noting such tools work entirely on pre-fed data. "Diseases like malaria can present in many ways — from mild fever to altered consciousness. Blanket AI-based conclusions can be risky," he warns.
Dr Ajoy Tewari, another physician, highlights how online searches create unnecessary anxiety. Patients panic over minor changes in blood reports or imaging findings. They fear serious illnesses such as cancer without clinical correlation.
Medical Faculty Weighs In
Prof KK Sawlani, faculty at the medicine department of King George's Medical University, confirms the trend. The number of patients relying on online medical information and self-interpretation of symptoms is steadily increasing. "The internet has a vast amount of information, but not all of it is accurate or applicable to every patient," he states.
"Sometimes the information may be correct, but many times it can be misleading or incomplete. A computer cannot physically examine a patient," Prof Sawlani explains. Online tools do not account for factors such as age, existing illnesses, organ function or drug safety in conditions like kidney or liver disease. Doctors routinely consider these elements before prescribing medicines.
He notes that many patients panic after reading about serious diseases online. Others stop medicines after seeing long lists of side effects. "Even rare side effects are mentioned online. If patients focus only on these, they may refuse treatment altogether," he observes. Drug responses vary from person to person and medicines must be individualised.
