Show HN: Was frustrated w ChatGPTs health advice so I built better biomed search
Hi HN,
I've been frustrated with the quality of medical and health responses from general-purpose LLMs like ChatGPT and Gemini. They often provide generic, non-committal advice and don't seem to effectively search or cite the actual medical literature with fast responses.
So, I decided to build my own solution: OpenHealth.
https://www.my-openhealth.com/
It's an AI-powered platform designed specifically for high-quality health information. Under the hood, it uses a combination of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) over 38 million medical abstracts (from PubMed and other journals), paper quality ranking, fine-tuned models, and specialized prompting to generate responses that are grounded in scientific evidence. Importantly the prompts, analyses, and reports are crafted by a team of doctors and scientists to provide high quality health information that is vetted.
The goal is to provide users with direct access to insights from the literature, calculate personal health risks based on studies, and even analyze supplement ingredients/stacks etc.
The ultimate vision is to build "health superintelligence" — models that are state-of-the-art on medical, wellness, and longevity benchmarks.
I'm launching it today and would love to get this community's feedback on the approach, the quality of the responses, the UI/UX, and any other thoughts you have.
Thanks for checking it out! It hallucinated when I asked about the latest recommendations for type 2 diabetes treatment from the Amer. Diabetes Assn. 2025 conference, and falsely said that the conference had not taken place yet. Have you compared your system to https://pubmed.ai on some of your sample questions? That would give you a benchmark and perhaps give you some ideas for your application? Is this app targeted towards clinicians or patients, or both? If both, I would suggest adding an option for whether you wanted an answer targeted towards the clinician or patient to account for differences in understanding of medical jargon, etc.? Also, we updated the chat mode to suggest users use Agent mode if referencing new events/conferences/guidelines etc that might fall out of the scope of literature RAG Thanks for the feedback! Really appreciate it as we're early and continuing to build this out. Answers below: 1. the chat mode only has access to our evergreen pubmed embeddings so it's going to struggle with like conferences/events that are recent. We have the agent mode (toggle) that is made for accessing information like that via its expansive search capabilities. Here is an agent response for your query. How does this look in terms of its response/content quality? 2. Thanks for flagging pubmed.ai. I took a look and based on some early testing, it doesn't seem to be as good as our responses. Our prompting, pipeline, agentic workflows are crafted by scientists and doctors, reflecting the most common concerns of patients/consumers and most interesting use cases (e.g. chronic disease risk, drug/supplement interactions, supplement stack analysis, cancer risk, etc). Will continue to benchmark against this though. 3. We're trying to target general population (patients/health oriented consumers). I think this suggestion is spot on. We will work on releasing a new version that is more WebMD/consumer friendly in its language. Agent response from OpenHealth (https://www.my-openhealth.com/): Research Plan (this is the plan it executed)
1. Given the American Diabetes Association 2025 conference has not yet occurred, research the most recent American Diabetes Association (ADA) Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes (e.g., 2024 or latest available) for current and emerging treatment recommendations for Type 2 Diabetes.
2. Investigate key themes and emerging research presented at recent major diabetes conferences (e.g., ADA 2024, EASD) and in leading endocrinology journals that are likely to influence future ADA recommendations for Type 2 Diabetes treatment, focusing on novel drug classes, personalized medicine, and technology.
3. Analyze current guidelines and recent updates regarding the integration of comprehensive lifestyle interventions (dietary patterns, exercise, weight management), cardiovascular and renal protective strategies, and advanced glucose monitoring in Type 2 Diabetes management.
4. Search Reddit (e.g., r/diabetes, r/type2diabetes) and Twitter for discussions among patients and healthcare professionals regarding recent or anticipated shifts in Type 2 Diabetes treatment recommendations, real-world experiences with newer therapies, and common challenges or successes in implementing guideline changes.
5. Synthesizing final report - Combining all research findings into a comprehensive health report References (21) Your Question
what are new treatment recommendations for type 2 diabetes from the American Diabetes Association 2025 conference? Type 2 Diabetes Management Guide
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) annually updates its "Standards of Care in Diabetes" to provide current clinical practice recommendations for diabetes care. While the ADA 2025 conference has not yet occurred, the "Standards of Care in Diabetes-2025" have been published as of January 1, 2025, outlining the latest evidence-based guidelines for managing Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) [1]. These standards are developed by an interprofessional expert committee to provide comprehensive guidance, including treatment goals and quality evaluation tools [1]. Current Evidence & Treatment Options
The ADA 2025 Standards emphasize a patient-centered approach, integrating novel drug classes, personalized medicine, and advanced technology into T2D management [2]. Key Themes and Emerging Research
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Technology in Diabetes Management: AI is increasingly explored for through advanced algorithms and predictive modeling, enhancing screening, diagnosis, therapeutic decision-making, and outcome prediction in T2D [3].
driven by AI, integrated with electronic health records (EHR), assist healthcare providers in analyzing patient data and setting therapeutic objectives [3].
AI and Machine Learning (ML) also play a crucial role in accelerating by analyzing extensive datasets and enhancing predictions, potentially reducing the time and costs associated with bringing new drugs to market [4].
Personalized Medicine Approaches: Continued below... Part 2... There is a growing emphasis on to individual patient needs and disease stages, moving beyond average effects observed in clinical trials [5].
Advances in (e.g., Next Generation Sequencing - NGS, Genome-Wide Association Studies - GWAS) are identifying numerous genetic loci and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with T2D, enabling a better understanding of individual genetic profiles and considering factors like epigenetic modifications and molecular biomarkers [5].
Novel Drug Classes and Expanded Indications: Medications like (a dual GIP/GLP-1 RA) and (a GLP-1RA) are showing benefits beyond glucose control, including substantial weight loss and reduced risks for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), heart failure, progressive kidney and liver disease, and obstructive sleep apnea [6]. These are increasingly considered early in treatment for patients with or at high risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), heart failure (HF), or chronic kidney disease (CKD) [7].
These agents are being explored for their potential to reduce food cravings, obesity, and even addictive behaviors [6]. Their mechanisms involve enhanced insulin secretion, inhibited glucagon release, delayed gastric emptying, and central appetite suppression [8].
These drugs are highlighted for their cardiovascular and renal protective benefits, with recommendations for earlier initiation in CKD patients, for example, with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) >20, compared to previous GFR >30 thresholds [9].
Updated Guidelines from ADA Standards of Care-2025
The ADA Standards of Care-2025 provide updated guidance across several critical areas: Updates on medication choices emphasize the integration of newer drug classes (SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1RAs) that offer cardiovascular and renal protective benefits beyond glycemic control [2].
The guidelines emphasize treating obesity as a core component of T2D management, recognizing its role in driving the disease, including in pediatric T2D [10]. This includes recommendations on dietary patterns, exercise regimens, and pharmacological or surgical interventions for weight loss [10].
The recommendations continue to advocate for individualized A1c goals, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach. Younger, healthier patients may aim for stricter control (<6.5%), while older or frailer individuals with significant comorbidities might have a more relaxed target (7.5%–8.5%) to minimize hypoglycemia risk [11].
There's an updated focus on managing prediabetes, including various screening methods (Fasting Plasma Glucose, 2-hour Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, HbA1c) and intervention strategies involving lifestyle modification and pharmacotherapy (e.g., , SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 RAs) [12].
The guidelines highlight the increasing importance of advanced glucose monitoring technologies, such as continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), for improving glycemic control, reducing hypoglycemia, and empowering individuals [13].
Discussions indicate a growing acceptance of T2D remission as a realistic goal, particularly through significant weight loss achieved via lifestyle changes, dietary interventions (including low-carb/ketogenic diets), and bariatric surgery [14].
The ADA 2025 guidelines also include updated algorithms for the treatment of MASLD/MASH in patients with T2D, highlighting the importance of managing this common comorbidity [15].
Interventions & Protocols
The updated guidelines encourage a holistic approach to T2D management: Comprehensive Lifestyle Interventions:
This remains central, involving dietary patterns, exercise regimens, and, when appropriate, pharmacological or surgical interventions. The guidelines underscore the impact of weight loss on glycemic control and overall health [10].
Focus on individualized dietary approaches, potentially including low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diets for those aiming for remission [14].
Pharmacologic Interventions:
For patients with or at high risk of ASCVD, HF, or CKD, the guidelines suggest initiating and early in the treatment pathway, given their benefits beyond glucose lowering [16].
is gaining prominence for its efficacy in promoting remission and reducing T2D incidence, alongside significant weight loss [12].
Advanced Glucose Monitoring:
Recommendations support the appropriate use of CGM for various patient populations, recognizing its role in improving glycemic control, reducing hypoglycemia, and empowering individuals to better manage their condition [13].
Patient Experiences
Discussions on social media among patients and healthcare professionals shed light on the real-world implications of these guideline changes: Despite updated guidelines, there's noted resistance to adopting newer dietary approaches like low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diets in clinical practice, indicating a "glacial" pace of change within the medical field [17].
Patients have discussed the shifting A1c targets over the years and the impact of technological advancements like CGMs. While CGMs have made blood sugar management easier, some patients express confusion or frustration with changing goals, and varying opinions exist on optimal A1c levels, balancing strict control with hypoglycemia risk [18].
A strong sentiment exists among some patients and healthcare professionals that current treatment often focuses on managing blood glucose (symptoms) rather than addressing the underlying insulin resistance (root cause). They advocate for a paradigm shift towards lifestyle and nutrition-based interventions for true disease reversal [19]. Some even propose renaming T2D to "Carbohydrate Toxicity Syndrome" to reflect its metabolic root cause [20].
Management Plan
Based on the ADA Standards of Care-2025 and emerging research, an effective management plan for Type 2 Diabetes should include: Work with your healthcare provider to set personalized glycemic goals (A1c targets) based on your age, comorbidities, and overall health status, aiming to minimize hypoglycemia risk [21].
Prioritize weight loss through comprehensive lifestyle changes, including dietary modifications (potentially low-carbohydrate approaches) and regular exercise. Discuss pharmacological or surgical options with your doctor if lifestyle interventions alone are insufficient [10].
If pharmacotherapy is needed, discuss with your doctor the benefits of and , especially if you have or are at risk for cardiovascular disease, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease. These medications offer benefits beyond just blood sugar control [2].
Explore the use of advanced glucose monitoring technologies like CGM to gain deeper insights into your glucose patterns and improve management decisions [13].
If diagnosed with prediabetes, implement lifestyle changes immediately. Discuss potential pharmacotherapy options like , SGLT2 inhibitors, or GLP-1 RAs with your healthcare provider to prevent progression to T2D [12].
For individuals with T2D, particularly those early in their diagnosis, discuss the potential for disease remission through significant lifestyle changes and weight loss strategies with your healthcare team [14].
Regular Monitoring and Consultation: Continue regular check-ups, blood tests (including A1c and kidney function), and consultations with your healthcare provider to adjust your treatment plan as needed. Staying informed about the latest guidelines will ensure optimal care.