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Google Pulls Some AI Health Overviews After Liver-Test Errors

Google points to clinician vetting alongside confidence thresholds during its review of further examples raised by reporters.

Overview

  • Following a Guardian investigation, Google removed AI Overviews for the queries "what is the normal range for liver blood tests" and "what is the normal range for liver function tests."
  • Health experts warned the earlier summaries listed liver test numbers without essential context on factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, or test methods, risking false reassurance for seriously ill people.
  • The British Liver Trust welcomed the removals yet cautioned that differently phrased searches can still surface potentially misleading summaries.
  • AI Overviews continue to appear for slightly altered liver queries such as "lft reference range" and for other health topics, which Google says it is reviewing.
  • Google says it does not comment on specific removals, emphasizes broad quality improvements and clinician review, and notes Overviews only appear when it has high confidence in response quality.