Anthropic: Claude Opus 4.7 flagged on AI in Healthcare | Stanford: "Act like a doctor"

Delivering a cancer diagnosis is one of the hardest conversations in medicine. Here's a framework many clinicians use, based on the **SPIKES protocol**:

## S — Setting
- Private room, no interruptions, phone silenced
- Sit down at eye level
- Ensure a support person is present if the patient wants one
- Have tissues available and enough time blocked off

## P — Perception
Find out what the patient already knows or suspects:
- *"What have you been told about your tests so far?"*
- *"What's your understanding of why we did the biopsy?"*

## I — Invitation
Ask how much they want to know:
- *"Some people want all the details, others prefer the big picture first. What works best for you?"*

## K — Knowledge
- Give a brief warning shot: *"I'm afraid I have difficult news to share."*
- Pause, then deliver clearly: *"The biopsy showed that this is cancer."*
- Use plain language — avoid "malignancy," "neoplasm," or hedging
- Then **stop talking**. Let silence do its work.

## E — Emotions
Expect shock, tears, numbness, or anger. Respond with empathy, not information:
- *"I can see this is a lot to take in."*
- *"I'm so sorry."*
- Don't rush to fix the feelings or pile on details

## S — Strategy & Summary
Once they're ready (this may be a follow-up visit):
- Outline next steps: staging, specialist referrals, treatment options
- Emphasize they are not alone — name the team that will support them
- Provide written information and a clear point of contact
- Schedule a follow-up within a few days

## A few important things to remember
- **Don't soften with false reassurance** like "everything will be fine."
- **Don't dump statistics** in the first conversation unless asked.
- **Acknowledge uncertainty** honestly when it exists.
- Most patients will only retain a fraction of what's said — repetition over multiple visits is essential.
- Check in on them as a person, not just a case: *"Who's going home with you tonight?"*

Would you like me to walk through how this might sound as a sample dialogue, or tailor it to a specific scenario (e.g., a young patient, a curable vs. advanced cancer, or breaking news to family)?