hotspot
Early this spring, dozens of volunteers fielding requests from people struggling with eating disorders — many of whom call amid mental health crises — received surprising and abrupt news: Their service at the National Eating Disorders Association would end within weeks.
In their place, the nonprofit would offer an AI chatbot called Tessa.
advertisement
NEDA told volunteers the tool could respond faster and help more people than they could; the helpline was missing almost half of clients’ attempts to contact them, and wait times had surged to several days or even almost two weeks, according to emails reviewed by STAT.
Unlock this article by subscribing to STAT+ and enjoy your first 30 days free!
GET STARTED Log In
Previous article：
FDA needs staff influx to meet gene therapy needs, Marks says
Next article： Hepatitis C has a cure — but many Americans still lack access to it
Next article： Hepatitis C has a cure — but many Americans still lack access to it
