Perplexity vs iatroX (2025): The Search Engine vs The Medical Device
At a Glance
Who is it for?
iatroX:Clinicians treating patients.
Perplexity AI:Researchers & General Public.
Why choose iatroX?
- **Clinical Governance**: UKCA-marked medical device designed for safety.
- **Walled Garden**: Only searches trusted UK sources (NICE, CKS, BNF).
- **Hallucination Control**: Strict RAG architecture prevents inventing treatments.
- **Context**: Understands 'first-line', 'contraindication', and medical nuance.
Why choose Perplexity AI?
- **Web Access**: Can read news articles, forums, and US websites.
- **Breadth**: Answers non-medical questions ('Who won the football?').
- **Source Variety**: Links to blogs, PDFs, and YouTube videos.
- **Speed**: Extremely fast web crawling.
Feature Comparison
| Capability | iatroX | Perplexity AI |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | High (Regulated Device) | Variable (Generalist AI) |
| Sources | Curated Guidelines | The Entire Internet |
| Bias | UK / NHS | US / Commercial Web |
In-Depth Analysis
Overview
Perplexity is an incredible "Answer Engine." It replaces Google for many people. However, in medicine, "The Internet" is often wrong. Perplexity might build a convincing answer based on a blog post from 2015 or a US-based health site that conflicts with NHS protocols.
iatroX is a Medical Device. It does not search the internet. It searches a secure, updated vault of UK National Guidelines. When it answers, it is not "guessing" based on web probability; it is retrieving the specific paragraph from NICE that governs your practice.
Key Differences
Perplexity prioritizes relevance and speed (finding an answer). iatroX prioritizes safety and governance (finding the correct answer).
Use-Cases
Prescribing for a Child
When to choose iatroX
- **Essential.** Checks the BNFc and NICE guidelines for safe dosing.
When to choose Perplexity AI
- **Risk.** May source a dose from a US forum or outdated blog post.
Finding a Rare Paper
When to choose iatroX
- N/A
When to choose Perplexity AI
- **Winner.** Excellent at finding specific PDFs on the web.
Checking a Guideline
When to choose iatroX
- **Winner.** Guaranteed to quote the current UK standard.
When to choose Perplexity AI
- Might quote the Mayo Clinic (US) or a guideline from 2018.
FAQs
- Is Perplexity safe for medical advice?
- Perplexity states it is not a medical device and should not be used for clinical decisions. iatroX is UKCA-marked for this purpose.