A recent report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, pointing out both the opportunities and challenges this poses for governments, providers and communities.
The report entitled “Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence in Health”, the result of two years of consultation by WHO-appointed international experts, highlights that AI has the potential to significantly improve healthcare delivery and medicine worldwide. However, for this to occur, it is crucial that ethics and human rights are considered centrally in its conception, implementation and use.
WHO managing director emphasizes that while AI offers great potential to improve global health, it can also be misused and cause harm. The report provides countries with valuable guidance on how to maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing risks and avoiding pitfalls.
Improve speed and accuracy of Artificial Intelligence in the healthcare sector
AI is already being used in some developed countries to improve the speed and accuracy of disease diagnosis and detection, facilitate clinical care, drive drug research and development, and support public health interventions such as disease surveillance, outbreak response and health systems management.
In addition, AI could empower patients to have greater control over their healthcare and better understand their needs. It could also improve access to healthcare services in resource-limited countries and rural communities, where patients often face difficulties in accessing healthcare professionals.
Challenges and risks of Artificial Intelligence in the healthcare sector
However, the WHO report warns of the danger of overestimating the benefits of AI in health, especially if this is done to the detriment of basic investments and strategies needed to achieve universal health coverage.
It also highlights that AI opportunities come with challenges and risks, such as unethical collection and use of health data, biases present in algorithms, and risks to patient safety, cybersecurity, and the environment.
The report stresses the importance of preventing AI from subordinating the rights and interests of patients and communities to the commercial interests of technology companies or to government interests in surveillance and social control.
It also notes that AI systems trained primarily on data collected in high-income countries may not function adequately in populations in low- or middle-income settings. Therefore, it is crucial that AI systems reflect the diversity of socioeconomic and healthcare settings, and are accompanied by digital skills training, community engagement, and awareness.
Conclusions on the use of artificial intelligence in the healthcare sector
In conclusion, governments, providers and designers must work together, guided by existing human rights laws and obligations, as well as new laws and policies that incorporate ethical principles, to address ethical and human rights concerns at all stages of conception, development and implementation of AI-based technologies. Ethics and human rights must be at the heart of ensuring that AI in health benefits humanity in a fair and responsible manner.
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