A report on the use of artificial intelligence in health settings has called for clear ethical standards and guidance to protect patients.
The use of AI in health care is increasing, as a communication tool with patients and in diagnosis. The new report, by the Council of Europe, investigates the potential impact of AI on the doctor-patient relationship.
Author Dr Brent Mittelstadt, of the Oxford Internet Institute, UK, says: “The doctor-patient relationship is a keystone of ‘good’ medical practice, and yet it is seemingly being transformed into a doctor-patient-AI relationship.
“The challenge is to set robust standards and requirements for this new type of ‘healing relationship’ to ensure patients’ interests and the moral integrity of medicine as a profession are not fundamentally damaged by the introduction of AI.”
The report examines AI in the light of the human rights principles in the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine. In particular, issues such as inequality in access to high quality health care, transparency, and the right to privacy.
It states: “The patient’s vulnerability is not changed by the introduction of AI. What changes is the means of care delivery, how it can be provided, and by whom.
“The shift of expertise and care responsibilities to AI systems can be disruptive in many ways.”
Dr Mittelstadt points out that detecting biases is not straightforward. “Biased and unfair decision-making often reflects underlying social biases and inequalities,” he writes.
“For example, samples in clinical trials and health studies have historically been biased towards white male subjects meaning results are less likely to apply to women and people of colour.”
In the report, he calls for binding recommendations and requirements on AI that focus on ensuring health care is not unduly disrupted by the introduction of AI.
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