UK needs new laws for AI in healthcare, says watchdog

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has released 44 recommendations to update its policies regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. The technology is expected to become increasingly common within the NHS, according to MHRA chief Lawrence Tallon, who told the BBC that patients will gradually see AI as part of standard healthcare delivery.

The report, compiled by an independent commission with input from over 12,000 individuals, including patients and clinicians, emphasizes the need for continuously monitoring AI products, enabling patients to know when AI is involved in their care, and having the power to penalise developers if the AI fails to meet required standards.

A "AI L plate" system is proposed to facilitate the supervised trial of new AI models by healthcare professionals. While AI note-takers are already used by 40% of UK-based GPs, a University of Edinburgh study suggests that patients might be less likely to share personal information if they know their conversation is being processed by AI.

Some patients prefer not to have their consultations with a robot, but this is also acceptable, according to Professor Henrietta Hughes, a GP involved in the report commission. AI is seen as a significant opportunity for healthcare, potentially comparable to breakthroughs like antibiotics and MRI, but there are concerns about AI models making incorrect decisions due to biases in patient data and the potential for AI chatbots to provide incorrect medical advice.