UK needs new laws for AI in healthcare, says watchdog
The technology will soon be routinely used within the NHS, MHRA chief Lawrence Tallon tells the BBC.
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has recommended new regulations for AI products used in healthcare, particularly within the National Health Service (NHS). The agency predicts AI will increasingly be part of normal NHS healthcare delivery.
The recommendations, compiled by an independent commission, include making AI products easier to monitor and remove from approval if they malfunction or become ineffective. Patients should have the right to know if AI is involved in their care and access information about the products involved. Penalties should be in place for developers failing to meet required standards.
The current medical devices regulatory framework is outdated, with regulations primarily based on simpler devices like hip replacements. However, more complex AI models that continue to learn and adapt after authorization pose new challenges. While AI note-takers known as scribes, powered by large language models (LLMs), are currently used by 40% of UK GPs, a study found patients might be less likely to share personal information if they knew their conversation was being processed by AI.
Professor Henrietta Hughes, a GP and part of the report commission, noted that some patients prefer not to interact with AI during consultations. Despite potential benefits, there are concerns about AI models making incorrect decisions due to biases in training data and the risk of incorrect medical advice from AI chatbots.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Technology's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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