{
  "id": 15878045,
  "title": "Minding the gap – AI regulators should learn from the pharmaceutical industry",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/minding-the-gap-ai-regulators-should-learn-from-the-pharmaceutical",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-21T10:52:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Cancer Research UK",
    "slug": "cancer-research-uk",
    "url": "https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2026/10/21/minding-the-gap-ai-regulators-should-learn-from-the-pharmaceutical-industry/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Leaders in artificial intelligence warn of potential catastrophe, yet regulations remain limited. The pharmaceutical industry offers valuable lessons for policymakers grappling with how to regulate AI. Once unregulated, the pharmaceutical industry underwent significant changes after the thalidomide disaster, which resulted in over 10,000 birth defects. This tragedy prompted the UK government to enact the Medicines Act 1968, introducing stricter testing before medicines reached patients. The pharmaceutical industry now requires rigorous testing and reliable evidence, which helps drive innovation without hindering it, and remains highly profitable. Policymakers should learn from the pharmaceutical industry's experience, emphasizing the importance of independent assessment and continual monitoring to ensure safety while fostering progress.",
  "summary": "AI leaders are warning of catastrophe, but regulations remain limited. The history of the pharmaceutical industry shows why we shouldn’t wait... The post Minding the gap – AI regulators should learn from the pharmaceutical industry appeared first on Cancer Research UK - Cancer News .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}