Use of artificial intelligence in healthcare lacks legal regulations

NEW DELHI: While artificial intelligence is being used in all fields, its application in the healthcare sector is vital but there are several legal issues involved, as there are no specific laws to deal with it and the question of accountability for errors in technology remain. This was widely felt during the concluding session of 10th international conference on transforming healthcare with IT organized by the Apollo hospitals and Apollo telemedicine networking foundation. While speaking on the legal implication in use of AI in clinical practice: gray areas, Bagmishika Puhan, associate partner, TMT law practice said that currently there are no well defined regulations in place to address the legal and ethical issues that may arise due to the use of AI in healthcare sector, which is required. "Who should be responsible for errors in a medical device, diagnosis and treatment enabled by AI," she questioned, adding that adoption of AI should steer away from flawed algorithms, human bias and any potential discrimination, exclusions. She further said that the patient must be made aware of technologies deployed as much as they need to be aware of the consequences because in digital services, lack of physical presence creates an impression of vulnerability in the minds of the patients.