Artificial Intelligence (AI) represents a transformative and innovative approach in healthcare with the potential to revolutionize diagnostic, therapeutic, administrative, educational, research, and managerial processes. Given that AI systems influence reasoning, decision-making, and the delivery of care, their implementation faces challenges, particularly ethical considerations rooted in the unique nature of the healthcare system—where patient welfare, trust, and the autonomy of healthcare providers hold paramount importance. This study adopts a qualitative approach. Various information sources, including journals, articles, and publications, were reviewed. The applications of AI in clinical environments and its impact on individuals' interactions with healthcare systems, decision-making processes, and clinical workflows were analyzed, and relevant ethical considerations were extracted. The results indicate that the integration of AI in healthcare, despite its extensive benefits in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, prediction, decision-making, process automation, medication and therapeutic recommendations, surgical guidance, personalized medicine, telemedicine systems, and numerous other applications, is accompanied by a set of ethical considerations. Addressing these considerations is crucial to ensure the responsible and equitable use of these technologies. These include concerns related to patient privacy and data security, biases in AI systems, transparency, explainability, interpretability, accountability, informed consent, impacts on the relationships between healthcare providers and patients, equitable access to AI benefits, the appropriate and judicious use of technology, ethical use of automation, preservation of human dignity, effective oversight and regulation, legal and legislative issues, and long-term implications such as preventing misuse of predictive data by insurers or employers, among other patient rights-related issues. The utilization of AI in healthcare necessitates the development of ethical and legal frameworks that balance technological innovation with the humanistic principles underpinning healthcare systems. This ensures that while leveraging the advantages of AI, privacy, justice, equity, and human dignity are safeguarded. Emphasis on continuous monitoring and aligning AI-based systems with human values can foster trust in these technologies, ensuring that AI is used responsibly and adheres to ethical standards, ultimately serving to enhance public health outcomes responsibly and equitably.
Type of Study:
Ethics Congress |
Subject:
Congress of Ethics Received: 2025/02/3 | Accepted: 2024/12/22 | Published: 2024/12/22