WHO Europe urges tighter rules as AI spreads in healthcare
“A new WHO Europe assessment says health AI is spreading faster than regulation and urges robust safeguards.”
Key points
- A new WHO Europe assessment says health AI is spreading faster than regulation and urges robust safeguards.
- The agency calls for clear accountability, redress mechanisms and pre-deployment testing to ensure patient safety and equity.
WHO Europe warned that the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in health systems requires stronger legal and ethical safeguards to protect patients and clinicians. A regional report based on responses from 50 of 53 member states found that only a small fraction have a dedicated national AI-in-health strategy.
Officials said countries are rolling out AI tools in diagnostics and patient engagement, but regulatory capacity is lagging. Key concerns include biased outputs, automation bias, erosion of clinical skills, weakened clinician-patient interaction and inequities in care for marginalised populations.
The report urges clear accountability rules, effective redress mechanisms, and rigorous testing for safety, fairness and real-world efficacy before deployment. WHO Europe added that legal uncertainty remains the main barrier to adoption, underscoring the need for comprehensive frameworks that keep pace with evolving technologies.
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