Would You Trust An AI Doctor?
In a move that feels ripped straight from a sci-fi screenplay, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a groundbreaking bill that would allow artificial intelligence to prescribe FDA-approved medications—without human oversight
AI could soon be recognized as a “licensed practitioner” with the authority to make medical decisions.
This isn’t just another incremental step in the AI revolution; it’s a seismic shift in how we think about medicine, ethics, and the role of technology in our lives.
The bill would grant AI and machine learning technologies the same legal standing as human healthcare providers when it comes to prescribing drugs.
In other words, the decisions made by an algorithm would carry the same weight as those made by a doctor.
Technological Advancement At What Cost?
The implications are profound and complex. On one hand, AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare by improving diagnostic accuracy, personalizing treatment plans, and addressing the shortage of medical professionals in underserved areas.
On the other, it raises profound questions about accountability, bias, and the erosion of human judgment in critical life-and-death decisions:
- Accountability: if an AI prescribes the wrong medication, who’s to blame? The developers? The healthcare system? The algorithm itself?
- Bias: AI systems are only as good as the data they’re trained on. What happens if the data reflects existing biases in healthcare, leading to unequal treatment for marginalized groups?
- Human Touch: medicine isn’t just about data, it’s about empathy, intuition, and the nuanced understanding of a patient’s unique circumstances. Can AI truly replicate that?
The Bigger Picture
This bill is part of a larger trend of AI encroaching on domains once thought to be the exclusive province of human expertise. From drafting legal documents to creating art, AI is rapidly becoming a ubiquitous force in our lives.
But healthcare is different. It’s deeply personal, inherently human, and fraught with ethical complexities.
The U.S. isn’t just testing the waters with this legislation, it’s diving headfirst into uncharted territory. If passed, this bill could set a precedent for other countries to follow, accelerating the global adoption of AI in medicine.
While the promise of AI in healthcare is undeniable, we must proceed with caution.
The stakes are too high to let the hype around AI outpace the necessary safeguards. As we stand on the brink of this new era, one thing is clear: the future of medicine will be shaped not just by technological innovation, but by the choices we make today.
A Turning Point for Healthcare and Humanity
So, is this the dawn of a new age of healthcare—or the first step toward a dystopian future where machines call the shots? The answer may depend on how carefully we navigate the ethical minefield ahead.
Should AI be trusted with prescribing medications, or is this a step too far? Should we ever use a replacement of a human contact when it comes to taking care of another human being?
The World Council for Health Better Way Charter has seven Principles by which to live as sovereign beings. The seventh principle is particularly relevant here:
Technology has its place, but it cannot replace the healing power of human connection, that connection is what matters above all.
Those considering the U.S. Bill would do well to keep this clearly in mind.
See more here substack.com
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Tom
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This question is so silly. Maybe the A/i dumbbell is quicker on the trigger or finds something that the other docs might miss. Still, you will be tormented with testing, procedures and drugs. Different diagnosis…same deadly resolutions. The A/i dumbbell will only be as good as his programming and guaranteed he will not have any insights into true healing as the body does that on its own.
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paula
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why would I trust an AI? I don’t even trust the human doctors.
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Howdy
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If I buy a book of best practices and tips on vegetable growing, does that make me an authority on the subject?
For AI to be any kind of doctor, one would imagine it would need the whole knowledgof Humanity available on the medical subject. However,that is not enough, andthere is a requirement for knowledge of observed behaviour, experience, and actual reasoning using clues not available to the program since that is not a concept.
The variables are masive, andpeople are not clones.
As to what I can take for a headache, I guess AI can do that.
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VOWG
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NO. The failure to understand that all A I is computer programming has become a joke.
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Aaron
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would this be how they are going to maha
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