Ethical and legal challenges of medical AI on informed consent: China as an example.

Journal: Developing world bioethics
PMID:

Abstract

The escalating integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in clinical settings carries profound implications for the doctrine of informed consent, presenting challenges that necessitate immediate attention. China, in its advancement in the deployment of medical AI, is proactively engaging in the formulation of legal and ethical regulations. This paper takes China as an example to undertake a theoretical examination rooted in the principles of medical ethics and legal norms, analyzing informed consent and medical AI through relevant literature data. The study reveals that medical AI poses fundamental challenges to the accuracy, adequacy, and objectivity of information disclosed by doctors, alongside impacting patient competency and willingness to give consent. To enhance adherence to informed consent rules in the context of medical AI, this paper advocates for a shift towards a patient-centric information disclosure standard, the restructuring of medical liability rules, the augmentation of professional training, and the advancement of public understanding through educational initiatives.

Authors

  • Yue Wang
    Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
  • Zhuo Ma
    School of Law, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.28, Xianning West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, PR China. Electronic address: mz00727@126.com.