Health sector AI growth in Europe raises safety concerns
A new WHO assessment highlights uneven AI development across Europe’s health systems and warns that weak safeguards could put patients at risk.
Concerns are growing as European countries expand the use of AI in healthcare without establishing sufficient protections for patients or healthcare workers.
A new World Health Organisation report found significant disparities in how nations develop, regulate and fund AI tools.
Some countries are rapidly deploying chatbots, imaging systems and data-analysis tools, while others have barely started integrating AI into their health services. Only four nations across Europe and Central Asia currently have a national strategy dedicated to AI in health care.
WHO officials warn that weak safeguards could lead to biassed algorithms, medical errors and increased inequality in access to care.
The report urges governments to strengthen legal frameworks, train health workers in AI literacy and ensure these technologies are rigorously tested before reaching patients.
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